A swim spa that arrives on site as a finished, branded product looks simple from the outside. Behind it sits a chain of decisions about shell size, jet layout, plant room access, electrical supply and freight. If you are a dealer, landscape contractor or project supplier evaluating Swimming Pools and Swim Spas from a China-based factory, the practical question is not whether the unit looks good in a brochure. It is how the ordering process actually runs from first drawing to handover. This article walks that process using one catalogue model, the Outdoor Swim Spa WS-S06B, as the worked example.
What the base model covers
Before discussing OEM, it helps to be clear about what the standard catalogue item already defines. The published entry for the WS-S06B gives an external footprint of 5800 × 2200 × 1250 mm, which places it in the mid-length category: long enough for a counter-current swim lane in front of a house, short enough to sit on a prepared deck or plinth without major civil work.
| Model | WS-S06B |
| Catalogue dimensions | 5800 × 2200 × 1250 mm |
| Jet total | 48 pcs |
| Water pump / filter pump | 3 pcs / 1 pc |
| Control system | 1 set |
| LED lighting | 3 lights plus 26 small LED lights |
| Total power | 13.35 kW |
| Features shown | Water jets, LED lighting, Ozone, Waterfall |
Two points in that table matter commercially. First, a swim training system is not listed for this model in the captured specifications, so if your customer expects lap swimming against a jet wall you should confirm what drives it before quoting. Second, total power is stated at 13.35 kW. That number decides the supply your electrician must provide, and it varies between configurations — heat pumps, additional pumps and sand filtration all sit in the optional list, not the base unit.
Where OEM sourcing starts: the specification sheet
OEM work on a swim spa rarely means redesigning the shell. It means controlling what appears on and around a proven base unit. The Custom & OEM Service covers bespoke material finishes and textures, OEM manufacturing, flexible minimum order quantities and brand customisation including logos and packaging. Applied to a swim spa, that typically breaks down into four layers:
- Cabinet cladding and exterior finish. The cladding is what the customer sees from the garden. Colour, panel profile and corner detail can be matched to the decking or the façade of the house so the unit reads as built-in rather than dropped in.
- Equipment package. Catalogue-listed options for this range include control systems, UV sterilisation, additional water pumps, heat pumps, sand filtration, insulation and steps. Choosing them is where your margin and your customer's running costs are decided.
- Water features and lighting. The base model already shows a waterfall and LED lighting; the number of jets, water columns and lighting circuits can be adjusted per configuration.
- Branding and documentation. Nameplate, control panel labelling, user manual, warranty card and carton marking can carry your brand instead of the factory's.
The practical rule: fix the shell size first, then negotiate everything else. Changing the footprint changes freight, moulds and price far more than changing a finish or an accessory does.
The sourcing sequence, step by step
1. Site constraints before the quotation
Send the factory a plan of the intended location: deck or slab dimensions, access route for delivery, and the electrical supply available. A 5800 mm unit on a timber deck needs bearing points; a unit with a heat pump in a cool climate needs insulation specified up front. These details come out of the Interior Design Services workflow, which covers space layout planning and project design coordination including drawings and on-site guidance.
2. Configuration sheet and quotation
You receive a configuration sheet listing the base unit and each option with its own line. Check three things on it: what is included versus optional, the total connected power, and whether the swim training system appears at all. A quotation that bundles everything into one price hides the places where you can trade cost later.
3. Prototype or first article for a repeat programme
For a single unit, the catalogue configuration is usually enough. For a dealer stocking several models under their own brand, ask for one assembled unit with your nameplate, cladding and manual before committing to a run. Custom design and prototyping sit inside the OEM service, so this step is normal rather than exceptional.
4. Production and inspection points
Agree in writing what gets photographed or tested before shipping: shell finish, jet and lighting function with the spa filled, control system operation, and the packing arrangement. Water features are easiest to verify with water in them, so a dry inspection tells you very little.
5. Freight, customs and landing
Freight forwarding by sea, air and rail, customs paperwork, packaging and container loading, shipment tracking and door-to-door delivery are handled through the Logistics & Door-to-Door Delivery service. For a swim spa, confirm on the packing list whether the shell ships as one piece with the plant room pre-plumbed or as separate modules, and who provides the crane or forklift at the delivery point. Incoterms, duties and insurance are decided case by case; do not assume any of them from marketing copy.
6. Installation and after-sales
On-site installation, inspection and snags, spare parts and ongoing maintenance fall under Installation & After-sales Support. For a branded programme, decide now who answers the end customer: you or the factory. Spare-part lead times for pumps, jets and control boards are worth agreeing before the first container leaves.
What to confirm in writing before you pay a deposit
- The exact dimensions of the unit being built, not the model family. Model codes that look almost identical differ in length, depth and fitted equipment, so compare two entries side by side before you shortlist.
- Total connected power and the supply it assumes, plus whether a heat pump is included or optional.
- Which items are genuinely fitted: control system count, number of pumps, jet count, lighting count, ozone and waterfall hardware.
- Insulation level if the spa will run outdoors in a cold or temperate climate; insulation appears in the options list, not the base specification.
- Minimum order quantity for your branded version, since flexible MOQs are part of the OEM service but the number is set per project.
- Who supplies steps, cover, and any local electrical work at the site.
SANTERSON's own pages carry differing figures for factory area and export share between the homepage, About page and footer. If a figure like that matters to your tender submission, ask for the current confirmed number rather than quoting what you found on the site.
A note on range depth
The WS-S06B is one entry in a catalogue that runs from compact plunge-length units to swim spas beyond eleven metres. That breadth is useful when you are building a product line for a dealer network: one supplier, one freight lane, one set of paperwork, several price points. It also means model codes can look almost identical while differing in length, depth and fitted equipment — so specify by drawing and configuration sheet, never by model code alone.
Send your site plan, target dimensions and the options you want fitted, and the factory returns a configuration sheet with each line priced. Enquiries through the contact page receive a response within 24 hours during business hours (Monday–Saturday, GMT+8), or reach SANTERSON directly on +86-13928214007.