Tenjam has quickly become a top choice among consumers looking for high-quality furniture for the pool. The company has created a niche by seamlessly combining functionality, aesthetics and sustainability into its designs. Tenjam is known for its commitment to providing stylish and durable outdoor seating solutions.
We spoke to Mike Collins, the owner and CEO of Tenjam, about the company’s success in the pool and spa industry on the Pool Magazine Podcast.
PM: What first inspired you to launch Tenjam?
MC (Mike Collins): I launched Tenjam in 2013. At the time, our main focus was outdoor furniture. We ended up getting involved in rotomolding, and we launched our first rotomolded products in 2015 through this. In 2020, we launched the Splash series and the market has been booming ever since.
PM: Plastic furniture has a negative connotation in the minds and hearts of consumers, but your product stands out. What makes your product line different?
MC: Funny you mention that, because our dealers say to us, “Hey, do you guys manufacture plastic furniture?” They’ll show a sample and people are always blown away at how durable it is. When they sit on it, or even grab it, their faces are like ‘Oh my god, this isn’t just plastic furniture.’ This is industrial toughness.
You might see a Yeti cooler that costs $300 in a store today. You can also go to a discount shop and buy a blow-molded cooler for $30. You can buy plenty of Styrofoam Coolers for just $6. As with anything, you will get what you paid for.
We produce ultra-strong, real-wall thickness products with our Roto-Molding Manufacturing Process. In addition, we integrate the best UV color stabilizers in every color. Roto-molded products are more expensive because of these extras.
PM: This tagline is great for your products. Bring on the sand and salt water. Bring on the sun, rain, snow, and the rain. These products are tough .’
MC: This is something we’ve considered in depth when designing our product range. What happens if snow falls on your product? Do I need to store this during the winter months? In Florida, there is a lot airborne salt and dust. Does that affect it? What will the sun do to it? What will the rain do to your product?
We have carefully chosen the materials and processing methods we use to create products that are able to withstand sand, salt, snow, rain and any other weather condition. We were confident in the material, knowing it would perform well with salt water or chlorinated swimming pools.
PM Can you show us your entire product line of outdoor furniture and pool furniture?
MC: We have the Splash series. In that series, we have all the products which can work and live 24/7/365 in the pool. All of these products are designed to be used on sunshelfs and tanning ledges. Each product has a depth rating.
Our Session series is also available. This was our first line of rotomolded products, and it can be used in outdoor living environments for all seasons.
Dealers told us that they wanted products which made it easier to enter and exit the pool. Dealers have had to deal with furniture that required them to remove plugs and flip it upside down.
It was difficult to move other brands of furniture into and out of a pool. Then you have to try and get water into the core. After you have put back the plugs, the furniture is very heavy and difficult to move.
When you want to remove it from the pool you just lift it and it drains automatically. You can then use it on your patio. Dealers and consumers wanted the same thing. Easy to move pool furniture from the pool area and onto the patio.
Ergonomics plays a major role. We have chairs with armrests, cup holders and are extremely comfortable. We spent a lot of time on the ergonomics for our In-Pool lounger, and not only for people who are alone, but also for families with children. We would find people of different sizes and weights to ensure that they were all comfortable.
You can create an uncomfortable product if you don’t pay attention to ergonomics. We focused on this big time and kept prototyping until we got it right. This ensured that users of all sizes felt comfortable with the product.
This product is a huge success, because we don’t have to make different loungers depending on the pool depth. Instead, there is one lounger with patented risers that can be adjusted to different heights according to your pool depth.
We also have Mibster and moon chairs, both with cup holders and armrests. These have been a huge hit for us. They are easy to set up in the swimming pool. They sink into the pool in about 10 seconds and are removed from the pool in about 10 seconds. It’s very easy. There are also a number of tables which do the same thing.
PM Where can builders and distributors learn more about Tenjam Tenjam?
MC: Our five rep groups cover the whole of the United States. We have field salespeople in every local market. They may know them if they are a retailer or distributor, so we can connect with our local representatives.
We have a lot Zoom training sessions with distributor branches, as well as tabletop displays. I think the best solution would be if people were to contact us at [email protected] and just let us know what they’re looking for. We will connect them with local representatives, provide training, discuss pricing and all the other things they need to set up.
Want to know more about Tenjam? Listen to the entire interview with Mike Collins in the Pool Magazine Podcast.
