Employees are turning out two Oasis Spas each day and are selling them locally.
Northern Lakes Spas began producing spas in the first part of December, said Bob Dreger, an owner of Northern Lakes Spas, the company that produces Oasis Spas.
Business partners are Dreger, Mike Laviolette and Mark Ehrnst.
Oasis Spas can be found in Wadena at The Furniture Gallery.
Before the business began manufacturing spas, Dreger said the owners worked with product development and figured out what features to have on the spas such as the jetting configuration.
ADVERTISEMENT
After research and development, the business hired employees and began manufacturing. Eight models of spas are made and more models will be made in the future. The company is developing a larger mold to build a different version of spa, Dreger said. He hopes to have that model completed by the end of March.
Northern Lakes Spas is south of Wadena in a building that was formerly Uselman Electric.
The company distributes spas to dealers in the upper Midwest and central and western Canada. Laviolette is on the road pitching spas to dealers.
The thing hes finding out is people are working with companies in California or Florida, Dreger said.
Dealers are receptive to buying spas from a local company, he said.
Its a much more personal approach, Dreger said.
Eight people work in Wadena plus Laviolette on the road and Ehrnst in Nebraska, where he has a store and sells Oasis Spas and other furniture.
Total labor for constructing a spa is about 24 hours, Dreger said. The goal is to complete two spas per manufacturing line each day.
ADVERTISEMENT
As we need to, we will increase that, he said.
Workers apply fiberglass and drill holes for jets, install hoses and do plumbing. A second line of employees works on framing, foam insulation, skirting and final details.
Oasis Spas are unique because the plumbing is fine tuned, Dreger said. To prevent leaks, employees clamp and glue piping.
Also, the company has the advantage of producing in a small town, so the overhead cost is less, Dreger said. And transportation costs less for dealers because the company is local, he said.
As more dealers begin to sell Oasis Spas, Northern Lakes Spas probably will hire more employees, Dreger said.
He is working on establishing a Web site that will feature Oasis Spas.
