HydroWorx / LUMA - Where Innovation Meets Recovery, and Water Meets Design

The partnership between HydroWorx and Luma Pools is more than a professional alliance, it’s a story built on friendship, trust, and a shared belief in the power of water to heal and transform.It goes back to 2014, when I (James) first joined HydroWorx as a trainee engineer. My first major project was a big one, the Manchester City FC training complex, where two HydroWorx 2000 Series systems were installed across the academy and elite training centre. I didn’t know it then, but that job would mark the start of a relationship that’s spanned continents, careers, and more than a decade of collaboration.

Under the guidance of two fantastic mentors, Mike Downin and Mike Danner, I learned far more than engineering. They taught me about pride in your craft, discipline on the job, and the importance of precision, lessons that have shaped every Luma project since.

There were long days on site and late nights in hotel bars, talking through challenges, sharing stories, and forging friendships that still mean the world to me today.

Learning the Craft

Alongside Thom White, I spent years travelling the UK servicing HydroWorx systems converting older chain-driven units into the new belt-driven models. Those van journeys became classrooms on wheels: long hours, plenty of laughter, and just enough healthy competition to keep us sharp.

That period taught me what real craftsmanship looks like, not just in the engineering itself, but in how you approach the work, the people, and the detail.

Forged Through Friendship

My time with HydroWorx soon took me across the Atlantic, working on installations at Kansas State University and Logan Regional Hospital, before heading to Turkey for the Gloria Sports Arena project. It was there I met Marlin Yohn Jr and Mike McHugh both brilliant professionals, but more importantly, incredible people. Mike, a former Hershey Bears Captain and senior HydroWorx Director, became a mentor and friend whose influence still shapes how I work today.

Those years were full of challenges, late nights, last-minute fixes, and shared successes. The camaraderie we built wasn’t just about getting the job done, it was about doing it right, together.

When Mike Danner sadly passed away and Mike Downin moved on, I carried forward what they taught me blending their old-school values with a modern, design-led approach to pool engineering.

A Pause - and a Return

After leading HydroWorx installations for Liverpool FC, Leicester City FC, and the Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre (DNRC), I decided to step away from the pool industry in 2021 to explore new directions.

But as it turns out, the water has a way of calling you back.

In 2023, during a surprise visit to the UK, Marlin Yohn Jr got in touch. Over lunch, we shared old stories and talked about how far we’d come and before long, we were planning the next chapter. Within weeks, HydroWorx asked me to return, this time installing directly for the company. And that’s how LUMA Pools was born, not as a new venture, but as a continuation of a 12-year partnership rooted in loyalty, friendship, and a shared passion for excellence.

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Why HydroWorx Leads the Field

HydroWorx remains the gold standard in hydrotherapy technology trusted by Premier League clubs, elite athletes, and world-class rehabilitation facilities around the world. Each system is engineered to perfection, featuring underwater treadmills, adjustable resistance jets, variable-depth floors, andprecise thermal control. Together, these innovations give physiotherapists the flexibility to tailor every recovery session to their athletes’ needs.

Redefining Modern Recovery

Under Luma Pools and Pride Building & Electrical Ltd, I’ve had the privilege of leading a new wave of HydroWorx installations across Manchester United, AFC Bournemouth, Norwich City, Crystal Palace, and SMU University in Texas. Each project blends HydroWorx’s innovation with Luma’s design-led craftsmanship creating hydrotherapy environments that perform beautifully and look exceptional.

That collaboration, that attention to detail, it’s what defines every HydroWorx × Luma installation.

HydroWorx / LUMA - we've worked with some huge brands

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