With summer in full swing, few things can beat having a swimming pool during July’s record-breaking heat waves. But one product is indispensable to treating them: chlorine.
Chemical supply chain professionals play a significant role in distributing chlorine disinfectants, such as sodium hypochlorite, that are essential to water treatment processes, ensuring that our drinking water and pools are safe and free from harmful bacteria and viruses.
ACD member HASA, Inc., is a leading producer and distributor of high-quality water treatment products used to sanitize, stabilize, and maintain swimming pools, hot tubs, and water systems used for everything from recreation to industrial and municipal end markets. Chris Brink, CEO of HASA, underscored its process for maintaining safe drinking water and pools for their customers across the nation.
“HASA specializes in producing and distributing liquid chlorine (sodium hypochlorite) products, which are created from salt, water, and electricity. [We produce these products by] mixing the chemicals to the right concentration, and subsequently safely packaging them for distribution,” said Chris. “The whole process is done on-site at our various locations across the western states and Texas, which has made us an invaluable part of the supply chain. Chlorine, in its many forms, is crucial for both municipal drinking water and household pool maintenance. HASA serves both markets, with half of HASA's bleach going to municipal supply and the other half to pool distributors and retailers.”
But summer’s cyclical demands play a part in HASA’s planning. Chris highlighted the cyclical demand for chlorine, specifically its management of high demands during the summertime.
“Summer months see a spike in chlorine demand, with HASA shipping up to three times more sodium hypochlorite in July than in January,” said Chris. “This increase in demand requires careful planning and strong supply chain management, which we’ve been able to successfully implement using advanced analytics and disciplined processes.”
This planning has been further refined through lessons learned following the disruptions from the pandemic and other natural disasters, like the polar vortex, which have underscored the need to protect this critical infrastructure.
“These events highlighted the vulnerabilities in supply chains across our industry and the importance of ensuring robust systems to maintain safe and reliable water treatment processes,” Chris continued. “During the pandemic, HASA had to navigate avoiding plant shutdowns and supply shortages, emphasizing the critical nature of their products for safe drinking water.
Looking ahead, Chris noted that over the last five years, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of chlorine and sodium hypochlorite in maintaining safe drinking water.
“People, including local and federal government, are more aware of it today,” he stated. “Apart from our facility growth over the last few years, we also take pride in the responsible care and handling of these chemicals as our work becomes more prominent and widely recognized.”
The work of HASA and other ACD members ensures a steady supply of critical chemicals, especially during challenging times, that are essential to the health and well-being of families across the nation. As Chris points out, understanding and adapting to cyclical demands, maintaining strong supply chain partnerships, and investing in infrastructure are key to navigating supply chain challenges and ensuring that communities continue to have access to clean, safe water during the summer months and beyond.
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