Swimways Corp
Swimways Corp is a Virginia Beach-based, Spin Master-owned brand that designs and distributes inflatable pool floats, portable pools, certified swim trainers, life jackets, and water sports games to US families through major retailers and direct-to-consumer e-commerce.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersVirginia Beach, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Swimways Corp does
Swimways Corp is a privately held, Virginia Beach-based manufacturer of leisure and recreational water products, founded in 1994 and operating as a wholly-owned brand subsidiary of Spin Master Ltd. (TSX:TOY). The company designs, produces, and distributes inflatable pool floats, portable pools, swim trainers, life jackets, and water sports games under the SwimWays brand, serving US families with children across pool, beach, and lake use cases.
The product portfolio is organized into four collections: Floats (including the proprietary Spring Float line with Inner Spring and Hyper-Flate rapid-inflation technology, Baby/Infant Spring Floats, and Elite Linking Floats), Pool & Pool Toys (including the patented Pop-Up Pool and licensed-character toys such as PAW Patrol, Disney's Ariel, and Rainbow Reef lines), Swim Confidence (US Coast Guard and USA Swimming Foundation certified swim trainers and life jackets featuring Bluey, PAW Patrol, Ariel, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), and Water Sports (Spring Hoops, Hydro Football, Hydro Lacrosse, Hydro Bottle Splash). Proprietary mechanical technologies and external safety certifications, combined with a deep licensed-character portfolio, form the core product differentiation.
SwimWays generates revenue through one-time unit sales of physical products distributed via major US retailers (Target, Dick's Sporting Goods, Leslie's Pool), Amazon marketplace, direct-to-consumer e-commerce at swimways.com, and Spin Master's owned online store. Pricing is unit-based with no subscription or recurring components, and customer concentration risk centers on retail-channel partners rather than individual consumers. The company is led by Emanuel Arias as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, with corporate infrastructure, retail relationships, and licensing scale provided by Spin Master.
Swimways Corp firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Swimways Corp
- Legal name
- SwimWays Corp
- Website
- https://swimways.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Swimways Corp is a Virginia Beach-based, Spin Master-owned brand that designs and distributes inflatable pool floats, portable pools, certified swim trainers, life jackets, and water sports games to US families through major retailers and direct-to-consumer e-commerce.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Swimways Corp industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Water Recreation Products
- NAICS
- Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)
- SIC
- Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Water Sports Equipment Retail (Wake, Ski, Tow, Tubes) (CRAMAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Water Sports & Marine Recreation Retail (Paddle/Surf/Dive/Boat Accessories) (CRAMABAI)
Keywords
Where Swimways Corp is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Virginia Beach
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Swimways Corp business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Consumer Water Recreation Products: Swimways generates revenue through the sale of physical water recreation products including floats, pool toys, swim trainers, life jackets, and water sports equipment sold through retail and direct-to-consumer channels.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Consumer retail pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels2 records
Swimways Corp product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Swimways Corp designs, manufactures, and sells water recreation products for families, including inflatable pool floats, pool toys, swim trainers, life jackets, and active water sports games. Its product portfolio is organized into four collections — Floats, Pool & Pool Toys, Swim Confidence, and Water Sports — and is distributed through major US retailers, Amazon, and direct-to-consumer channels under the SwimWays brand.
Product overview
Swimways Corp is a family-oriented water recreation brand offering a diverse portfolio of floats, pool toys, swim confidence products, and water sports gear. The company provides four main product collections: Floats (featuring Spring Float with proprietary Inner Spring and Hyper-Flate technology, Baby Spring Float, Elite Linking Floats), Pool & Pool Toys (including Pop-Up Pool, Rainbow Reef toys, and Disney-licensed products like Ariel Dive & Surprise and Mermaid Minnie), Swim Confidence products (US Coast Guard and USA Swimming Foundation certified swim trainers and life jackets featuring Bluey, PAW Patrol, Ariel, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), and Water Sports (Spring Hoops, Hydro Football, Hydro Lacrosse, Hydro Bottle Splash). The products are sold through major retailers including Leslie's, Dick's Sporting Goods, Target, Amazon, and Spin Master's own channels. Swimways is a subsidiary of Spin Master Corp.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Spring Float Floats Collection
Companies that use Swimways Corp
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Swimways Corp technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Swimways Corp partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- USA Swimming FoundationcoreSwimWays has obtained certification for its Swim Trainers from the USA Swimming Foundation, representing a strategic partnership that lends credibility to the brand's safety positioning for children's swim training products.
- US Coast GuardcoreSwimWays life jackets and swim trainers are certified by the US Coast Guard, providing regulatory safety certification that is essential for the brand's water safety positioning.
- Spin Master Ltd.coreSwimWays is a wholly-owned brand of Spin Master Ltd., a major global children's entertainment company. Spin Master provides distribution, retail relationships, and corporate infrastructure for the SwimWays brand.
- PAW Patrol (Nickelodeon)majorSwimWays licenses the PAW Patrol character property for swim trainers, life jackets, and pool toys, leveraging the popular children's entertainment franchise to drive product appeal.
- Bluey (BBC Studios)majorSwimWays licenses the Bluey character property for swim training products including the Bluey Swim Trainer, capitalizing on the popular Australian children's show's brand recognition.
- Disney Princess (The Walt Disney Company)majorSwimWays licenses Disney Princess characters including Ariel for swim trainers and mermaid-themed water toys, leveraging the iconic Disney brand for product appeal.
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Paramount Global)minorSwimWays licenses Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters for swim trainer products, providing branded water safety options for fans of the franchise.
- Gabby's Dollhouse (DreamWorks Animation)minorSwimWays licenses Gabby's Dollhouse characters for swim-themed toys and products, targeting the show's young audience.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Swimways Corp competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Wham-O: Wham-O owns a portfolio of legacy water toys including Slip 'N Slide, water blasters, and inflatable pool toys. As a broader toy/sporting goods incumbent, it overlaps with SwimWays' water sports and pool toy categories but at a wider portfolio level.
Emerging players
- TYR Sport: TYR is a US swim equipment brand producing goggles, swim training aids, and aquatic gear. It overlaps with SwimWays' swim confidence category but does not compete in floats or water sports games, making it a partial competitor.
- Sun Squad (Target private label): Sun Squad is Target's owned-brand pool float and water recreation line sold exclusively at Target. It sits directly on the same shelves as SwimWays and represents the most visible private-label competitive threat to SwimWays' mass-market float business.
- Speedo (Pentland Group): Speedo is a global swimwear and swim training brand with overlapping swim confidence and training equipment products (goggles, kickboards, learn-to-swim gear). While Speedo focuses more on apparel, it competes with SwimWays in the swim trainer and learn-to-swim category.
Direct peers
- BigMouth Inc: BigMouth is a fast-growing US maker of oversized novelty and licensed pool floats sold through Target, Amazon, and specialty retailers. Its licensed-character float range directly competes with SwimWays' character-driven Pool & Pool Toys portfolio.
- Poolmaster Inc: Poolmaster is a long-standing US manufacturer of pool toys, floats, games, and water sports accessories, overlapping with SwimWays' Pool & Pool Toys and Water Sports collections across mass and specialty retail.
- PoolCandy: PoolCandy is a US brand specializing in trendy pool floats, water games, and inflatable water sports products sold at Target, Walmart, and Amazon. The brand competes directly with SwimWays' Spring Float and water sports lines on price and trend-driven shelf space.
- Intex Recreation Corp: Intex is the largest direct competitor in inflatable pool floats, above-ground pools, and water recreation products, sold through the same mass-market and online channels as SwimWays. The two brands compete head-to-head at Target, Walmart, Amazon, and pool specialty retailers.
- Bestway USA: Bestway is a global manufacturer and retailer of above-ground pools, inflatable water products, and pool toys under the H2OGO! brand. It competes with SwimWays in inflatable floats, pool toys, and pop-up pool categories through the same major retailers.
- Stearns (a brand of Newell Brands): Stearns is a leading US brand of personal flotation devices, life jackets, and water safety gear, directly competing with SwimWays' USCG-certified life jacket and swim confidence product line at sporting goods and mass-market retailers.
Market position
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Swimways Corp social profiles
Digital presenceSwimways Corp compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Swimways Corp financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Swimways Corp leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Swimways Corp funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Swimways Corp M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Swimways Corp
What does Swimways Corp do?
Swimways Corp designs, manufactures, and sells water recreation products for families, including inflatable pool floats, pool toys, swim trainers, life jackets, and active water sports games. Its product portfolio is organized into four collections — Floats, Pool & Pool Toys, Swim Confidence, and Water Sports — and is distributed through major US retailers, Amazon, and direct-to-consumer channels under the SwimWays brand.
Is Swimways Corp a public or private company?
Swimways Corp is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Swimways Corp founded?
Swimways Corp was founded in 1994. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Swimways Corp based?
Swimways Corp is headquartered in Virginia Beach, United States, in the North America region.
How does Swimways Corp make money?
One revenue line is on record: consumer Water Recreation Products.
Who are Swimways Corp's main competitors?
Wham-O is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are TYR Sport, Sun Squad (Target private label) and Speedo (Pentland Group). Direct peers are BigMouth Inc, Poolmaster Inc, PoolCandy, Intex Recreation Corp, Bestway USA and Stearns (a brand of Newell Brands).
Does Swimways Corp have an API?
No public API is recorded for Swimways Corp.
What industry is Swimways Corp in?
Swimways Corp's product category is Water Recreation Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMAIAC, Water Sports Equipment Retail (Wake, Ski, Tow, Tubes), with a secondary code of CRAMABAI, Water Sports & Marine Recreation Retail (Paddle/Surf/Dive/Boat Accessories). Its NAICS code is 45911 and its SIC code is 3944.