Swimming Pools / Leisure / Aquatics / Spas / Health Issue 143 August/September 2022 SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show Review of the giant expo Concrete pools Getting the perfect finish Creating a squad Of strong happy swimmers Award season commences With state accolades
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Issue 143 August/September 2022
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Keep an eye out as we run more interviews in future issues, as well as the videos at SPLASHTV and audio interviews on the Ready Set SPLASH! podcast. I hope you enjoy them.
SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show Review of the giant expo
Getting the perfect finish Creating squad Of strong happy swimmers With state accolades
Chris Maher Managing intermedia.com.auchrismaher@EditorSwimmingPoolsLeisureAquaticsSpasHealth
As usual, I interviewed many people at the show and have included many of those interviews – long and short – in this issue. Of course, I couldn’t talk to everyone – but I tried to catch as many people as possible. Additionally, this year we had a media hub where our feature writer Veda Dante chatted to a number of interesting industry people.
August/September 2022 SPLASH! 7
Contributors: Veda Dante, Cal Stanley, Brett Lloyd Abbott.
The beauty of variated mosaics can be seen on this pool from Franklin Pools. Photographed by Patrick Redmond. For more on pool surfaces go to page 38.
Published by The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd ABN 940 025 83 682 41 Bridge Road, Glebe, NSW, 2037 Australia Ph: (02) 9660 2113 Fax: (02) 9660 4419
The second thing that struck me was the vibe. It was relentlessly positive. Everyone was beaming as if they had just been let out of lockdown that very morning. Seeing old friends and business acquaintances was literally bringing a smile to their faces. And on top of that, doing excellent business was having them almost jumping for joy. I have to admit, it was a real treat to see some industry people I hadn’t set eyes on for four years – some for considerably longer! But it was also very heartening to see a large number of younger industry members perusing the show floor, listening intently to the presentations, and enthusiastically enjoying the post-show festivities.It’savery good sign for the future of the industry.
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It had been four long years since the previous SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show, and it was clear that people had been busy in the intervening years. Everyone was expecting the show to be big – we already knew there were more exhibitors and more floor space than ever before. But what blew everyone away was the jaw-dropping quality of the stands. For example, Fluidra had a two-storey stand with a café on the top floor! But they weren’t alone in having extremely high quality stands – in fact, the most often repeated comment I heard going around the expo was that it reminded visitors of a European or American show. The stands were bigger, more professional and better serviced by more staff. The whole expo floor seemed to “breathe” – it was easier to move around because of the larger floor space, and eyelines were better for seeing where the stands were. On top of that, hanging banners floated above many stands, alerting visitors of the suppliers they were looking for.
It was worth the wait
On behalf of The Swimming Pool & Spa Association of Australia Ltd (SPASA Australia)
editorialThisissue’s cover
Copyright All material in this publication is copyright to the publisher and/or its contributors. No material may be reproduced without the express permission of the publishers.
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Maintaining leadership energy during two years of covid AIS Water CEO, Elena Gosse, discusses keeping up enthusiasm during the difficult covid years, and lets us in on their new export plans.
Training the next generation of pool plasterers
Fluidra APAC general manager Stephen Matysiak shares his thoughts on the how the pool and spa market came through the recent global turbulence, and what we are facing over the coming year.
Emerging from two years of turbulence
Matteo Callegaro of DAB Pumps talks to SPLASH! about their market presence in Europe and Australia, and their commitment to energy efficiency.
Will Rossiter from Reece talks about relationship building with clients during covid, and how they managed it, despite the physical separation.
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Supply chain issues and the spot market
Veda Dante looks at what makes a swim squad that wins in more ways than one, not just on the podium, but also in terms of creating a happy and fulfilling culture and community. 2022
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22 Pipe friction
Keeping clients happy through the long build process Brett Lloyd Abbott outlines some strategies for helping keep residential pool construction customers happy, even when there are long delays outside a builder’s control.
Veda Dante looks into the options for pool interiors, and discovers some interesting trends and new ideas for residential backyard pools.
Building a winning swim squad
Getting the perfect finish
Contents regulars News 10 Pool DAs 11 Calendar 13 Commercial news 68 New products 80 Ad index 82
Cal Stanley looks into the intriguing aspects of friction inside pipework, and the difference between laminar and turbulent flow.
The European pool market and local growth strategy
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SPLASH! 9
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Welcome back to SPLASH! –bigger and better than ever Interviews with attendees and exhibitors from the biggest pool and spa industry trade show ever held in Australia, learning how they have fared during the long hiatus between shows, and why they came to SPLASH! 72
36
Crystal Yu from Jewels 4 Pools explains how the upcoming IRLearning pool plastering course can help young people in the industry, as well as eager consumers. 38
Pentair sales director for Australia and New Zealand Bipin Menon describes the factors causing supply chain issues and how Pentair has been handling the situation.
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Relationship building and expansion plans
John O’Brien, executive director and founder of Poolwerx, at the recent SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show after delivering a well-received presentation
Poolwerx founder and CEO John O’Brien says the investment will bring additional expertise and opportunities to enable Poolwerx to grow bigger and faster in Australia, New Zealand and the US.
Norwest currently invests in some of the world’s largest brands including Uber, Spotify and Calm, and a range of franchise businesses.
The head office will remain in Brisbane, with the current US head office remaining in Dallas. O’Brien will take on the more strategic role of executive director, focussing on growth and development while Nic Brill, who has been in the role of chief operating officer for three years, will become the new CEO. Andrew Kidd will continue to lead the US Norwestbusiness.isnow a third partner in Poolwerx with O’Brien, who founded Poolwerx 30 years ago, and Terry Morris, who has been a partner for 22 years. Poolwerx has a board structure with external directors and an external chairman and Norwest will have representation on the board. Growth plans O’Brien says the primary motivation for bringing on a third partner was to grow the business.
The third opportunity is Europe, where there are actually more pools than in North America. Poolwerx will take the same approach as the US: make local acquisitions and look to pick up local executive“Francetalent.isthe third largest market after America and Brazil, and France is also the third largest franchise market. After all, franchise is a French word! Our entry to Europe will be through France. But we won’t touch it until we’ve got America further along,” he says.
“Norwest are experts at this sort of investment and have currently invested in 200 companies. They have a whole panel of global experts in a range of specialities, and one of the things that swayed us to choose them is that we have access to these global experts at noO’Briencharge.”says they have already tapped into Norwest’s human and technology resources.
US-based global venture and growth equity investment firm Norwest has invested a substantial amount in Poolwerx to support the franchisor’s plans for ambitious growth.
The other important market pegged for growth is the US, a huge market with 10,000 pool stores – 9000 of which are independents.
“Not just franchising,” says O’Brien. “Its specific focus is home service franchising. And Pool was number one on their target list. They love that unlike some other home services, a pool can’t be ignored. It is a living beast, it consumes chemicals and equipment, it has to be looked after.”
Targeted markets O’Brien says Poolwerx will first focus on the local market.
Leslie’s Pools Supplies has ten percent market share in the US, which is 1000 stores. Pinch A Penny has 250 stores, while Poolwerx currently has 40 stores across nine states.
“If we gained a ten per cent market share, we’d be very happy. And that would be less than half the market share we have in Australia.”
O’Brien comes from an entrepreneurial lineage, with his great uncle Bill O’Brien co-founding iconic global brand Breville.
“We’ve done some pretty amazing things but we’re only scratching the surface,” he says. Poolwerx has ambitious plans, but couldn’t borrow enough from banks or even third tier lenders to fully realise their next growth stage. Going public was not considered a suitable option.
10 SPLASH! August/September 2022 feature
Retail Global firm invests in Poolwerx pool and spa franchise network
“We’ve just finished our Australian business plan with a whole new level of global thinking that you just don’t get here in Australia,” hePoolwerxsays. is the first partner in Norwest’s 16th fund, the focus of which is franchising.
Stew Campbell, partner at Norwest, says that Poolwerx is one of the few international franchise brands to crack the US market. He credits the company’s robust expansion processes, strong relationships with franchise partners and suppliers, and fiercely loyal customer base for the success.
He says that through the new partnership, Poolwerx will also have access to Norwest’s wealth of experience across both franchise and non-franchise businesses, allowing the group to reach ambitious growth goals faster.
“Most of our growth has come from converting the independents to our brand. They’re similar in the US to Australia – they’ve been through two and a half years of covid and floods, and now they’ve got supply shortages and staff shortages to work through. Some of them are tired. We’re finding, moreso in America but here too, that they’re looking for help. Help to sell or for a shoulder to lean on.”
“The company is uniquely positioned to capitalise on opportunities in the large and growing pool and spa market across products and services domestically and overseas,” Campbell says.
“I’m not a public sort of guy,” says O’Brien. “It can give you access to capital, but these days private equity can give the price/earnings ratio a run for its money – you don’t have the cost of compliance and you can be way more entrepreneurial. And I’ve always been entrepreneurial at heart.”
“We’re only about 25 per cent market share in Australia for the aftermarket and retail service sector,” he says. “We have mapped 400 areas, and we have stores in 140 of them. We want to put stores in every one of those territories.”
Jul
The numbers over the most recent three months rose five per cent nationally when compared to the same period last year. The May-July numbers from Cordell show New South Wales down by 12 per cent, Queensland up by three per cent, Western Australia up by 15 per cent, Victoria up by 46 per cent and South Australia up by a massive 70 per cent, although off a low base.
JulJunMayAprMarFebJanDecNovOctSepAug 70006000500040003000200010000
Employees covered by awards will have their minimum wage rates increase from the first full pay period starting on or after the relevant date.
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On 15 June 2022, the Fair Work Commission announced a $40 per week increase to the national minimum wage (which amounts to 5.2 per cent) following its annual wage review.
O’Brien sees the growth of equity investment as a good thing for the market.“We’veseen private equity coming into our industry five years ago through investment in suppliers. Now in the last three years we’ve seen it in retail. Of the five big retail networks in the US, all the others had already been invested in by private equity.
“I see it as a good thing for our industry, both manufacturing and retail, to have this capital and expertise coming into our industry.
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Annual pool DAs up 10 per cent, quarter up by five per cent
“It’s pretty exciting that a Brisbane-based Aussie company is not only cracking it in the US on our own steam, but we’ve got the interest of a very large private equity company to help us fulfill our dreams globally.”
Other award wages, including junior, apprentice and supported wages that are based on adult minimum wages, will get a proportionate increase.
“The Fair Work Ombudsman has updated its free online tools available to help employers and employees calculate the new pay rates. We urge all businesses to use our Pay and Conditions Tool to check the lawful minimum rates they need to pay their staff, or to contact us directly for free assistance,” she says.
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Comparing the available pool DA figures for the 12 months to July with the same period last year, annual appli cations are up 10 per cent nationally. Queensland was up by 23 per cent, Western Australia was up by 13 per cent, Victo ria was up 10 per cent and New South Wales was up by five per cent, while South Australia was down by 22 per cent.
Minimum wage increases
As of July 1, 2022, the national minimum wage has increased to $21.38 per hour (up from $20.33) or $812.60 per week (up $40 from $772.60) based on a 38-hour week for a full-time employee.
Casual employees entitled to the national minimum wage must receive a minimum $26.73 per hour, which includes their 25 per cent casualEmployeesloading.covered by awards will have their minimum wage rates increased by 4.6 per cent, which is subject to a minimum increase for adult award classifications of $40 per week based on a 38-hour week for a full-time employee. This means award minimum wage rates above $869.60 per week will receive a 4.6 per cent increase, and wage rates below $869.60 per week increase by $40 per week.
InterFinancial Corporate Finance was lead advisor to Poolwerx and its shareholders on this transaction.
“We also encourage workers to use the Pay and Conditions Tool to check their rates of pay. If workers are unsure which award applies to them, they can use our Find my award tool or contact us for help to find any applicable award.”
While these figures give an indication of the way the market is trending, they are not comprehensive and don’t include all pools built or even all DAs lodged. By some estimates, the total national numbers including all types of pools could be almost double these figures. They do not include pool projects that are approved as part of a new home, smaller projects under the cost threshold, renovations that don’t require a DA, or some aboveground pools. Additionally, not all councils are forthcoming with data or report on time; councils in some states such as Queensland and Victoria are particularly reluctant. For further information, call Cordell Information on 1800 80 60 60. JunMay 210001800015000120009000600030000
Equity investment and the pool market
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The increases to award wages will happen in two stages, with most award wages increasing from 1 July 2022. For 10 awards in the aviation, hospitality and tourism industries, the increase will start from 1 October 2022.
Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker says workplaces must ensure all their employees are paid at least the relevant minimum wage, in accordance with the Fair Work Commission’s decision.
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Business
Employers and employees can visit www.fairwork.gov.au or call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94. A free interpreter service is available on 13 14 50.
August/September 2022 SPLASH! 11 feature
Maytronics managing director Dan Kwaczynski says they are delighted to acquire Orimatech and to be able to secure the services of its highly experienced team, which will allow them to continue building on the heritage of its commercial partnerships that have spanned many decades.
Best and biggest ever SPLASH! expo an outstanding success After a wait of four years, the 2022 SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show proved to be everything the industry needed – and more!
The National Pool of the Year photographer Patrick Redmond explained the tricks of the trade to ensure you get the best pool shots.
12 SPLASH! August/September 2022 news
Heating has invested in its own fleet of delivery vehicles and custom-built trucks, ensuring that customers continue to receive quality service from point A to point B in the most cost and time effective way possible.
Sunlover bringing solar pool heating straight to their customersSunlover
Acquisitions
Distribution
Maytronics has acquired the business of Orimatech, one of its key commercial master dealers in the New South Wales and Queensland aquaticsOrimatechmarkets.isaprivately-owned company, which specialises in the sales and service of commercial robotic pool cleaners and associated commercial pool equipment products, with a particular focus on Maytronics’ Wave Dolphin-brand robotic pool cleaners. Orimatech has been a commercial master dealer of Maytronics’ products since 2011 and will continue to operate under the Orimatech trade name, with all staff members welcomed into the Maytronics family.
Orimatech director John Davie says that, since 1974, the company has been providing sales and servicing a range of equipment to the commercial swimming pool industry with a passion for offering honest and trustworthy service to their customers.
Maytronics acquires Orimatech Maytronics has acquired the business of Orimatech, one of its key commercial master dealers of the Wave Dolphin-branded robotic pool cleaners. How to get the best shots of your swimming pool
Sunlover says this service has quickly gained popularity and has enabled them to provide an even greater level of service to customers than ever before.
Pool salt eastcontinuesshortageonAustraliancoast Australian pool salt suppliers discussed the reasons behind the salt shortage on the east coast.
“The integration into Maytronics combines a wealth of industry knowledge and experience with a focused and driven organisation that is perfectly placed to support future growth in the aquatics industry,” heJohnsays.and
As a result of significant investments in vehicles with customised lifting equipment, Sunlover is able to transport large, heavy products within agreed time frames, and ensure they reach their destination onSunlovertime. says implementation of this service has laid the foundations for a number of additional enhancements that create a point of difference and help improve their customer’s bottom line.
Maytronics acquires Orimatech
The new Sunlover trucks have customised lifting equipment
“Orimatech, as a strategic commercial aquatic industry channel partner, operates in a specialised and high potential market in the pool industry,” he says. “This acquisition offers us a unique opportunity to leverage the capabilities, systems and processes of the Orimatech business together with the exceptional strengths, reputations and customer service of its strategic aquatic industry partners.”
The online stories that made the news over the past two months. Keep informed by subscribing to the free online newsletter. Global investment firm invests in Poolwerx US-based global venture and growth equity investment firm Norwest has invested a substantial amount in Poolwerx to support the franchisor’s plans for ambitious growth.
Beth Davie will stay on for a transition period to ensure ongoing consistency of service before enjoying a well-earned retirement.
Customers will be greeted by a Sunlover driver who will help with unloading and placing goods in position.
Top five online news stories
www.waterco.com FILTER CHLORINATORCELL ELECTROCHLORPLUS DOSING PUMP HEATER INJECTIONACIDPOINT PUMP SENSOR August/September 2022 SPLASH! 13 news Upcoming events Aug202212 Awards Gala NZ (Virtual & Actual) Aug 18-19 IRLearning Pool Plastering Course, Queensland Aug 22-26 NZ Recreations Waves 2022 Sep 1-2 IRLearning Pool Plastering Course, Victoria Sep 2 Institute of Research & Learning Leadership Convention, RACV City Club, Melbourne Sep 2 National Awards of Excellence Gala (Virtual & Actual), RACV City Club, Melbourne Sep 17-20 SwimCon22, SeaWorld, Gold Coast Sep 28-30 Japan Build, Osaka Oct 4-7 World Waterpark Show, Las Vegas, USA Oct 25-28 Interbad, Germany Nov 15-18 International Pool, Spa, Patio Expo, Las Vegas, USA Nov 15-18 Piscine Global Expo, Lyon, France Nov 29-30 Piscina22, Rimini, Italy More details at splashmagazine.com.au. Dates are subject to change and should be checked with the relevant organisation. Send calendar submissions to info@splashmagazine.com.au
We are saddened to bring you the news that industry consultant Max Williams passed away on 28th July.
She had a long, fruitful career in the pool and spa industry that spanned 30 years.
SPLASH! delegates for his regular marketing seminars presented at the trade show on the Gold Coast.
Sadly, Janet Drummond passed away in June. She was only 55 years of age. Janet was a pioneer of the pool and spa industry and a powerful force for women in theSheindustry.began her pool and spa journey with Onga Pumps at Villawood, initially working as a receptionist, a role she gained through a temp agency. Her ability and drive saw her progress to an internal sales position.
Janet is considered a legend in the industry; a woman who was always caring and always looked after her customers.
Janet is remembered for her drive and her strong, vibrant personality. She was one of the early women to succeed in what was then a very male-orientated industry, and she proved she was well up to the task of competing with her male peers.
Robert Karkut passes away
He organised Ninja Green volunteer activities, and had a passion for the environment and the local urban wildlife. He was committed into turning inner cities into a better place for wildlife and people, and lobbied councils and associations to thatHeend.was known for a generosity of spirit and support of elder neighbours. He was deeply respected by his community.
Janet Drummond
Max was an electrical engineer who furthered his professional qualifications in marketing and management. After a successful career in manufacturing he opened a small consulting firm, McNicol Williams, in the late 1980s. Since that time he worked with small and medium sized businesses, providing expertise in marketing, finance and strategy.
Robert Karkut
Max will be remembered for his knack of making complex pricing and stock handling systems accessible to small business owners. He was a champion of pool shop owners taking a formal approach to marketing, using skills to create coherent messages across different platforms. Even 10 years ago Max was advocating strongly for pool and spa industry small businesses to embrace the internet and prepare for online sales. A message that substantially benefited some of the early adopters he worked with.
He started working with industry retailers in the late 1990s and his clients spanned all of Australia and New Zealand. His passion for sharing his knowledge was evident through his many presentations at pool industry seminars, conferences and the articles he wrote for numerous industry publications.Heiswellknownto
Max had been active and engaged as ever in recent times, though poor fitness had been increasingly blunting his usual high energy. Despite losing his beloved wife, Libby, during the traumatic covid lockdown era, Max kept his industry contacts and was even consulting with one of his longest standing clients in the week before he passed.
Obituary
Assistant treasurer Danny Pearson read a eulogy for Robert in Victorian Parliament after his SPLASH!passing.offers sincere condolences to Rob’s family, friends and colleagues. Williams
Max is remembered as a larger than life character with an unusual energy for the minutiae and attention to detail in business that was always accompanied by an ability to warmly engage clients and stakeholders. His engineering insights and unique management systems seemed to be perfectly well suited to him consulting to the pool and spa industry.
14 SPLASH! August/September 2022 Max
SPLASH! offers sincere condolences to Janet’s family, friends and colleagues.
Sadly, VBA inspector Robert Karkut passed away in May. Robert was well known within the pool and spa industry, being on the committee working on the Australian Standard for swimming pools, and for trying to improve safety standards in relation to pool barriers. More recently he was attempting to improve awareness around equipotential bonding and the grounding of electrical wiring in relation to swimming pools. He was invested in bringing the publication and articles contained to the team, resulting in most of his colleagues subscribing to SPLASH!.
By David Williams news Obituary Industry marketing guru passes away
Building on that experience she joined Lanark Spas as a sales representative covering a large sector of New South Wales, before she was head-hunted to join Hurlcon.
Obituary Industry pioneer Janet passesDrummondaway,aged 55
Max’s four children and 12 grandchildren remember him as a committed peopleperson with a dedication to the work that drew his focus and the people that it impacted.SPLASH! offers sincere condolences to Max’s family, friends and colleagues.
At Hurlcon she worked in sales before moving internally to the role of office manager. Her next move was to Spa Electrics where she worked as sales manager for approximately nine years, before joining PAL lighting.
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Transform Pools and Spas NSW Pool of the Year Leader Pools ACT Pool of the Year 16 SPLASH! August/September 2022
Best Supplier: Fluidra (NSW); Europe Imports (ACT)
IRLearning Leadership Convention: 9.00am4.00pmTheGala Dinner: Friday 2 September 2022, 6:30pm drinks for 7:15pm start Location: RACV City Club, 501 Bourke Street, Melbourne To discover more about the www.spasaawards.com.auwww.irlearning.com/leadershipConvention:TogetticketstotheGala:
National Awards Gala and Leadership Convention
Daniel Flynn: Co-founded Thankyou at the age of 19 and today 12 years later, Thankyou’s products are stocked by major retailers in Australia, with every product contributing to helping end global poverty. To date, Thankyou
Transform Pools & Spas win NSW Pool of the Year/ Leader Pools wins for ACT
• Professional of the Year: Nick McCarthy, Urban Escape (NSW); Sandra Lothian, Aussie UnderCover (ACT)
“Seeing such a wide range of industry veterans mixed with the new and emerging industry folk was fantastic, it is an exciting time to be a part of the pool and spa sector, I look forward to seeing the industry continue to grow and evolve.”
• Best Concrete Pool Builder: Aquastone Pools and Landscapes (NSW)
Orange Sky Australia: Two best mates who had a crazy idea to put two washing machines and two dryers in the back of a van, and wash and dry clothes for free. Nicholas Marchesi OAM and Lucas Patchett OAM, the 2016 Young Australians of the Year, founded Orange Sky –a world-first, free mobile laundry service for people experiencing homelessness.
The major winners for the 2022 SPASA Awards of Excellence in NSW and ACT are:
• Best Mobile Service Business: Your Pool and Spa (NSW); Total Pool Service (ACT)
All the Australian regional awards have been finalised. Now, gold winners from all states and territories in more than 70 categories will vie for gold at the National Awards – and the chance to be hailed as the Best of the Best.
• Spa of the Year: Malibu Pools and Spas (NSW); Spa World Australia (ACT)
Samantha Gash: The accomplished lawyer changed her life and became the first woman (and the youngest person at the time) to complete the Four Deserts Grand Slam – one of the world’s toughest endurance competitions that spans 1000km across the hottest, coldest, driest and windiest deserts on earth.
NSW/ACT region manager, Michael Brennan, says it was an incredible event to have after the past two years.
This was a perfect venue to host over 200 guests who were keen to come together after a two-year hiatus and celebrate the best the industry has to offer. Dessert had barely been served before people eagerly kicked off their shoes and danced the night away.
All Gold Award Winners are automatically entered into the SPASA Australia National Awards of Excellence 2022, to be held on September 2.
• Best Fibreglass Pool Builder: Coastline Pools (NSW); Capital Country Pools (ACT)
• Commercial Project of the Year: Shipping Container Pools (NSW); Capital Country Pools (ACT)
The NSW and ACT Awards of Excellence were announced virtually on Friday 29 July and on Saturday 30 July at a black-tie gala event held at the beautiful Shangri-La Hotel in Sydney.
• Best Pool Store: Poolwerx Upper North Shore (NSW)
•
• Best Spa Retailer: Spa World Australia (NSW & ACT)
Awards
Keith Abraham: The global authority on goal achievement and the creator of the GoalDriver Formula designed to accurately determine what energises and engages each individual, driving them to achieve the unimaginable, unreachable and unattainable.
The RACV City Club in Melbourne will host the 2022 National Gala Dinner, following the IRLearning Leadership Convention. The 2022 Leadership Convention is a one day program designed for current leaders looking to grow their business and for those looking to make leadership their vocation. Unforgettable presentations from acclaimed speakers, recognised for their innovative approach to leadership, and will take attendees on an amazing personal journey and deliver a range of tools and practical leadership concepts to integrate into their professional life.
news Awards
• Business of the Year: Coastline Pools (NSW); Europe Imports (ACT)
• Best Professional Service Business; Canibuild (NSW)
• Pool of the Year; Transform Pools and Spas (NSW); Leader Pools (ACT) For all winners: www.spasaawards.com.au
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• Professional of the Year: Patrick Dyson, Adelaide Aquaboys
“It’s a wonderful time of the year for the pool and spa industry and it is fantastic to see the engagement and participation of the members coming together to celebrate and recognise the success of the industry’s growth,” she says.
The major winners for the 2022 SPASA Awards of Excellence in South Australia are: • Pool of the Year: Elite Pools & Landscapes
• Best Supplier: EvoHeat (SA)
• Best Fibreglass Pool Builder: Riverscape Landscaping & Pools
The awards kicked off through an online webcast, followed the next night by the gala at the Hilton Adelaide. Keeta Scown, SPASA’s member services coordinator, was thrilled by the support of members.
• Best Mobile Service Business: Jim’s Pool Care Glenelg
•
For all winners: www.spasaawards.com.au All Gold Award Winners are automatically entered into the SPASA Australia National Awards of Excellence 2022, to be held on September 2.
• Best
• Business of the Year: Riverscape Landscaping & Pools
The major winners for the 2022 SPASA Awards of Excellence in Queensland are:
• Commercial
• Best
• Best Spa Retailer: Spa World Australia
“The true focus on broad consumer choice while also celebrating the individuals and businesses within the pool and spa sector always evokes a sense of pride for what our industry contributes to the lives of the public – congratulations to all worthy recipients.”
All
• Commercial Project of the Year: South Pacific Pools
August/September 2022 SPLASH! 19 Awards Elite Pools
• Best Supplier: The Pool Tile Company
• Best Fibreglass Pool Builder: Built Right Pools Concrete Pool Builder: Norfolk Pools Pool Store: Warner Pool & Spa Centre Spa of the Year: Queensland Family Pools & Spas Product of the Year: EvoHeat Professional of the Year: Miche Barton, Queensland Family Pools & Spas Project of the Year: Kirratech Lifestyle Pools Business of the Year: Brisbane Prestige Plunge Pools Pool of the Year: Norfolk Pools all winners: www.spasaawards.com.au Gold Award Winners are automatically entered into the SPASA Australia National Awards of Excellence 2022, to be held on September 2. Pools, Queensland Pool of the Pools & Spas, of
•
SPASA chief information officer, Luke Daly says that in his fourth year of the Awards of Excellence it was inspiring to see so many new, diverse faces nominating for and receiving accolades.
Norfolk Pools
• Best Mobile Service Business: Halogen Pools
•
• Best Concrete Pool Builder: Elite Pools & Landscapes
The SPASA Awards of Excellence season commenced with a grand gala in Adelaide, celebrating the best in the pool and spa industry in South Australia and the Northern Territory.
•
Landscapes&wins SA/ NT Pool of the Year
• Best Pool Store: Acacia Pool Service
• Product of the Year: Fluidra, Zodiac QB800
Awards
Year Queensland Family
the Year Elite Pools & Landscapes, South Australian Pool of the Year South Pacific Pools, Commercial Project of the Year
• Best Spa Retailer: Spa World Best Supplier: Fluidra Australia (NT)
commercial news Norfolk
Spa
• Best Prefabricated Composite Pool Builder: Brisbane Prestige Plunge Pools
For
The virtual portion of the Queensland Awards of Excellence were held on Friday, July 22, with the Gala Dinner held the following evening at the Pullman Brisbane, King George Square.
wins Queensland Pool of the Year
•
• Best Professional Service Business: Newport Consulting Engineers
•
https://aquaquip.com.au www.facebook.com/pages/Aquaquip/175277982569322 World Class LED Pool Lighting Made in Australia.aqua@aquaquip.com.au|02 9643 8338 aquaquip.com.au Aqua-Quipaquaquip_auAustralia 210720_P_SPL QC Series Surface Mounted Light EvoFG Fibreglass Niche Light EvoMAX Concrete Niche Light Evo2 Concrete Niche Light EvoLV Concrete Compact Pipe Light
•
• Business
The client for this pool designed the pool themselves and TCPC needed to change some minor details to make it more user friendly, such as adding the large stepping stone over the shallow section of the pool and creating a large wading deck. They also raised the spa 300mm above ground level to make it more of a feature. The client was thrilled with all aspects of the design and build.
• Commercial
• Best Concrete Pool Builder: Perth Concrete Pools
All Gold Award Winners are automatically entered into the SPASA Australia National Awards of Excellence 2022, to be held on September 2.
“And what a success it was! It was beautiful to see everyone in their best dresses, coming to support, celebrate and recognise the success within the industry. I thank the Victorian and Tasmanian members for their ongoing valuable support that never ceases to amaze me and it makes events like this truly memorable. A big congratulations to all the winners, I cannot wait for next year!”
PoolVictorian/TasmanianwinsoftheYear
• Community Project: Countrywide Pools
• Product
• Best
SPASA WA held their annual award night in early July, with host Tim Gosage keeping the night rolling along and entertainment from ZAP Circus.Thebig prize – WA Pool of the Year, was taken out by The Concrete Pool Company (TCPC).
•
• Best
• Best
• Innovative Project: Imperial Pools • Sustainable Project: Greenstar Solutions
• Professional
Striking Pools
Other key winners include:
• Best Fibreglass Pool Builder: Aquatic Leisure Technologies • Pool Shop of the Year: Pool Logic
The Concrete Pool Company wins WA Pool of the Year
•
•
Awards
SPASA WA Awards: www.spasawa.com.au/ awards-6 2022 SPLASH!
• Best
• Pool
August/September
The SPASA 2022 Awards celebrating the best of Victoria and Tasmania was held recently at the Zinc venue in Federation Square, Melbourne. After two years of award winners being announced virtually, the industry was thrilled to gather, with more than 200 guests packing in to celebrate the best the pool and spa industry has to offer.
All Gold Award Winners are automatically entered into the SPASA Australia National Awards of Excellence 2022, to be held on September 2. The Concrete Pool Company, WA Pool of the Year Aloha Pools, Commercial Project of the Year Striking Pools, Victorian/Tasmanian Pool of the Year
•
• Supplier of The Year: Austral Pool Solutions
• Pool of the Year: The Concrete Pool Company
• Spa
Best Supplier: Waterco (VIC) Best Mobile Service Business: Aloha Plus Best Spa Retailer: Just Spas Hallam (VIC) Best Spa Retailer: Spa World Australia (TAS) Professional Service Business: Pool Safety Co Fibreglass Pool Builder: LDR Pools and Landscapes Concrete Pool Builder: Aloha Pools Pool Store: Poolside Melton of the Year: Aloha Pools Project of the Year: Aloha Pools of the Year: Aquea of the Year: Catherine Goncalves, Horizon Pools of the Year: Aloha Pools of the Year: Striking Pools winners: www.spasaawards.com.au
Daena Bougoure-Latchford, SPASA’s Victorian regional manager, says she was thrilled to be a part of the first gala dinner in Victoria.
21 news Awards
The major winners for the 2022 SPASA Awards of Excellence in Victoria & Tasmania are: Best Supplier: Reece Irrigation & Pools (TAS)
For all
• In June 1893, gold was discovered in Kalgoorlie, WA by Paddy Hannan.
• In 1896, engineer CY O’Conner was commissioned to provide water to the area.
• It was and remains a very hot and dry place.
22 SPLASH! August/September 2022 feature This pipeline is the greatest example of frictional head loss I can think of.
• His source, Mundaring weir, is in the Darling ranges about 30km east of Perth, and its destination – Kalgoorlie – is 566 kilometres away.
• The steel pipe used was 760mm in diameter and carried 23 million litres of water per day.
The easiest way to understand the term is to substitute “headway” for “head”. Headway is defined as “progress”, so when we lose head in a pipe the water is actually losing headway and it is slowing down.
In reality more head is lost in a gravity feed pipeline. When using a pump, we actually overcome much of this loss by adding additional energy to the system. That doesn’t mean the head loss magically disappears – the pump simply permits the water to flow regardless of the friction involved in its movement. In some installations, it is possible to have so much head loss that even a pump cannot overcome it. Think of those pump flow curves your supplier puts out for a pool pump. On the left-hand side of the graph the flow reduces to zero at a particular head loss – at anywhere between 19 and 25 metres of head. This is called the “shut off head”. So, if the system was so badly designed with small pipes, many fittings and a lot of equipment, the effect will be the same as turning off a valve to prevent flow –no water actually flows as the head becomes too high. What is a metre of head? It is a unit of measurement of the resistance to the passage of water through a plumbing/equipment system. But it is also a measurement of pressure because one metre of head is equal to approximately 10 KPa of pressure. When a system loses head, it also loses pressure.
Pipe friction The Perth to Kalgoorlie pipeline ABOVE: Perth Kalgoorlie water supply pipeline near Merredin WA. Image: Willem van Aken/CSIRO By Cal Stanley
The easiest way to reduce pressure and head loss in a system is to use larger pipes. n
• The original eight steam-driven pumps have been replaced by 20 smaller electric pumps along the route. This is, partly at least, because the system now also provides clean fresh water to many towns and farming areas along the way.
F riction between solid objects is caused when each of two touching surfaces are moving at a different velocity to each other. The amount of friction is dependent on the nature of the surfaces involved rather than the velocity of the movement. Liquid friction is different in that velocity (the speed of flow) is a big factor. Liquid friction increases substantially as velocity increases. Of course, in larger pipes the velocity of a given flow will decrease as will the friction.Although the amount of water in contact with the walls of a pipe has an influence on the friction it is definitely not the only factor involved. When water flows in a full pipe at a very low velocity it can be characterised as a laminar flow – a smooth and even flow. Water at the pipe wall is almost stationary while the centre of the pipe flows fastest, with the ratio of speed increase from wall to centre being even. Just a little faster, and the flow becomes what is called turbulent. Turbulent flow means that the water is not flowing smoothly, but more or less tumbles along with a bunch of random eddies and vortexes that cause more water to be affected by the pipe wall. Almost all pumped water flow is turbulent. The main factor causing friction in pipe flow is the interaction between the water molecules. You may have wondered why water in a stream does not freeze when water in an adjacent lake does. Well, friction causes heat and the tumbling flow of a stream or river – and even its very motion – causes friction, and the heat thus generated is sufficient to prevent the water from freezing. The stream will freeze when the temperature of the water falls sufficiently. Even Niagara Falls was cold enough to totally freeze on March 29, 1848. Don’t get too excited, friction heat is a far cry from being a new way of heating poolSo,water.inapipe, the higher the velocity, the more turbulence of the water, the more friction, and more head loss in the system. Head loss We hear about this term constantly but I suspect many do not understand it.
• With only one pump, frictional losses in the pipes would have reduced the flow to a dribble about 60 kilometres east of Mundaring Dam – and to zero a few metres further on.
For these articles Cal Stanley draws on his 30 years’ experience and success in pool construction, having run award-winning pool construction company Neptune Pools in Western Australia for three decades. He currently works as a pool consultant and delivers hydraulics courses for the swimming pool industry. Contact: neptunepools@westnet.com.au.
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By Brett Lloyd Abbott Y ou’re entering your third year in a row of near-record demand and construction activity – and as a result, you’ll probably have more unfinished projects in construction at one time than ever before.
August/September 2022 feature
And of course with all these special requests, your warranty and construction costs are going up. And your profitability, in a record-revenue year, might very well be going down. And taking your online reputation down with it. So what are we to do?
When a homeowner doesn’t hear from a contractor for several weeks, and/or doesn’t see anything happening in their backyard, that’s when they start to get antsy. So let’s keep them distracted. Let’s not give them so much quiet time to overanalyse things.
When a homeowner doesn’t hear from a contractor for several weeks, and/or doesn’t see anything happening in their backyard, that’s when they start to get antsy 24 SPLASH!
1. You understand the pool construction process intimately, and – admit it – you could talk about it for2.hours.Bycontrast, they don’t have a clue about the construction process. So anything you can share with them is fresh, new, and most likely highly interesting to them, since you’re talking about what’s going to happen in their very own backyard.
Keeping clients happy through the long build process
Let’s over-communicate as much as necessary, to assure them and convince them we are 100 per cent on top of everything. Despite these excruciating delays, we really do have the situation in hand. (And we don’t need their help reminding us about every little delay.)
One way to do this is with a simple “How are we doing?” email that goes out automatically at the end of every week. This worked great a few years ago, when pool construction typically took only a few months. But now that homeowners are sometimes experiencing delays of four to six weeks where nothing is happening, that friendly little weekly reminder might actually be pouring salt into the wound.
Of course, you warned your new clients upfront when they signed the contract that there would be unavoidable delays and challenges. But that doesn’t sway their expectant anxiety as they wait for the completion of their project. I mean let’s be honest – even if you could do it in half the time, that still wouldn’t be fast enough for them.
Well, we can’t speed-up delivery of backordered parts or materials, so that won’t work. And if there was a way to complete the construction process sooner, you’d already be doing it. So we’ve got to find a different solution.
So now you’re getting more phone calls, more complaints, and more special requests for you and your team to follow up on, in an effort to keep these people happy.
A lot of builders are telling me that “wrapping up projects” is now one of their greatest challenges. Projects are typically taking two to three times longer than usual, thanks to the ongoing labour challenges, material delays, and other permit and supply chain issues.
So what are these homeowners doing with all this extra time, as they’re anxiously waiting and waiting for their project to complete? They’re micro-analysing you. Small issues, actions or decisions that might have slipped by unnoticed during a speedy two-month build are suddenly prickly and annoying, and they’re gnawing at their guts as they find themselves dragging into Month Seven of their project.
A more sophisticated approach, and still at least partially automated, would be to craft a series of ongoing educational messages to drip onto the homeowner throughout the construction process. I think this would be surprisingly easy for most pool builders, because:
And that, unfortunately, is the rub.
You may already have a construction guide or “Here’s
I suggest that the next best thing to do is try to make this longer, more frustrating process as leastannoying as possible for the homeowner. And that starts with communication.
Bottom line: Homeowners have too much time on their hands during long construction projects. I suggest you go out of your way to keep them happy and entertained, so they’re less likely to look for things to complain about. n These articles by Pool Builder Marketing’s Brett Lloyd Abbott’s are designed to provide pool companies with unique insights that will help them address modern marketplace challenges. Contact: www.poolbuildermarketing.com
• “The next stage will be…” • Etc. I would continue these messages every week, even when nothing is happening. For example, in the case of “post-shotcrete” above, I would probably follow up with further weekly emails such as:
BUNDLE AND SAVE.
August/September 2022 SPLASH! 25 1800 625 331 sales@naked-pools.com Getmoreeven NEW BUNDLE
• “You probably won’t see much of us for at least the next three weeks…”
• “We’ve just completed the shotcrete stage...”
The construction worker says, “A beer for me, and one for the road.” Who knows, maybe jokes are a bad idea. But I would do anything to keep my homeowner clients smiling and happy when they think about me, no matter how bad the delays are.
• “OK, it’s been four weeks since we applied your shotcrete. That means...”Idon’tknow about you, but if I received timely, helpful emails from my pool contractor (or any long-term contractor, for that matter) every week, I would feel a lot more confident in their capabilities, sense of ownership and attention to my project. Even if I haven’t seen anyone in a month, they’ve still been communicating with me, so I know they haven’t forgotten about me.
• “Here’s what you need to do to maximise the life of your new concrete pool…”
The information in your email would not only be more timely, but more interesting as well, because now they know exactly what you’re talking about. You’re describing what’s happening right there in their ownDon’tbackyard.getme wrong, I’m not suggesting you should write a custom email to every single homeowner every week, telling them exactly what’s happening in their own backyard. That would be nice, but it would also be a full-time job. I’m suggesting instead that a generic explanation of what happens before, during and after each step would still be immensely valuable.
• “Well, it’s been two weeks since we first applied your shotcrete...”
feature
Even if they read the eBook already, it’s now been several months, and it’s probably not fresh in their minds. They probably don’t remember the details of stages 6, 7, 8, etc. five months after they first read the eBook.
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the ultimate swimming
what to expect during pool construction” eBook that you give your homeowners when they first sign a contract. (A very smart idea, by the way, even if not everyone reads it.)
The bartender asks, “What can I get you?”
• “Well, it’s been three weeks since we first applied your shotcrete. At this point, the shell is around 75 per cent cured...”
• “The next 30 days are crucial in the life of all new concrete …”
And isn’t that the goal? Now my personal style would also be to throw in a little joke at the end of the email each week, just to keep it light, fun and friendly, despite the delays. Such as this one: A construction worker walks into a bar with a slab of asphalt.
That’s exactly the kind of educational information you could trickle out to your homeowners on a week-to-week basis, as they transition from one phase to the next.
For example, for everyone who just completed the shotcrete stage, they would get a nice friendly easy-to-read email which tells them everything they need to know, such as:
www.linc.com.ausales@linc.com.au Queensland03Victoria9580 9016 07 3279 0083 New South Wales 02 9674 6008 Space Industries Ltd 09 262 3902 20565 GROUP Alwaysofaheadthecurve! BC200+ PK TURBO PK X-FLOW BC40 BC02 PK SWIFT Excellence Inside! EFFORTLESSLY KEEPING YOUR POOL CLEAN fineProvidescleaningsolution
Australia is by far my biggest market that I get to look after, it is by far the most important. It has the biggest potential as well, not only in residential, but the commercial pool environment. So very clearly our focus is on Australia. I look after Asia as well. And Asia is a very big commercial business for us. So we often do multimillion Euro projects in Asia. As the world economy recovers, we think more and more commercial projects will go into Asia but no doubt Australia is the key market and the key focus for our business Future trends
SPLASH! conducted a series of video interviews at the 2022 SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show on the Gold Coast. This interviews and the other on subsequent pages are also available to view as a video at SPLASHTV at www.splashmagazine.com.
I think it’s there. But we’ll push through it. Fluidra looks at growth in two ways, taking our organic business and growing, but then also doing what we call bolt-on acquisitions. So fulfilling part of the range that we don’t have and bringing it in. In the last nine months, we acquired Sunbather and SR Smith. So those are the two latest acquisitions. SR Smith brings a range of residential slides, as well as some commercial knowledge. And the Sunbather acquisition brings us solar panels and pool covers. So once again, complementing the Fluidra range.
The other thing is the environment. So ESG [Environment, Social and Governance]. Consumers are now focusing more about the footprint that they are leaving on this earth. So environmental concerns in terms of recyclability of the products, how much chemicals they are using, how much of the products are sustainable is becoming more important. And it links back to the Sunbather acquisition in putting solar heating on the roof instead of using electric heaters or gas-fired heaters, so using natural energy to heat your pools.
I think the environment is going to become more important for the consumer. n
There’s probably two that I would focus on.
ovid has created a cocooning effect for the consumer where they’ve spent more time at home, so it’s actually been a really good purple patch for the pool industry – and the last couple of years has been really, really good for Fluidra as a It’sbusiness.genuinely been the best years we’ve had in the last decade. So a really, really good patch for Fluidra.
Stephen Matysiak 2022
The first one is automation. So consumers are wanting their pools to be less hard work for them. So they’re looking to automate as much as they can, typically via phone or having some level of control of, not only the on/off switches, but their water chemistry, and the heat of the water. So automation, making the pool easier for a consumer, is going to become more important over the coming years.
SPLASH! 27 feature
As with the rest of the world, everybody’s been impacted by supply chain. We are somewhat helped by manufacturing locally where we can control it slightly better. It’s been a challenge in terms of the cost of containers, which has risen the cost, but in terms of product shortages, I think we’ve been pretty good over the last 12Nomonths.doubt the next 12 months is going to be an event as well as we try to navigate those rough waters, but so far, we haven’t been overly impacted from supply chain challenges. I think inflation is coming. If anybody reads the newspaper, whether it’s international or in Australia, inflation is coming. So no doubt the prices are going to continue to increase. It’s just a fact of life. I think we’re facing kind of double what we’re used to for the next year or two. But I don’t believe it’s going to materially impact the industry overall.
Moreau/videos.interviews will also be appearing the next few printed issues of SPLASH! Additionally, further interviews will be available on the Ready Set SPLASH! Podcast at https://splash.buzzsprout.com.
Emerging from two years turbulenceof
SPLASHTV
August/September
Fluidra APAC general manager Stephen Matysiak shares his thoughts on the how the pool and spa market came through the recent global turbulence, and what we are facing over the coming year. C
DAB produces reliable products, technically advanced, easy to install and efficient, ensuring high energy savings in the following domestic and residential application sectors: heating and air conditioning, water supply and pressurisation, irrigation and gardening, use of rain water, draining, collection and disposal of waste water, circulation and filtration of swimming pool water.
Matteo Callegaro of DAB Pumps talks to SPLASH! about their market presence in Europe and Australia, and their commitment to energy efficiency.
Commercial Building Services
Speaking about pools – unfortunately, not being a big player before the pandemic, we saw that during the pandemic period, the big players were selling more. As we were new in the market, we were not selling much at all. So that was for us, slowing down our strategy, maybe keeping us frozen for a couple of years.
We were worried at the beginning [of the pandemic], because we were thinking that the pandemic would freeze the pump business. But we were wrong actually, because the pandemic period for us as a group, represented a boost in global sales.
DAB develops technologically advanced solutions, highly efficient and reliable, for many commercial application sectors: from heating and air conditioning circulation systems to water supply and fire-fighting system pressurisation, to the disposal of waste water. Agriculture and Irrigation
Matteo Callegaro
Now we are back here to push the brand again and try to open this new market for us.
For more than 40 years, DAB has been a main player in the European hydraulic sector. DAB offers technological solutions capable of ensuring reliability and efficiency, and to optimise energy consumption in residential building service, commercial building service, agricultural and irrigation applications, and swimming pools. DAB employs 1700 people around the world, with the head office in Padova Italy.
The European pool market and local growth strategy
Navigating covid and its aftermath
DAB offers pumping solutions for the extraction of water from the subsoil for agricultural and irrigation purposes. High quality submersible pumps and motors, reliable and capable of guaranteeing high energy efficiency. A wide range to meet the needs of any types of systems, up to industrial and aqueduct applications.
And there is a lot of space to enter the market and to sell more.
Residential Building Services
“Our target is always and has always been to push for energy saving for green technology.”
We know the climate is changing and that’s because the effect of human activity on the planet Earth. Our target is always and has always been to push for energy saving for green technology.Thisiswhat we are doing by keeping our pumps with the latest and the best technology available – and we will keep promoting and pushing for it. n More at www.splashmagazine.com.au/videosSPLASHTV:
That means that when people sit at home, they are more keen and more careful about their systems. They are upgrading, replacing and going for a better technology. So that represented for us a big boost in sales. But I’m speaking about global sales for all the products.
28 SPLASH! August/September 2022 feature
DAB Pumps
F or pool pumps, we are almost everywhere. We are growing very well in Europe. So in the north of Europe – particularly with the Eswim, that is the variable speed pump – those countries are very aware of energy saving. So they are upgrading almost all the pool pumps to variable frequency driven pumps. And that’s an opportunity for us because we have a very good product in that sector. For countries like the United States – that is probably one of the biggest market for pools, but also Australia, which is definitely in the top five of countries with the highest number of pools – we definitely have to grow our market share because it is not high enough.
daveywater.com Simple, automated pool monitoring.controlchemistryand You can expect consistently clean, clear and hygienic pool water thanks to the Davey ChloroMatic Lifeguard, with acid dosing, chlorination and even pool temperature, which can all be scheduled from the app. You can Depend on Davey.
Different states had different issues with covid and restrictions with covid. So it was customised to each of those individuals – but one was the services that Reece provides as a collective, in terms of distribution, in terms of getting product onto site really, really quickly.
Reece Reece Irrigation and Pools provides quality pool supplies to pool builders, pool plumbers and pool maintenance professionals. From equipment to chemicals, they carry everything you need to install, manage and maintain your perfect pool.
plansexpansionandbuildingRelationship
Will Rossiter talks about relationship building with clients during covid. Even though they were physically apart, Reece engaged closely throughout the recent tough period to see how they could support them.
We’ve got nine branches in New South Wales, seven in Queensland, five in WA and three in SA, but there’s a plan to expand that network.
Expanding the network In terms of branches, we’ve got the largest presence in Victoria. Pools was an add-on to the irrigation business –making it Irrigation & Pools. That existing network was already based in Victoria.
eece has had a fantastic journey over the last couple of years albeit influenced by covid. Reece has got 40 branches across Australia for the Irrigation & Pools brand. And I think through covid, while it was a tough time for everyone, it’s actually probably gotten us closer to our customers in a lot of ways. Although there’d been a physical distance, we contacted all of our customers repeatedly throughout that journey to ensure that they were doing okay and to see how we could support them in any way.
R
In terms of pools, we know that the New South Wales market is massive, as is the Queensland market and the WA market is also quite a large market per capita. So that gives you an indication of where we’re going.
Personally, I wasn’t at the show four years ago, but this show has been absolutely fantastic. The amount of suppliers and manufacturers, the presence of customers, having the rooms where the lectures are happening. It’s just been amazing. Hop down to your to your local irrigation and pool store. There’s 40 across the country. We’ve got fantastic products such as Hendon, and all these products in the ute can be distributed to your doorstep. n
August/September 2022 SPLASH! 31 feature
More at www.splashmagazine.com.au/videosSPLASHTV:
“The amount of suppliers and manufacturers, the presence of customers, having the rooms where the lectures are happening. It’s just been amazing.”
Will Rossiter, operations lead, Reece Irrigation and Pools
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It will work at low salinity, it will work with sea water, and it would produce chlorine output from 50 gram an hour up to 200 grams an hour – all in one single model. We built our third manufacturing facility – and can now triple our production capacity, so we can take more clients on board. During the pandemic, we scored a deal with Swimart through Waterco. We’ve got Poolwerx now joining as a partner as well.
AIS Water CEO, Elena Gosse, discusses maintaining leadership energy during two years of covid, as well as AIS Water’s new plans for residential equipment and export into the USA.
Also we are starting our research with Murdoch University. We will be transitioning to clean energy as well. Because electrolysis is used in hydrogen batteries, we will be looking at how to adapt our anode material for the work in clean energy. Of course, the US market – they are ready for us, and we are ready for them. So I’m waiting for the time when we dominate the US market. n More at www.splashmagazine.com.au/videosSPLASHTV:
August/September 2022 SPLASH! 33 feature
Also we can now supply the anode material that goes in every electrolytic cell – and everyone knows that our electrolytic cell is the most robust. So now we can supply this material to the rest of the industry. Considering that supply chain is very slow now and it’s very difficult to get your material from overseas, and our material is locally produced, we can supply to the whole industry and supply to some international customers as well.
T he last few years were very challenging in terms of leadership, because as an essential business we stayed open throughout the whole pandemic. We grew by 35 per cent, and we built a new manufacturing facility, where we now manufacture anode material. Also we completed full certification for NSF and UL to trade in the USA. That was the plus side. But the challenging side was in terms of leadership, because people were presented with fear. And that was dominant throughout the whole period. So you come to work. And see people who look up to you as leader and they are trying to read what the future holds for them in the industry. And you’re like, Guys, we are all in this together. But then there was nowhere to go to recharge your energy. For me, I usually would go to Bali, or to a health retreat. But here I needed to reinvent myself or learn new ways of how to recharge myself so I’m always charged up or always energetic and motivational and inspirational for my team. New frontiers We are here, in 2022, and I believe that our company is about to take off to a much higher level. Now we are introducing our new residential chlorinator that would replace the majority of our residential range – it will do everything that all the different models are doing together.
“Our material is customersproduced,locallywecansupplytothewholeindustryandsupplytosomeinternationalaswell.“
Maintaining leadership energy during two years of covid
Elena Gosse
“There are two issues to hit us – one is materials and the other is freight. That will be ongoing, at least to the end of this year.”
T
In a commodity market, we pay spot prices for raw materials, and that has hit us. But we are a very lean company. Spot prices on metal – that is copper and aluminium – went through the roof. Also chlorinator plates and plastic. Most of our products are made in the US, and there was a massive supply chain stoppage on plastic pellets out of Texas. That affected us. And there is speculation in the market on price. The other thing that was affected was freight – in the last year freight costs have doubled – there is a shortage of containers and you have to pay premium prices if you want your goods to be shipped. For example, $6000 containers are now sitting at around $10,000 to $14,000. And that has hit us.
It’s been a very good event for all these years, and it’s a very good time to catch up with everybody. n More at www.splashmagazine.com.au/videosSPLASHTV:
Europe is going down in sales, I’ve been hearing. And we will see that, even in Australia; and in the US, we are seeing that.
Bipin Menon
So we have not peaked yet – we can increase our customer base – but we are more than happy to serve our existing ones first. First come, first serve. So we serve them the best.
his last two years has been a very good time for us. I mean, in terms of sales and getting market share, it’s been very good. We have a good forecasting system and we could hear that there was going to be a material price increase, so we actually placed orders well in advance –at least six months in advance – thinking, at least that will help us going forward. We did have a lot of stock coming in, in the first part of the year – and it didn’t stop! The sales didn’t stop, they just kept increasing and that’s when we started looking into getting raw materials in to build up products. And that’s when we saw the price going up again.
August/September 2022 SPLASH! 35
SPLASH! 2022 It’s been great to meet everybody back here after such a long time – and the new customers, too. After the tremendous growth during this covid phase, we are catching up and knowing everybody is good.
It was fantastic to get our products in front of the industry for the first time in almost four years. As usual, most visitors to our stand were interested in new and upcoming products. We had new products like our IntelliCenter Automation System and the UltraTemp Inverter Heat Pumps on display as well as some upcoming products as a teaser for things to come, including IntelliFlo 3, ColorSync Lighting Controller and our new Posi-Chlor Salt Chlorinator.
Supply chain issues and the spot market
Robert Sterland:
The extraordinary demand is going to lead to a market correction. And I think we are ready for it. It would be good for us to catch up with our orders which are outstanding. That’s the thing we have taken from this – it is better to serve our existing customers better and help them grow their business.
Pentair product manager
Pentair sales director for Australia and New Zealand Bipin Menon describes the factors behind industry supply chain issues and how Pentair has been handling the situation.
So there are two issues to hit us – one is materials and the other is freight. That will be ongoing, at least to the end of this year. We expected this market correction. This is an extraordinary growth that is increasing the sales. We will see a correction; we’ll see a downturn in certain regions.
feature
Training the next generation of pool plasterers
That’s our main focus in the coming months. For young people, it’s going to be a good career – it will be a good skill to have. We totally encourage all the 17-year-olds and 18-year-olds who want to come and learn something from us. If they can get something out of it, we can put them on our existing team and hopefully get something out of it as a career.
36 SPLASH! August/September 2022 feature
I ’ve been in the industry for 15 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this. We are facing a lot of challenges – number one is the shortage of the labour force to be able to cope with this growth. Another thing is the weather that we had on the east coast. Then the rising price of materials has thrown a lot of challenges to all the builders.
To be able to assist with that, we’ve come up with a three-day industrial course to teach people how to do pool
It’sinteriors.goingto be very informative. We are co-operating on this with SPASA. So SPASA in conjunction with Jewels 4 Pools. Jeff who is the consultant with our company – he’s the inventor of our product – he will be running the course. Day One will be theory, Day Two will be a mock up and Day Three will be co-operating with the existing teams and builders. We’re going to show them all different type of products available on the market at the moment –it’s not just exclusively Jewels 4 Pools we’re going to bring a wide knowledge of pebblecreting itself into the course and to teach all the guys, so hopefully that we can keep this industry sustainable.
• Other core elements. Training will be delivered by IRLearning and through Jeff McAlister of Jewels 4 Pools who has more than 40 years of experience in the pool industry with a strong focus on interior finishes and installation Daymethodologies.1Theory:Learn the different materials and the processes needed for the application. Day 2 Practice: Hands-on tools experience to better understand and get a feel for the products. Day 3 Onsite: Put your theory and practice to the test on a live job site. A certificate of attendance will be provided to partic ipants on completion of the course. The NSW course was held on August 4-5. The Queensland course will be held on August 1819, plus live site day The Victorian course will be held on September 1-2, plus live site day Contact: 1800 802 482; grams/pool-plasteringwww.irlearning.com/pro-
•adhesion.Exposing and acid washing – optimum application times for varying climatic temperatures.
Crystal Yu from Jewels 4 Pools explains about the upcoming IRLearning pool plastering course.
courseplasteringPool
By the time it’s Christmas, there’s going to be a lot of bills coming through and people will want their pools to be finished. And with a shortage of labour, it’s going to cause chaos for a lot of people.
Key areas of delivery include:
The Institute of Research and Learning (IRLearning) in conjunction with Jewels 4 Pools is delivering a three-day pool plastering course to assist industry participants to up-skill.
The expo This show has been so good. So after four years, we finally get together – the whole industry getting together. I’m looking forward to the party tonight! It’s so good to see all the familiar faces again – like yourself, Chris. Now everyone is just like bringing this beautiful vibe into the whole industry.
• Product mixing – correct ratios, products, and tools to use.
• Shell preparation – learn to recognise a properly prepped shell and methods you can use to maximise
“For young people, it’s going to be a good career – it will be a good skill to have.”
Everyone stayed together, even though we’re facing so many challenges. But still, it’s a really, really strong industry and we’re a big part of the people’s lifestyle –and we’re really proud of that we can be part of it. n Crystal Yu
SERVICES AND WHOLESALERS
By Veda Dante
ABOVE: Blue Pebble Pool Company’s Pacific interior finish. Pool by RLO Pools Cairns
38 SPLASH! August/September 2022 feature RIGHT: withhelpsTheShimmerBeadcrete’sDesignerDeepinterior.darkerinteriorthepoolblendthelandscape
Getting the perfect finish
The style, type and colour of the interior surface can make a dramatic difference.
Popular finishes for concrete pools include tile, aggregate or pebble, and painted plaster. Each of these comes in an array of different materials, colours, textures and formats – from classic white plaster to sparkling iridescent glass tiles, to a kaleidoscopic blend of river pebbles and glass beads.
Describing it as a “top end product at a mid-range price”, Blue Glass Pebble Company manager, Michael BELOW: Blue Pebble Pool LagoonCompany’sinterior. Pool by Queensland Family Pools & Spas August/September 2022
ABOVE: 3D Stone’s Crema Travertine surrounding a Suncatcher Pool
The geography of colour
While a dark coloured pool interior might look cold, the temperature is likely to be warmer due to its absorption of sunlight and heat.
Pebble power Pool pebbles come in various sizes for distinct finishes, resulting in myriad possibilities of colour and texture.
Whether your client is interested in a new inground pool or renovating an old pool, the finish should be chosen at the outset to help with other related structural efficiencies and deliveries.
“Queenslanders, who used to favour beachy creams, are now embracing greens and colours that resembles the type of colour you see along the Indonesian coastline.”
The days of monochromatic pools have been replaced with a wide colour spectrum that in some cases can be completely tailored to the customer.
SPLASH! 39 feature
T he interior finish can raise a concrete pool to a higher level of style, set the tone of the outdoor space and help integrate it with the home and landscape.
“All you ever really saw was that bright blue typically associated with resort pools in Bali and Fiji,” recalls David Smithwick, state manager with The Pool Tile Company.
“These days you’ll find a much wider palette. In Melbourne, for example, grey is by far the most popular colour with different shades creating distinct hues of what I consider a more industrial type of blue.”
Over in Perth, he says pool owners still like the traditional blue hues. “We have an icy blue that’s popular on the west coast as it’s incredibly inviting on those notoriously hot summer days and looks great year-round,” he says.
“Water only reflects the primary colour, so if your base is yellow, it’s going to create a green effect while a white surface finish produces blue,” Smithwick explains. “We suggest customers start with the water colour they’d like to create and then we recommend the right colour to achieve that effect.”
He says pool owners are increasingly attracted to large format, porcelain pool tiles due to their low maintenance properties. “Less grout is required and because porcelain is manmade, there’s no need for sealing due to its impervious nature,” he explains. “Unlike stone, you can fully submerge them, and they won’t erode over time.”
“Water colour is a huge part of a pool’s visual appeal, and consideration on the right hue for your backyard theme and pool landscape should be given,” says Craig.
“Is there a design style you’re following, such Hamptons, Balinese, Minimalist? It’s also important to consider the existing design elements of your backyard and home exterior and how can you complement them.” These elements are a great starting point in determining your colour palette. Next consideration is the actual water colour.
“Ultimately, you cannot expect to get a vibrantly colourful pool water colour without putting a vibrantly colourful pool interior in the pool,” he says. “Also, anything that reflects on the surface of the water — that is, sunlight, shade from overhanging trees, etc — will influence the water colour.” Their product is pre-mixed to eliminate on-site mixing mistakes and the risk of substitutions, ensuring clients get what they want and what they’ve paid for.
With so many pool interiors available, the situation of clients choosing the perfect one for their backyard can seem overwhelming. The last thing they want is to choose a surface that stands out for all the wrong reasons.
Colour trends
ABOVE: Aerial shot shows how 3D Stone’s Savannah paving works with the aqua pool colour
TOP RIGHT: Blue Pebble Pool Company’s Cosmic Black interior. Pool by Mountainview Pools BOTTOM RIGHT: Blue Pebble Pool Company’s Whitsundays Blue interior. Pool by Panas Pools
“Our formulations contain different blends of glass beads, mother of pearl shells, pebbles, inorganic pigment andThiscement.”glasspool finish has been created by former pool builders out of the necessity to avoid pool interiors that fade in “Othercolour.blue pool interiors can and will fade for many reasons, such as poor oxides, crushed painted additives and unrealistic maintenance expectations,” says Kettewell.
Sunlight reflecting on pool water also affects its colour, so keep this in mind if the location of your pool will be basking in the sun throughout the day, or shrouded in trees for parts of it.
While it can be tempting to simply pick the most popular surface at the time, it is worth remembering that trends, like fashion, come and go.
The client should consider several key factors when deciding what’s right for them. Firstly, what is their personalDesignerstyle?Beadcrete sales manager Brett Craig also says that it is important to consider how the pool’s appearance will blend into the existing or planned landscape.
40 SPLASH! August/September 2022 feature
“Before you go too far down the colour path, think about the overall feeling you’re wanting to create from your backyard space,” says Craig.
“As glass bead is reflective, the product really comes to life when the pool is influenced by either sunlight or artificial lights at night,” he says.
“The glass beads are sprayed onto the pool shell and then finished with a trowel, which is then exposed to high pressure water,” he says. While the process may sound simple, it’s far from DIY. “Professional training is required, particularly when it comes to mixing, setting timings and exposing the finish,” he says. “It has been our experience that general renderers don’t achieve favourable outcomes without the training or help of an industry recognised installer.”
Kettewell says their pool interiors allow customers to achieve the head-turning pool of their dreams without breaking the bank. “We source recycled glass materials from Australia, New Zealand, USA, Malaysia, and China before executing the final stage in Brisbane,” he says.
August/September 2022 SPLASH! 41 feature
“In case of renovations, it’s applied over the existing finish once a primer coat is applied. Once the interior has reached hard set stage, it’s then water-exposed under relevant pressure to remove the slurry, or surface layer, from the finish,” Craig says. The second stage of application involves a wash down with a diluted acid mix to remove any remaining cement slurry on the surface.“Thefinal stage involves sealing the main drain plug, and fitting pool lights and accessories then the pool is filled,” he says. “This is done without delay, generally directly following the acid wash process.”
“We have designed and produced several custom finishes in the past 12 months that provide a modern alternative, resulting as one of the smoothest pool interior finishes on the market,” he says.
“For example, if the decking is dark timber, granite, slate or a darker stone, I would recommend looking at lighter pool shades,” Craig says. “Likewise, if your surrounding design is travertine, sandstone or a lighter tile, you should think about choosing a dark shade for water colour.”
Surrounds also affect the overall look of pool – especially, waterline tile or surface choice, as it’s an integral part of the water body.
Beadcrete is a factory blend, mostly mixed by machine or in some case by hand, and trowel finished to a shotcrete substrate.
Contrast is another important factor to consider when thinking about the overall poolscape and its surrounds.
“Lighter pool interiors reflect more sunrays,” he says. “This can result in cooler pool water, and the potential for more glare. They are also more inclined to draw your eye to the bottom of the swimming pool, drawing unwanted attention to debris that’s settled on the floor.”
While white-based or light toned finishes are considered the most popular choice nowadays, Craig says green tone finishes that were mostly popular during the gold pebblecrete era of the 80s and 90s are making a comeback.
Calcium stains on tiles, rust stains on the pool floor, copper stains near the main drain and salt stains on pool steps – most occur when excess organic material and/or metallic compounds combine with imbalanced pool water.
ABOVE: theirBeadcrete’sTOPTaumesinaBeadcrete’sDesignerShellRIGHT:DesignerSedonafromIslandsRange
• Maintaining balanced water as high/low pH levels and high calcium hardness levels can increase the risk of calcium scaling on walls and floor of pool surface, waterline tiles and coping.
Pool owners can also feel the heat difference between porcelain and natural stone, and the texture on their feet. “That really helps the customer make an informed decision based on the requirements of their property,” sheBesidessays. colour, other factors that also modify the appearance of the water include the depth of the pool (the deeper the water, the darker it is); the light it receives (the more sunlight, the brighter the colour); the location of the pool (where the shade hits it); the landscaping and environment around it; and, of course, the water condition. “It’s also important to keep in mind that whatever has the most surface area in your pool will affect the colour,” says Irwin. “Just having a waterline mosaic will not affect the colour of your pool.
• With the technology of the pool equipment today its worth the owner spending a little bit extra on things like pH and chlorine controllers and regularly changing the filter media to help ensure a splendid pool surface and improve quality of pool enjoyment.
42 SPLASH! August/September 2022 feature
“There are numerous elements that need to come together when choosing the right pool interior,” says 3D Stone marketing administrator Alyx Irwin. “Customers making decisions purely by what they see on the internet can come across misinformation regarding sealing, durability or how it’s going to look when finished.”
To overcome those issues and give customers the opportunity to visualise properly and see the product in their own home or backyard, 3D Stone reps take to the road in their mobile showroom.
“Less grout is required and because porcelain is manmade, there’s no need for sealing due to its impervious nature.”
• Removing algae and stains as soon as you see them.
• Keep phosphates under control, especially if there have been unusual events such as bushfires or floods.
Seeing the real thing Visualising what a colour look likes in real life from a brochure or website can be tricky. The printing process can vary, and computers are calibrated differently, all of which create subtle differences in what your eyes see versus what the product looks like onsite.
“By bringing full-size samples to the customer, they can be sure that what they’re choosing works for their project,” says Irwin. “They may have their sights set on a particular colour but can quickly change their minds when they see it placed next to hard or soft landscaping.”
Maintenance advice Regardless of the pool interior surface, there are a few guidelines to keep it in peak condition for longer. These include:
• Cleaning and vacuuming regularly to help maintain its original lustre.
• Keeping harmful objects off the surface, such as metal hair clips, jewellery and weighted diving toys.
• Be aware of the different chemical considerations in a covered pool. Pool covers are a physical stabiliser –they maintain the water chemistry differently to an uncovered pool. What is causing the stains
“Our reps have noticed that in the main markets of Queensland and New South Wales, pale colours such as powder blue and white have been very popular,” Irwin explains. “In addition, our tropical colour mixtures like aqua and blue are proving to be favoured across most states.”
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“In Melbourne, for example, grey is by far the most popular colour with different shades creating distinct hues of what I consider a more industrial type of blue.”
• White/grey hard deposits (calcium silicate).
• White lumps increasing in size. Rust stains are typically caused by metal objects like bobby pins, hair ties and bottle tops that have fallen into the pool. Signs include: • Brown or copper stain that can’t be wiped or brushed away.
• Yellow – mostly found in shady pool spots, clinging to the walls and other surfaces.
Calcium stains are often caused by excessive pH levels, incorrectly installed interiors and constant temperature changes. Signs include:
• White and flaky scales (calcium carbonate).
• Forms the shape of object like a bobby pin or bottle top.
• Stain remaining the same size and colour. Algae stains are caused by an imbalance in the pH of the pool from wind and rain and can multiply rapidly on warm days. Signs include:
• Black – the hardest type to get rid of, forms unsightly dark spots on pool surfaces.
44 SPLASH! August/September 2022 ABOVE: mobileincustomersShowingaselectionpersonfromtheshowroom
• Green – the most common, often caused by poor filtration and/or sanitisation.
BOSS SOLAR COMMUNITY MEMBER Boss Solar SPLASH Half Page Issue 143 - Boss Community Marketing Services.indd 2 19/07/2022 3:27:38 PM
BOTTOM: 3D Stone’s mobile walk-through showroom 2022 SPLASH! 45 feature LEFT: The beauty of variated mosaics can be seen in this pool from Franklin Pools. Both the raised spa and the pool feature the same stunning material, integrating the two while creating a water colour that complements the Patrickgarden.landscapedPhotographerRedmond
August/September
3D Stone’s Brooklyn Brick 46 SPLASH! August/September 2022 feature
The swimming pool industry has grown dramatically over the past few years with interior trades now in high demand. The Institute of Research and Learning (IRLearning) in conjunction with Jewels 4 Pools is delivering a three-day pool plastering course to assist industry participants to up-skill. Increasing the number of skilled trades ensures that the industry continues to have access to trained interior applicators. This pool plastering course lays the ground-level foundations for participants who wish to go on and build a newThecareer.course aims to provide the fundamental skills needed to give crew members a head start on the job site by having an understanding of the A to Z of the application process. While no prior experience in plastering is necessary, students should ideally already be involved in the industry.
3D Stone’s Crema Travertine August/September 2022 SPLASH! 47 feature ARE YOU WANTING THIS FROM YOUR SUPPLIER? 3 NO REBRANDING EXISTING EQUIPMENT WITH NEW BRAND’S 3 Friendly and helpful staff 3 Talk to the same person every-time 3 A family business that understands your business 3 Everything under one roof 3 Fast lead times 3 Good old fashion service 3 Fantastic pricing 3 Honest and reliable 3 Real people answering your call 3 Actually prompt follow up 3 A Supplier that cares about your business not just the sale RAINBOW POOL PRODUCTS PTY LTD Where the service is! Make the call today – 07 3849 5385 Our team is ready to welcome you! Looking for a change? Come join us at the last TRUE distributor in the Pool Industry Cue the perfect hue Water, which is transparent, does have a reflective quality that takes on the colour of some surrounds. For example: • White = very pale blue. • Grey = clear. • Blue = blue. • Green = turquoise. • Black = natural dark blue to turquoise depending on the surrounds of the pool reflecting on the water. “In the main markets of Queensland and New South Wales, pale colours such as powder blue and white have been very popular.”
Pool plastering course
3D
The Queensland course will be held on August 18-19, plus live site day The Victorian course will be held on September 1-2, plus live site day For more information or if you work in a region not listed, contact IRLearning on 1800 802 482 to register your interest. n Stone’s Aqua Jade stone mosaic fully tiled pool
48 SPLASH! August/September 2022 feature FREE ENERGY COSTEFFICIENT KIND TO OUR ENVIRONMENT MIMINAL &EASY MAINTENANCE NO NOISE POLLUTION The only heatingsustainable100%poolsolution. Give us a call today and ask about our Climate Care Certified Solar options. www.supremeheating.com.au With some of the best solar energy resources in the world. Go Green. Go Solar. 1300 787 978 Suporeme Heating SPLASH artwork August 2022.indd 1 20/07/2022 11:04:32 AM
Day 1 Theory: Learn the different materials and the processes needed for the application. Day 2 Practice: Hands-on tools experience to better understand and get a feel for the products.
Day 3 Onsite: Put your theory and practice to the test on a live job site. A certificate of attendance will be provided to participants on completion of the course. The NSW course was held on August 4-5.
• Exposing and acid washing – optimum application times for varying climatic temperatures.
• Shell preparation – learn to recognise a properly prepped shell and methods you can use to maximise adhesion.
• Product mixing – correct ratios, products, and tools to use.
Key areas of delivery include:
• Other core elements. Training will be delivered by IRLearning and through Jeff McAlister of Jewels 4 Pools who has more than 40 years of experience in the pool industry with a strong focus on interior finishes and installation methodologies.
Contacts: 3D Stone: www.3dstone.com.au Blue Glass Pebble TheMauriJewelsIRLearning:Designerwww.blueglasspebble.com.auCompany:Beadcrete:www.designerite.com.auwww.irlearning.com4Pools:www.jewels4pools.comMosaic:www.maurimosaic.comPoolTileCompany:www.pooltile.com.au3D Stone’s Nieve Azul Celeste Spanish glass mosaic waterline tiles 3D SavannahStone’sgranite August/September 2022 SPLASH! 49 feature
Welcome back to SPLASH! – bigger and better than ever
ABOVE: The bustling show was the biggest ever A fter a wait of four years, the 2022 SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show proved to be everything the industry needed – and more! Exhibitors were delighted with the enthusiastic crowd of excited visitors, and the visitors commented on the size of the show (with well over 100 exhibitors), and the professional standard of the exhibition stands.
52 SPLASH! August/September 2022 feature
The two days of the trade show were filled with seminars from industry experts, debate sessions on critical issues faced by the industry, site visits, and the IAKS seminar stream focussing on resilience, reinvention and sustainability. The first day concluded with the ever popular networking drinks – and the second day trumped even that with the SPLASH! Afterparty – an exciting night of entertainment including the iconic Baker Boys band. The golf day followed on the Friday.
On the following pages we have a large number of interviews with attendees and exhibitors, asking about how they have fared during the long hiatus between shows, what they had on offer or were looking for, and their general impressions of SPLASH!
The visitors and exhibitors alike were genuinely excited to get together again after such a prolonged absence.
As much as we’d have liked to talk to everyone, that was of course impossible – and the show gets bigger, it becomes even harder to get around to everyone. But hopefully this will be an interesting taste of what was happening at the show. n
“Exhibitors and attendees commented on the stands’ quality, seminars, and networking,” he says. “The attendee list includes the who’s who of decisionmakers across the Asia Pacific region with an excellent contingent of internationals. There was an incredible buzz of professionals getting together and planning for the future. This expo has set a new standard for events in the Australasian pool and spa industry, and I look forward to the next show.”
SPASA Australia CEO Lindsay McGrath congratulated the SPLASH! 2022 team in delivering an event of international quality.
The ASSA Conference was also held in conjunction with SPLASH! welcoming more delegates than ever before, as well as a healthy online contingent as part of the hybridSPLASH!event. and SPASA would like to thank all the event sponsors – Fluidra, DAB, Reece and AIS Water, as well as Interpoint Events and all the exhibitors for making the SPLASH! 2022 Pool & Spa Trade Show such a huge success.
Many commented that the show was much more like a European or American show in style and presentation, ushering a new era in trade shows for the pool and spa industry in the region.
Jonas Ryberg, marketing director of Fluidra Australia –Platinum Sponsor: “Fluidra Australia is proud to have supported, exhibited and presented at this long anticipated industry event. Thank you to all who visited the Fluidra stand to talk to our fantastic team about our range of residential and commercial products. Congratulations to SPASA Australia and SPLASH! magazine on hosting a very successful, well-organised and highly entertaining event.”
The first day concluded with the popular networking drinks Magic in the air, thanks to Dan the Magic Man on the AES stand
The quality and presentation of stands was higher than ever before seen in Australia
Christopher Connolly, DAB Water Technology – Gold Sponsor: “The 2022 SPLASH! expo was an amazing and successful event for us. Seeing everyone together, engaged and happy across the industry has been so welcoming and fulfilling. Thanks to SPASA for their support and putting on such a fabulous and successful event.”
Morgan Lobe, marketing lead, Reece Irrigation and Pools –Gold Sponsor: “Reece Irrigation & Pools were proud to sponsor the SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show in 2022. It was a long-awaited opportunity to reconnect with the people and businesses that make our pool and spa industry great – we were thrilled to be a part of it. Thanks to SPLASH! and SPASA for organising such a fantastic event.”
Olympic champion Brooke Hanson opened the show with a keynote following her entertaining Women Attaining Vision Excellence and Success (WAVES) networking breakfast
The ASSA Conference was held in conjunction with SPLASH! and was also the biggest ever
A word from the sponsors
August/September 2022 SPLASH! 53 feature This show had the most floor space ever
Elena Gosse, CEO and co-owner AIS Water –Silver Sponsor: “Our sponsorship of the SPLASH! show forms part of our commitment to furthering our industry. We’re all for helping it grow, prosper and continue to achieve even greater standards of excellence. Thanks for a great show SPLASH!”
05. Simon Andresen (left), Aquea : We’re launching our newest product at the show today. It’s called the V-lock lid. It’s a lockable concealed skimmer lid. In addition to that, we’ve got our Bubbler Plus, which we released last year with our original product, which is the concealed main drain. We’ve actually got four models that will take inlays all the way from 8mm for tile up to 30mm thick. They take tile, stone and there’s the option for timber decking. 01 05
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01. Adrian Lacy from Spatex: We’ve got specialist jets for inbuilt spas on concrete swimming pools. These fittings provide therapeutic jets instead of just normal venturi eyeballs. And they are very powerful. It’s the equivalent of putting in an acrylic spa, but in a concrete format. More and more people are requesting the normal therapy jets you’d see in a portable spa to be put into concrete inground spas and pools. We’re getting ever-increasing demand. It’s on the increase as people become more aware that there’s something out there other than just a plain eyeball.
54 SPLASH! August/September 2022 feature VOXPOPS:
02. Des Pacek from Evolution Lighting and Water: We’re here showing off many of our products, including our new range of chlorinators, our mineral oxidizer hoping to get some good interest – as we already have. It’s designed for mineral pools and spas, domestic and commercial, and it’s our own mineral combination. We launched it about 12 months ago, and the results have been great – people are excited about it, and it’s gaining momentum. This is the first trade show with it so far. It’s been awesome.
04. Mark Kinzett (left, with Lee Govender) from Hanna Instruments: We’re a manufacturer of handheld and industrial pH and ORP water testing instruments. We also do food and beverage. We’re here mainly for the waterbased instrumentation, both end users and commercial. A lot of the smaller handheld stuff is of for end-users, well-priced, all manufactured onsite. We do everything ourselves. So the injection moulding is all done through us – and then we go to the industrial-type ones that pool installers are using currently.
03. David Sampson from Advanced Aquarium Technologies: Our product is Advanced Acrylic Technologies. We’re the main branch for wholesale and supply pretty much Australia-wide. We’ve got one real big project up in Noosa, Queensland, with architect Paul Clout - a three-storey crane lift with bonded corners. Bonded corners are made in the factory. You can pretty much see it on this piece here. You’ve got two pieces of plexiglass and if we’re doing a pool edge, that’s actually a bonded corner on it. So that’s a sound structure just from that corner. It’s a process actually like welding the corner. We do this on the Sunshine Coast in Kunda Park. Busy times for us.
It’s been different with covid – it’s slowed everything down a little bit. But at the end of the day, I think the councils and commercial pools have been still fairly strong. And I think the councils are still putting in a lot of investment into those areas where people can get out and exercise. We’ve grown the business now to probably doing a Defender filter a week now, which is fantastic. You’ve just got to get out there and tell people exactly how the Defender works and help them understand how it operates, and also their return on investment, which is important. The show’s been fantastic. Really busy. I thought it might be because it’s been delayed for a couple of years. Really happy with it. We’ll be back here again. Absolutely.
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11. Brad Weir (right) with Grahame Bateman from Neptune Benson Australia:
10. Neil Davey from Crackerjack Consulting Engineers, Adelaide:
07. Eddie Lloyd, International Quadratics (far right, on his busy stand): We’re super excited to be at the show, it’s been four years since we’ve been able to be back here and a lot’s happened in the product innovation space within our team – from automation and controlling your pool from your phone all the way through to that secondary sanitation market [Quantum AOP] and really stitching that all together to provide a solution to the pool owner. So, super excited to be able to profile that over the next couple of days. A longer interview with Eddie will appear in an upcoming issue and will also be available on SPLASHTV in the near future.
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12. Pool Ranger’s Michael Griffin snapped outside the Hayward stand. 10 06 07
August/September 2022 SPLASH! 55
09. Boaz Weiner (right) with his son Tal, the next generation: We started Mr Dolphin in 2016 after having been there with Maytronics from the beginning. We work with the end users, give them support and sell them the machines. We work in Lidcombe and the Northern Beaches. We’ve had plenty of work.
I’ve come up to basically keep on top of what’s moving and what’s not moving in the industry, and to see the latest technologies and keeping abreast of everything that’s going on so we can continue to provide independent advice.
06. Rohan London (far left), Sunlover Heating: This year has been phenomenal. With the lockdown, the industry has grown enormously and is taking as much opportunity as possible, so pool builders are busy as anything. We’ve had a phenomenal couple of years. With distributors, we probably got 24 people here at SPLASH! So it’s a huge commitment – we’ve upgraded the stand and the team has done a wonderful job with that. So yeah, we’re really looking forward to a good SPLASH!
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08. Brian Bambach, NFT: Everyone knows that variable speed pumps save money – you can effectively divide the running cost by 16. We have designed a very small pump that behaves like a big pump, without cavitation. I just wanted to thank SPLASH! When you’re introducing a new concept where can you start? And SPLASH! gave us a start years ago, and now we’re sitting at number four in Europe. And we’re cash flow positive which is unusual for an R&D company, and we get export money for Australia. We’re supply our swimming pump technology through a large contractor to the Indian government, where we hope to supply small solar powered pumps to support 80 million small plot farmers.
A longer interview with Julian will appear in an upcoming issue and will also be available on SPLASHTV in the near future.
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13. Joel Stern, Stern Pools, juggling Waboba balls: We’ve started distributing the Waboba brand of skimballs and moonballs. They’re really great for pool, beach, aqua waterplay. People are very interested. They’ve been in sports stores for a long time, and pool shops picked them up last season and had excellent, excellent times with them. It’s been really good to catch up with people here, it’s been a long time between drinks. It’s interesting to see that the displays have stepped up in terms of professionalism. It’s really starting to look very similar to the European shows and the American shows that I go to. 14. Gemma Chuter, Spa Electrics:
It’s really nice to see people and be mingling again. A lot of people are interested in our new retrofit light. It’s coming soon, and it retrofits a lot of the current lights in the market. So anyone with an old-tired pool wanting to upgrade it with some new fancy lights, that light is going to be your best friend. All of our retrofits have been extremely popular.
15. Liz Hollingdale (left) with Terry Hunter, Pool Controls: We’re showing everyone our new Ozone One injection system. We’ve been supplying ozone pretty solidly for the past couple of years, and our new system uses the Q-foil injection manifold instead of the old “agricultural” venturi system. The Q-foil is our innovative take on the hydrofoil principle, generating an area of low pressure to draw the ozone into the water flow to complete that part of the sanitation process. The beauty of the Q-foil is that it has no moving parts to corrode or fail. We also manufacture it in a clear plastic so you can see what’s happening. We’re just completing our extensive field trials but it’s going really well and everyone is loving the fact it’s compact, easy to install and you can see what’s going on. A longer interview with Liz will appear in an upcoming issue and will also be available on SPLASHTV in the near future.
18. Candy Gold (right) with Gary Clark, Aqua Quip: We help people achieve what they want in their backyard – and that is to have a beautiful, easy-to-use swimming pool that looks magnificent all the time. There’s a definite move to flush-mounted lights, like our Evo Max which is our export light. And our new Evo LV which is our little pipe-light, which is a new addition to the range. It talks to all of the other lights in terms of colouring and colour shows, and is controlled by our InstaTouch smart lighting controller. So it all works together beautifully, and you can now have a whole family of products in one swimming pool, offering different solutions for crevices, swimouts, decks et cetera. And Jet Vac makes owning a pool easy as there’s no work required other than emptying the bag when it’s full. It’s been wonderful being at the show. We haven’t been together for four years, and there’s a lot of like-minded people and great products, beautiful stands – it’s a privilege to be part of this industry.
20. Derek Prince, Daisy Pool Covers:
19.Julian Quinn and Paul (Jake) Jacobson from BioGuard:
17. Paul Were, Dontek. I came to see all the new products and see what efforts people are putting into their stands. And they’ve all done a magnificent job. Everything’s fresh, everything’s new. As a manufacturer, we sell to quite a few of the people who are here. The stands have been brilliant, everyone’s put such an effort. I’ve never seen stands as good as this probably not even overseas. 36 years I’ve been in the industry now. I was a supporter of those early ones, that very first one on the Gold Coast, about 26 years ago, which was trestle-top tables at Burleigh Community Centre. It was nothing like this. We have to thank SPLASH! for making it all happen.
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As well as the Drill Drive for the Below Ground Box, we have the coloured rollers. To make it easier for our customer to sell a product, we want to be able to have what consumers want. That is, the colours of the actual unit that they want so it will fit with their backyards. So we started with the matt black and a grey. One of the best comments we’ve had so far is, “Oh, right, of course!” The show has been excellent. We’ve actually been smashed. It’s like everyone’s all excited to get back into one room again. And you know what, the industry mood is very positive. We haven’t had an offseason for two years! Everyone’s sitting here now, they’re still busy, and they’re still looking forward to another six to 12 months of work. Keep an eye out for Derek demonstrating the Drill Drive on SPLASHTV in the near future.
16. Brett Craig with David Cairns, Beadcrete: We’re trying to find some new business and catch up with a few customers. We’ve met some new people, it’s been great. We have a new render range called Beadglass, which is 20 per cent glass. Probably more suited for the renovation market, not the full glass market. The show’s been really good, really positive stuff. And we’re looking forward to a good year.
PJ: We’ve been very busy, very busy. We were talking for at least three and a half hours without being able to get a drink or break or anything. Most were really interested in the new AFM, which is the glass filter media. Being able to have an opportunity now to actually physically touch it. And it’s been great for overseas as well. Two from Singapore, one from Vietnam. JQ: And a few dealers from New Zealand as well. People are looking for new innovative, green ways to treat pools, like the ACO, the industry’s first non-cyanuric acid stabiliser. It’s over-engineered for the pool industry, but we’ll take it. We haven’t had a show for so long. People want to reinvigorate their business and see what is out there, but they haven’t had an opportunity because of the pandemic.
The other thing too, is there’s a lot of familiar faces – and everybody’s happy to see everybody.
21. Robert Savill with Anna, Hydrocare
22. Peter Stewart, Andrew Day, Andrew Rothery, Stuart Crane of Crystal Pools: SC: It’s been busy. Covid really hasn’t affected most of the commercial side. Operators it did – getting the equipment in was probably the biggest challenge – but the amount of work is on the books for everyone at the moment. There’s plenty out there. We’re actually looking at the Sydney Football Stadium contracts. Crystal Pools are just finishing that off now, and then there’s the ongoing maintenance for that. You’ve got four bodies of water in the Fitness Centre, a 50-metre pool, a 25-metre, a spa and a chill pool. Then in the change rooms, the home and away team, there’s two hot tubs and two chill pools in each of them, so eight bodies of water. PS: The show was good. It was good to catch up again, and a good quality of exhibitors. Got a lot of info. A lot of commercial exhibitors in there showing commercial gear, whereas in the past it was mainly the resi market. It’s good to see. It’s a very unsupported market out there generally.
August/September 2022 SPLASH! 57 feature
23. Emily McNeill, Australian Swim Schools Association, regarding the ASSA Conference: It’s been absolutely awesome, we’ve had over 400 in-person delegates join us across the course of the week. We’ve run it as a hybrid event for the first time, and we’ve had a couple of hundred join us from across the country and also from around the world. It’s been great to also run it in conjunction with the SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show again, it’s the third year that we’ve done it, and it’s also just great to be back together re-engaging and reconnecting. It’s well overdue. This is the biggest conference to date, and in a post-covid – or nearly post-covid – world it’s a pretty mean feat. And we’ve had close to 30 per cent new delegates attend as well as some familiar faces. The next one is planned for 28th to 30th March 2023 in the Stanford Grand in Adelaide, and we’re really looking forward to getting to Adelaide next year. We’re bringing it forward a couple of months to test that out, and also to get away from some other industry events that are happening. Hopefully it will be even bigger and better than this one!
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There’s a whole new bunch of people here, and a whole bunch of new products. And there’s a good representation of commercial product. Everybody’s got something commercial on their standards. And that makes a big difference to our part of the industry, the commercial industry.
27. Valentina Tripp, Davey Water Products:
29. Visitors inspecting the benefits of an Acoustic Box.
32. Danielle Kellar from Summertime Pools in Victoria: We came up to meet with our suppliers, have a look at what’s new and innovative in the market – and it’s a good excuse to come up to sunny Queensland. The show is excellent. Plenty of exhibitors, plenty of suppliers showcasing what they have to offer. I’ve been impressed with the stands and the signage, and the way the branding and marketing is displayed has come a long way in the last few years.
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Over the last couple of years, it’s certainly been a challenge. Probably in my 26 years it’s been two of the hardest years for stock supply – anything from China has obviously been hard, and even when it actually gets here, to actually get all the stock around the country. So it’s been a challenge. Stock is king – you know, if you don’t have it, you can’t sell it! So we put big efforts into actually getting stock on the ground. It’s great to be back at the show after all these years – it feels like so long ago. And it’s just great to see everyone face to face in the industry again – not on Zoom calls and all of that, so yeah, great to see everyone, and there’s been really good numbers. We look forward to the Anext one.longerinterview with Stephen will appear in an upcoming issue and will also be available on SPLASHTV in the near future.
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25. Nina Bogucki (with Stephen Buck), GEMS Regulator: We are here on behalf of the Equipment Energy Efficiency Program and the Greenhouse Energy Minimum Standards Regulator. We’re here to talk to the Swimming Pool & Spa Association and industry about the new mandatory requirements that are coming in for energy efficiency for pool pumps. There’s a few different audiences we’re hoping to talk to, primarily the manufacturers and suppliers of pool pumps – they’ll be the ones mostly impacted by the new regulations that are coming in on October 1, 2022. The main thing is that people can get in touch with us at www.energyrating.gov.au or by our enquiries mailbox and ask us any questions that they might have, so we can help them through the registration process. A longer interview with Nina will appear in an upcoming issue and will also be available on SPLASHTV in the near future.
24. Bob Biernat, Freedom Pools: I came to the show today to see what was happening, I thought there’d be nobody here, but there were people everywhere! Can’t believe it, they’ve all got out of their houses, come to have fun and meet people and see what’s happening in the pool industry! Of course it’s flying high, it’s a great place to be. We love it.
31. Visitors learning more about Pool Pro Products. Pool Pro also gave away a Kia sedan to one lucky attendee at SPLASH!
A longer interview with Valentina will appear in an upcoming issue and will also be available on SPLASHTV in the near future.
It’s been a challenging couple of years, especially for our industry with global supply chain shocks and challenges right across the world. However, at the same time, we’ve seen demand go through the roof as well, as people reconnect with their families and with leisure, and the health and wellness aspects have been dialled up through this pandemic period. So for us, responding to that has been critical, and ensuring that we have enough inventory and enough planning in our factory to meet demand. We’re seeing some major supply shocks, particularly around key raw materials like ruthenium, some of the plastics and PCBs – there are global shortages of PCBs. And it’s been really wonderful to see our planning teams look forward and secure supply over the next couple of years, it’s been a really important investment for us. I’m new to Davey – I’m a year and a half in – so this is my first pool and spa show here in Australia. It’s wonderful to see such amazing attendance, some great connection with all the industry partners and stakeholders. And a huge amount of interest in the products, particularly connected products that were showcased. I can see connected products will really start to become the norm right here in Australia as they are in many of our markets.
28. Jeremy Smith, SR Smith: The trade show has been great, terrific displays, great turnout. We’ve had a constant stream of traffic on the stand, and it’s been good because the last few years has been a journey for us. As far as building the recognition, the brand, the product range that’s suitable for the market. And now we’re getting to know a lot of the people who are very committed dealers of ours all across Australia, getting to see them, connect with them in person, finally, after a couple of years of Zoom and Teams calls. It’s really great to see some of those faces.
A longer interview with Jeremy will appear in an upcoming issue and will also be available on SPLASHTV in the near future.
26. Stephen Humphris, Focus Products:
30. Visitors learning about the Aussie UnderCover hidden pool cover system – the only one the market that lets you choose your finish to match its environment or become part of the pool area using tiles, timber or even artificial grass.
August/September 2022 SPLASH! 59 New ControllerNKD-pHLook The NKD-pH Acid Doser fully integrates with the NKD-R and NKD-C Freshwater Systems. Plug-n-play technology makes installation and setup a breeze. Dosing is based on pool size with no probes to clean or calibrate for simple management and reliability. • Adjustable running and priming timers • High quality peristaltic pump motor • PVC rollers ensuring low wear and tear • Quality squeeze tubeTygon® MF Norprene® • Superior resistancechemical • IP34 Rated • 12 months warranty 1800 625 331 www.naked-pools.com For perfect balance and harmony. Swimming as nature intended™ Ask us aboutthe NKD-R &NKD-pHPackageBundle feature 33. Anthony Cross, Compass Pools: This is our freestanding fiberglass pool marketed under the name The Little Pool Co. Our Little Pools are manufactured by Compass Pools, and it’s turned into a freestanding pool by adding a full composite structure. So it’s plug and play. All you need is a concrete slab, crane the pool into place onto the slab, you can attach decking to it if you’ve got a builder, but the customer basically can buy a full plug and play system, add the water, connect the power, and it’s ready to go. All the equipment, all the plumbing, everything and at spec to the customer’s requirements. We’ve been doing the R&D for three years, and we’ve been marketing the product locally in the Hunter Valley for a couple of years. The boys have reported a lot of interest. The show’s been great. It’s been really nice to connect with everybody again. It’s been a long time between drinks so to speak. SPLASH! has done a great job and it’s really nice to see everybody and it’s been a really good attendance too. A longer interview with Anthony will appear in an upcoming issue and will also be available on SPLASHTV in the near future. 28 313029 32 33
34. Tibor Meszaros, Compass Europe: Europe is now suffering a little bit about the situation with the war, economically there are bad numbers with the inflation rate – everybody is accepting that inflation rate will be at two digits – that means 10 and more per cent. At this time the average inflation rate is 11.4 for the whole of Europe. So that is definitely influencing business in the whole of Europe, not just in swimming pools. We got different numbers than the last two years. We’ve come back to the normal years like 2019 – and we will accept a little bit less production because we don’t know how the situation will be for the autumn, because of the gas and the oil which should come from Russia. But basically now in the high season there are normal sales, and normal installation. All of our dealers are quite satisfied, except in Ukraine. We set up a relationship with Compass Australia in 2004, and since that time, I came over five or six times. Now with the changes in Slovakia and to Compass Europe, there was a change of the owners and I and my friend Franz became the owners since February this year. We are coming again to set up the new era of co-operation with Australia. I had never been to SPLASH! before and I’m very surprised, this is a very good exhibition. It is a shame that covid closed SPLASH! for two years, but now it looks like there will be a new beginning. A longer interview with Tibor will appear in an upcoming issue and will also be available on SPLASHTV in the near future, where he will update us on the situation in Ukraine and Slovakia.
36. Norman Mills, Boss Solar:
One of the advantages Boss has is that we manufacture locally, so we’re able to capitalise on the fact that we had ample stocks of raw materials, and we were able to convert them into finished product. This was a big advantage for us during this period of time. On the rigid Rhino panel, we increased by at least 50 per cent on the previous year. I think we’re going to have a big year this year. This show really highlighted to me the advantage that Boss offers the market and that the market is looking for local manufacturers to be able to service their needs. The show has been excellent. I’m glad we’re here, I’m glad we bought the full team, and I’m glad we took the size stand that we did and where we positioned ourselves. And the fact that we bought in a small metal injection moulding machine to show the attendees that we are a true manufacturer, and it was just a little indication of what we can do.
A longer interview with Norman will appear in an upcoming issue and will also be available on SPLASHTV in the near future.
A longer interview with Tim will appear in an upcoming issue and will also be available on SPLASHTV in the near future.
A longer interview with Jim will appear in an upcoming issue and will also be available on SPLASHTV in the near future.
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We’ve had a lot of growth in our automatic cover range. People are recognising the benefits of having something that is automatic, hidden away from view, and ultimately is used every time you swim. The swim jet range had a lot of growth as well. Integrating a swim jet turbine from our range means that the pool becomes something other than just a place to cool down. It’s a lifestyle decision; it’s something that keeps them fit. And that awareness of wellness in the industry has, I think, encouraged people to look at a turbine as part of the pool package. The show has been great. It’s just fantastic to be around our customers from all around the country. It really feels like a privilege again, you know, it’s been at times so difficult to connect and having people right in front of you and people are genuinely happy to be here. It’s just been fantastic.
A longer interview with Carl will appear in an upcoming issue and will also be available on SPLASHTV in the near future.
37. Jim Corbett, Whitewater:
60 SPLASH! August/September 2022 feature
The interest we’ve had here has probably still been for our core value products like Aqua Play, Aqua Splash, splash decks – tipping bucket structures are still very popular. We’ve had a number of representatives from local government councils, aquatic centres, all looking for leisure water components. And so that’s probably been the most interest that we’ve had but still a lot of interest in Flow Surf and people asking about it. This was our first SPLASH! show – and we’ve had a lot of interest. Existing clients come here to see filtration and other products associated with their aquatic centres – and they see that we’re here, so they stop by and have a chat. So for us, it’s fantastic. We’ve had good results and the first day was incredibly busy. So very pleased with that.
38. Carl Voshege, Remco:
We’ve seen fairly consistent growth both in domestic and commercial markets over the last five to six years. We do have some new technologies that we’re launching here at SPLASH!, such as the commercial inverter series. These products are higher energy efficiency than any other product available in the country at the moment, and we’ve already seen that product being adopted by a lot of local councils and governments around the country. We’ll continue to pursue those markets and those opportunities. We’ve been really happy with the people that we’ve been speaking with, and the conversations we’ve been having. It’s all been a really high calibre. Looking around the room or the hall, all of the suppliers have stepped up a notch in terms of the standard of their exhibits – and we certainly have as well. I think it’s four years of frustration at not being able to be out and about at the coalface with our clients and with our customers and with each other. So it’s been really good to be here and to have such a presence and to see the level of investment from all of our competitors and other industry leaders in this segment. We’re enjoying it so yeah, fantastic.
Tim Martin, EvoHeat:
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I’ve actually really enjoyed the show – our whole team has really enjoyed it. I mean, it’s been years since we’ve been here. So it’s good to see familiar faces, and it’s good to see new people. I can see everyone’s being innovative, so there is some good stuff out there, which is exciting. Overall, for us, it’s been fantastic. For us it’s just getting our name out there, and people actually understanding what we do. We’re known for Ozone Swim – and in the partnership with Maytronics they’re doing really good things, exciting things with the Ozone Swim product. We’re focusing here on our high-end residential units, and then our “commercial commercial” equipment. A longer interview with David will appear in an upcoming issue and will also be available on SPLASHTV in the near future.
41. Julian Brady, Pool Site Quote: Pool Site Quote is the world’s first sales platform software for pool builders. So it’s very specific for pool builders. It’s not for any other industry. We’re from the pool industry ourselves. We’ve been pool professionals for 15 years, been in construction industry for 25. And it’s all really about streamlining the entire sales process from CRM, through to quoting, site feasibility and design, and now SPASA contracts are populated automatically from the quote. So it’s saving a tremendous amount of time in the quoting process. You can go to a site, have your first meeting, prepare the quote in front of the homeowner straightaway. We did a soft launch in May last year. We put on pool builders straightaway. We’ve had no attrition – we haven’t lost one pool building customer, which for a new business is amazing. Before we launched this product, we were two years in the field with a pool builder in Sydney, using real customers. And at this show at SPLASH! we are just so super excited. The amount of interest is just incredible. Not just from the pool builders but the suppliers, the CEOs and directors that the supply companies globally have come over and introduced themselves to us. We’re just super excited. 39 40 41
August/September 2022 SPLASH! 61 Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Site Feasibility Design Quote Contract (SPASA) Document Management Professional Services POOL SITE QUOTE 1300 331 123 WWW.POOLSITEQUOTE.COM Sales Software for Pool Builders
I am happy to be at the SPLASH! show, because I’m in the pool business –pool builder and a pool factory in Thailand. For four years we didn’t come, but now we have. There were many customers here – every pool business and pool builder and company active in Australia. SPLASH! is the best show in our area. I saw too many things – made so many contacts.
39. Thanusak Phungdet, from JD Pools Thailand:
40. David Brauer, Brauer Swim:
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42. John O’Brien, Poolwerx: I’ve been to a lot of shows over 30 years – here, and in the US and in Europe – and it feels like the industry has matured. It’s come of age almost at this show. Definitely the best Australian show I’ve ever been to, on many levels: the number of exhibitors, the quality of exhibitors, the number of people they’ve invested and trained on their stands, the flow of punters. A lot of great inquiry, a lot of intelligent conversations. A lot of people have done some deep thinking and maturing over covid, and I think some people have seen it as an opportunity to gear up their business and some to move out of the business. I definitely think it’s a turning point in the industry, a maturing of the industry. At my seminar I was talking about the challenges and opportunities facing the industry over the near future. One thing I talked about was unit economics, and the biggest metric to look at right now is gross profit percentages. Don’t focus on what you’re paying for goods – most of our suppliers don’t have any control over that any more – and don’t be focussed on what you selling it for. Focus on the gross profit. And in a good retail business that should be 70 per cent. That determines what you buy for and what you sell for. It’s a different way of looking at it.
45. Craig Kennett from Kennett Gas Services in Adelaide: We specialise in pool gas heating. It’s been a good show actually, I enjoyed it. But there hasn’t been a lot of new gas products at the moment – there hasn’t been a lot of development and they couldn’t get a lot of parts, so things just haven’t turned as fast as they normally would.
44. Blake Roy, with Kiera Roy from Sparkle Pools and Spas, Engadine NSW: The show was good, I learned a bit. Spoke to some tech reps from suppliers and got their thoughts on a couple of issues and figured out some solutions. Looked at some new stuff that was interesting.
42434445
46. Charlie Annell and Andy Essenberg from Mobile Pool Shop in Christchurch: AE: Absolutely worthwhile – especially for the solar heating. CE: I always look for one idea from the pool show – last time it was the Naked System. I was the first one in New Zealand to put some of them in, until someone got the agency there. 46
43. Darren Milne on the popular Naked Pools stand, showing visitors the benefit of the Naked Pools System.
49. Andre Loizou of Loizou Constructions, Brisbane: We do houses, extensions, renovations and we’ve done some pools, and I came down to have a chat with some of the guys on some things I’m not so familiar on. I found some stuff of interest. Yeah, definitely. We’ll come back for the next one if we keep doing more pools, for sure.
48. Craig Violi from Inland Pools in Griffith, NSW: Were part of a service route business. I just came here to connect up with some reps that I haven’t met because of covid. I loved it, learned a lot, got to be at the cutting edge of the industry. It’s really helpful. It’s a first SPLASH! for me, that’s what made it even more exciting. Obviously, the last two years were cancelled. First time and I enjoyed it. Got to know everyone. Highly recommended.
50. PJ Prendergast of Peachy Pools, Gold Coast: This show was fantastic. It was good to get around and see what’s happened in the industry over the last four years. Loved the seminars, particularly the pool heating seminar. It’s something the industry needs a little bit of a clean-up on, so yeah, it was good. There hasn’t been a massive amount of new stuff over the last sort of four or five years – it’s a few sort of little things and a few little changes. But it was good to see what else is coming into the market.
47. Sarah Clavarino, whose parents own the biggest pool and spa shop in Australia, in Tamworth, NSW: My parents normally come but this year we came. I think it’s a great setup. Easy to move around and find things. We’re actually building a pool in Noosa and we found a lot of things, a pool cover, a motorised one, and a skimmer box, and lots of things.
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DC: The first time I came up to the show it was just amazing. As you diversify your business, you don’t know about a lot of the exhibitors that exist. When you’re out there on the web, Google tends to hone locally a lot too. Here you get the broader spectrum: there’s guys from WA, guys from Victoria, that you meet from different districts from all over. And you learn too from the talks. I went to the hydraulic one and the mineral pool one.
56. Christoph Durand, BWT: BWT Group is an Austrian group and we made the acquisition of Lincoln last year. We are exhibiting the Cosmy, our brand new pool cleaner, and what’s great about this product is that it is light and powerful, and you can customise it, and change the colour. So it’s very friendly. The BWT brand is very big and we are increasing the visibility of the brand all over the world. It’s my first time in Australia and at the SPLASH! show, and it’s very impressive. I can see the quality of the exhibitors, and I can see that it’s quite packed because I heard that just like us in France, you didn’t have any show for four years. So everybody is really willing to go and visit this show and everybody’s very excited to meet each other. Which is good. It’s good for us and it’s good for the business.
DC: In Lismore, people are rebuilding and are coming back, bouncing back. They’re being strong I suppose. Some of the insurance is coming through and that’s helping out and a lot of trades are down there and rebuilding. So I think it’ll bounce back soon enough.
It’s been a really good couple of days. The purpose of us being here is to be able to engage with our supply base. We get the opportunity to catch up with suppliers in our office, we get our yearly conference – but what we don’t get is the opportunity to see the big plan, the big execution. You can see that based on some of the executions across some of the stands – the Fluidra stand behind me is case in point, and then you’ve got Pentair, Davey, Maytronics... And you’re able to engage not just with the single point of contact that you normally have a conversation with, but with the entire team. And as a national retailer – we’ve got stores right across the country – it’s good to be able to engage with the entire team. A longer interview with Anthony will appear in an upcoming issue.
August/September 2022 SPLASH! 65 feature
54. Michelle Cox, Brian Benson, Ballina Pool Shop, Scott Pattison, Fluidra, David Clay, Lismore Pool Care:
55. Peter and Rhys Hogg, Magnum Filters:
DC: I thought the show was great. For me I probably needed another day, because I haven’t seen half of it yet. But it’s all well presented. More than other years I’ve seen a lot of people. BB: It’s my first year coming to the show, and it’s good to just meet some people and see some faces and lots of good resources.
52. Campbell Heath, Bond Chemicals, Melbourne: I really enjoyed the show. It was fantastic the breadth of people who were displaying products, and the breadth of offering – it was awesome. I myself spent the whole day walking around, actually the whole two days, walking around finding new people to talk the whole time. So actually, if I could spend more time in there now I would.
53. Anthony Grice, Clark Rubber:
51. Troy Stewart, Coast Crete Pools, NSW: The show was very informative. We’ve only been in the industry for 12 months, so it was good to meet all the reps. We just started up two months ago on the Central Coast. It was very good, especially with the plumbing side of it, and the pumps and the heat pumps.
A longer interview with Christoph and also another interview with Lindsay Hartshorne will appear in upcoming issues, and are already available on SPLASHTV.
Oh, I thought the show was good. I thought was really good. The good thing for us is, our customers are here and we just went around and talked them all, and seen guys I haven’t seen for donkey’s years. But yeah, it’s very professional. And when we got here yesterday, it was chocka. I go to the UK show, Spatex, which is about the same size, but there’s a lot more people here – even given the population of England. This is much more professional.
66 SPLASH! August/September 2022 Time to party! feature
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“After two years of not being able to have a national competition due to the pandemic, it was really exciting to see everyone again and compete on the national stage,” she says.
Oates, who trains with the Sunshine Coast Grammar Pool Lifesaving Club, is hopeful that her performance would be enough for selection to the Australian team for the Lifesaving World Championships in Riccione, Italy in September.
&CommercialAquatics
68 SPLASH! August/September 2022 news
Collins says average number of enrolments per site is up three per cent at the end of the first month of winter (June 2022), compared to the end of the first month of summer (January 2022).
Theseand emergencies.eventsinclude the Manikin Carry, Manikin Tow, Line Throw, Obstacle Swim and the Simulated Emergency Response Competition (SERC) – a timed event where lifesavers are tested on their initiative, judgement, knowledge and skills. All the events are based on rescuing a person who is in immediate Competitorsdanger.require a high level of fitness as well as speed, agility, skill, technique, initiative and precision to perform at their best against the Thebest.Male Lifesaver of the Meet was Jake Smith from Western Australia. Jess Oates, centre, competing in the line-throw
Swim schools
The Championships, which were held at Pymble Ladies College Aquatic and Fitness Centre, test each competitor’s abilities in lifesaving through a series of challenge events that simulate real lifesaving situations
Jess Oates, 19, from Dakabin in Queensland came away with the Female Lifesaver of the Meet which was based on her performance across all the open age events, with athleticism and technical accuracy both taken into account.
“It is the people that make this sport, the sense of community as part of the team. That’s something I have not experienced in any other sport.”
“It’s really promising to see these enrolment figures because it shows parents share our concerns and are getting their children back to lessons and keeping kids swimming through winter so they can head into this summer as strong and capable swimmers.”
“To be surrounded by people like Mariah Jones, who is someone I have looked up to for a long time, made this meet really special. It’s always good to have really good competition, to be pushed to be better every single time.
“After two years of disruptions to lessons, we’ve been sharing our concerns, along with industry bodies like Royal Life Saving Australia, regarding summer 2023 and the danger that exists if children don’t get back to lessons or wait until next summer to return to the pool.
Usually, winter enrolment numbers tend to dip, but the increase is a positive sign that kids are returning to lessons after lockdowns and not letting winter temperatures deter the building of important, life-saving water skills.
Jump! Swim Schools will run their next Water Safety Week in August to teach kids key swim safety principles, including jumping into the pool fully clothed.
“Swim safety should regularly feature as part of all swimming programs to remind kids of the critical skills and what to do if they do find themselves in a potentially dangerous situation in the water,” says Collins.
are down but winter swim school enrolment numbers are up
The Australian Pool Life Saving Championships wrapped up in Sydney after an intensive three days of competition, which saw the three top-placed women for the meet divided by only one point.
“It’s great to see that most swim schools are maintaining enrolments through winter, with many even seeing growth,” he says.
Temperatures
Kids are getting back into lessons, despite the cooler weather
“Marsden Park for example has seen a 51 per cent increase in June compared to January. Meanwhile, Fyshwick in the ACT is up 27 per cent and Craigieburn in Victoria is up 11 per cent.
Lifesaving Australian Pool Lifesaving Championships
Oates trains in the pool six days a week, in addition to gym sessions. She first became involved in pool lifesaving at just 12 years old.
Jump! Swim Schools CEO Mark Collins says enrolment numbers for the national network are higher at the end of June than they were at the end of January – a positive sign that water safety concerns are being heard by parents across the country.
In brief 70 Swim schools urged to help the fight against preventable child drownings 70 New charges for ailing Caine 70 Fluidra powers safety program 71 Building a winning swim squad 72
LGFA specialises in financing the local government providing efficient financing for 75 member councils across New Zealand.
Lower Hutt mayor Campbell Barry welcomes the news.
www.waterco.com August/September 2022 SPLASH! 69 news Energy New
annuallypoolsavesgreenZealandfundingHutt$20k
The new Green, Social and Sustainability (GSS) funding program, launched late last year, offers cost benefits to local government projects that are focused on environmental and social wellbeing. Only three councils have successfully been approved for these loans.
A strong sustainable approach targeting a high Green Star rating for the rebuild of Naenae pool and fitness centre has seen Hutt City Council approved for only the third Green, Social and Sustainability loan to a New Zealand council from the Local Government Funding Agency (LGFA).
The new GSS lending will save Hutt City Council about $20,500 annually and an estimated $600,500 over the next thirty years.
“We have always said we would do this project differently, and that includes putting our environment at the centre of the rebuild. The green loan demonstrates that we’re making good on our commitment to deliver more sustainable projects in our city,” he says.
Contact: www.lgfa.co.nz Plans for the rebuilt Naenae pool
“That’s why we’re calling on local swim schools to take part in this nationwide campaign,” he says. “We want water safety knowledge and confidence to be in tip top shape, so we can all enjoy the safest summer yet.” “And for swim schools, it’s a great marketing initiative to recruit new clients – more than 10 per cent of parents who sign up to Learn2Swim Week, sign up for regular lessons on the spot, nearly half the parents considering ongoing swim lessons. It’s free to take part, all you need to do is register on the website.” Learn2Swim Week is currently supported by Austswim, the Australian Swim Schools Association, Swim Australia and World Wide Swim PoolwerxSchool.CEO Nic Brill says the business was beyond proud to launch this great initiative with local businesses. “We started this program almost 10 years ago, and every year are extending the reach of swim schools participating, particularly in regional areas. The ultimate goal is always zero drownings in under-fives, and the only way to reach it is for more swim schools to get involved in this initiative,” he says.
Christchurch City Council has approved a $3 million grant to help rebuild the Edgeware Pool as part of the coming year’s budget. Residents have been fighting for the pool to be rebuilt since it was demolished 15 years ago. The new aquatic centre will be a $4 million complex comprising a 25-metre outdoor pool, a separate learners’ pool and a toddlers’ splash pad. It is expected to open in 2023.
New charges for ailing Caine
Dick Caine, former successful Australian swim coach, is facing more sexual assault charges after four more alleged victims came forward to police. The 76-year-old has terminal lung and throat cancer and only has months to Cainelive.was arrested at his Sydney home in June following allegations of sexual assault by two former girl students in the 1970s, who were aged 15 and 16 at the time. Police investigations led to further allegations of assault to another teenage girl at the same school. Police have now brought 11 additional charges against Caine for alleged acts of sexual assault against four new victims – three girls aged between 10 and 15 in the 1970s, and a 24-year-old woman in the 1990s. He was released on conditional bail. He has denied any wrongdoing.
In Brief LTS
A new survey from Poolwerx shows that 70 per cent of Australian parents believe water safety education and swimming lessons are just as important as road safety. In fact, 28 per cent say it is even more significant. Most surveyed parents said they would pick swimming lessons if they only had to choose just one activity for their child to Kidsdo.Alive founder and partner of Learn2Swim Week Laurie Lawrence says there is no doubt Australian parents have their child’s safety front of mind at all times.
news
Laurie Lawrence, Libby Trickett, Bronte Trickett, Edwina Trickett, and Poolwerx COO Nic Brill
For participating businesses, Poolwerx offers marketing, advertising and public relations support. Contact: your-poollearn2swimweek.com/registerCourts
Poolwerx and Kids Alive are calling on local swim schools across the nation to get involved in Learn2Swim Week – a national water safety campaign promoting the importance of swimming lessons for under-fives.
Recreation Aotearoa has had three new staff movements. Tracey Prince-Puketapu has moved into the position of general manager operations, which is a newly created role for the organisation. Tracey comes into this role after nine years as the aquatics program manager. Rhiann Collins will take of over as aquatics program manager. She has been with Recreation Aotearoa since 2017. Kuruho Wereta is joining the team on a permanent basis as kaihautū kaupapa Māori/manager Māori outcomes. This newly developed role aims to transform Recreation Aotearoa into a bi-cultural organisation.
70 SPLASH! August/September 2022
Swim schools urged to help the fight against preventable child drownings
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No traffic hassles, and a very well established, loyal clientele, built up over 30 plus years.
August/September 2022 SPLASH! 71 installations and even a retail pool and spa shop, as there is no dedicated pool shop in the area.
The ASSA SAFERwater Warriors program features child friendly characters, each communicating the vital layers of protection using the SAFER swimming acronym: Swimming skills by Glide; Adult supervision by Skye; Fences and gates by Force; Emergency action plan by Dash, and Reduce the risk. Together with Yindy (SAFERwater master), the Warriors are on a mission to help the community keep swimming SAFER.
Great labour rates and virtually no opposition in this area for 120km. This business would be suitable for an energetic, motivated, trade qualified person with experience in the pool industry.
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Assistance can be given for 4-6 weeks, to get acquainted to customers and the area.
With a well established monthly service schedule (approximately 30) as a base, and repairs, sales, upgrades of pumps, filters, chlorinators, heaters, blankets and liners make up the major part of the business. Installation of inground and above ground pools would be available if more work was required.
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Safety Fluidra powers safety program
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Being a qualified Pool Safety Inspector is another aspect of this business and also being trade qualified, allows work to be carried out for real estates and the local Thiscouncil.isa proven business and is currently operated by one person, 3 to 5 days per week, and operating from home. This business could be massively expanded to undertake pool WANT A SEA CHANGE?
Fluidra Australia is supporting the program by the Australian Swim Schools Association (ASSA) called the SAFERwater Warriors program, saying it helps communicate messages that align with their values and ESG initiatives to improve the safety of all who enjoy the pool environment. “As the peak industry body for swim schools across the country, supporting businesses who are providers of vital swimming and water safety skills to children and their families, the Australian Swim School Association is an obvious partner for Fluidra to collaborate with when it comes to enforcing safety messages around swimming pools,” says Jonas Ryberg, marketing director at Fluidra “FluidraAustralia.isproud to be ‘powering’ the Warriors program to help increase awareness and reduce water related accidents and fatalities in Australian backyards.”
A long established Swimming Pool service, sales, repairs and installation business is now available for sale for the first time in 30 years. It is time to hand over the reins of this well established business to a new person and Theretire.business is operated from Kingaroy, Queensland – in the idyllic South Burnett area with a customer base of approximately 120 km radius.
72 SPLASH! August/September 2022 ABOVE: membersSquadpush each other to improve RIGHT: Stroke finessing provides better results feature
It’s a particularly big achievement given Lerida can still recall the day she was crying beside the pool at swimming lessons back in 2018.
Lerida says that the swim teachers at BK’s made her feel comfortable, and made it fun.
BELOW: In 2018, Lerida Jobe was crying beside the pool� Now she is Champion Girl blitzing the Freestyle 50m, Breaststroke 50m and Backstroke 50m They key was making the training fun
This secured her a place in Western Australia’s interschool carnival, where 14 schools compete.
From tears to triumph
August/September 2022 SPLASH! 73 feature
Building a
“I was really nervous when I started,” she recalls. “I cried at first, which made it hard to swim.”
“They break it down and make it easy to learn. The pool is shorter than other pools too, so teachers can see clearly, and your stroke can be corrected very quickly.”
“Our number one priority is to have kids swimming well so they can safely enjoy the water, but we also get so excited when one of our students’ hard work pays off
Earlier this year, Grade 6 Brentwood Primary School student Lerida Jobe achieved an amazing feat: taking out first place in every division at her school’s swim carnival.
Lerida now trains three nights a week in the Go Academy squad, where the program has been designed in conjunction with Australian coach and former Olympic swim team official, Greg Hodge.
The co-owner of BK’s Learn to Swim O’Connor, Alexandra “Ally” Stephens, says she was thrilled to see one of their students doing so well.
By Veda Dante
oving from lap swimming to squad training can be a significant step for many. And there are many reasons why swimmers, once they reach a certain level, join a squad. They may join a squad to train for an event or maintain swim fitness. Others participate in squads for the comradery.
“My coaches teach the strokes in the style that they swim in the Olympics,” Lerida explains.
Lerida won every stroke — the Freestyle 50m, Breaststroke 50m and Backstroke 50m — while her team also took out the gold medal for the Girls Faction 50m x 3 Relay at the Fremantle Leisure Centre. She was awarded the title of Champion Girl (Year 6), which she has now won for three years running.
Each squad has a unique culture and community that in the short-term can hone the participant’s skills to levels they never thought they’d achieve. Long-term benefits can lead to something as dramatic as smashing records –and as fruitful as developing lifelong friendships.
“I started to get better, and I got put up the grades until I got into the mini squads,” she says.
swimwinningsquadM
Stephens believes the key to the BK’s success is that it not only teaches technique but does so in a way that breaks down every component of each stroke.
“There’s a healthy mix of peer encouragement, competition and teamwork.”
Strength drills increasing competition in a fun environment� Image: BK’s Learn to Swim O’Connor
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“Finessing their strokes gives them the best chance to swim in the most efficient way through the water, saving energy where needed and to use speed when required.”
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Developing a successful squad
Correct swimming technique is the foundation for fast swimming and, ultimately, a high-performing squad. Without good technique, swimmers will be inefficient, which slows down their progress and increases their likelihood of injury.
“While it’s important that swimmers have the skills to swim safely and get out of sticky situations — using survival strokes, as we call them — we also focus on finessing their competitive strokes,” she says.
In addition to developing technique, successful squad environments also create a strong bond as swimmers train together“There’syear-round.agreatteam spirit between the children in weekly squads,” says Stephens. “They not only learn from each other but also build friendships and push each other to be better swimmers.
with a great result like this. It’s testament to our unique program, and our coaches’ focus on technique.”
Implement drills Drills are key to improving and maintaining good technique for all ages and levels of swimmer. There are countless drills you can add to workouts, targeting specific areas of each stroke. Find the area that needs improvement and implement drills to correct or develop that skill. Don’t hesitate to use swimming equipment to supplement drill sets as needed. Start off slow when applying these changes to regular swimming, and gradually add speed and strength to ensure swimmers don’t lose their form once they start increasing pace with their technique improvements.
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• Body alignment — clear indicator of poor technique is poor body position.
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Swimming with good technique is a habit. This means that the earlier a swimmer learns proper technique, the better it will be in the long run. However, it’s never too late to learn how to swim with correct form. Even bad habits can be reformed. Here are a few tips to promote good swimming techniques for all ages.
Practice plans Being a squad swim coach means spending countless hours writing and revising swim practice plans. After all, effective training plans are essential for swimmers to prevent injury, break through plateaus and improve faster.
• Timing — scheduling the pulls, kicks, and breaths properly ties everything together, resulting in good strokes.
• Kicks — getting in good, strong kicks pushes swimmers forward while ensuring their lower body doesn’t drop too low in the water.
“There’s a healthy mix of peer encouragement, competition and teamwork.”
• Catch — for any stroke, pulling with a strong catch provides good propulsion while helping maintain proper form.
• Breaths — ensuring the breathing is right means no unnecessary head movements that slows swimmers down or move their body out of alignment.
Nail the basics Specific swimming techniques for each stroke vary, and there isn’t a universal stroke technique that suits everyHowever,swimmer.there are a few basic elements to good technique for any stroke, which include:
ABOVE: Pool lifesaving sport is a great way to keep skills progressing in a fun environment
4. Provide guidance on specific changes Promote open communication between yourself and your swimmers. Encourage them to ask questions and be more involved in their training. When they gain a deeper understanding of their performance, they will be able to effectively apply these insights to future swimming sets.
3. Provide constructive feedback It’s not always possible for swimmers to know exactly what is going on in their swim. They can have a feel for their swim, and make judgments based on their times, but at the end of the day, a coach’s feedback is extremely valuable for improvement.
Finally, the cool down. It can be tempting for swimmers to leave immediately after the main set, once their primary training objectives have been complete.
Maximising workouts
For more effective results, workouts should be tailored to each athlete’s personal goals and capabilities. Fine tuning practices plans for individual swimmers doesn’t necessarily require completely different workouts between swimmers. Slight set modifications usually suffice. At the same time, it’s crucial to be mindful with changes in training distance and intensity. While training varies and builds up progressively as the season goes by, make sure the changes in training load happen gradually, so that athletes aren’t pushed too hard and too fast. When training load changes too quickly, swimmers’ injury risks increase, jeopardising their health and success for the season.
Whether it’s an annual or a seasonal plan, it’s always best to map out your training plan before the season/ year starts. Come to each practice prepared with a workout that serves to bring your swimmers, and your team, closer to reaching your goals. When you have a longer-term outline for your training, you can implement workouts that enable swimmers to properly build on their current swimming capabilities, instead of executing workouts that might keep them stalled, or worse, increase risks of injury.
1. Have a long-term plan
2. Set training targets for your team For every session, set micro-level training goals for your team. Stay focused on specifics. It could be accomplishing certain objectives for workout sets, like improving their endurance, sprints or technique, or maybe it’s having swimmers reach target times for a set. The main idea is to have smaller everyday goals, that will keep things moving along towards the longer-term big picture goals. Encourage your swimmers to set personal targets to focus on in each workout. This way, they remain mindful of their swimming, learning to conquer tough sets and stay accountable to their training.
1. Each practice should have a specific objective, based on a periodised plan. Training should be planned to progressively build up swimmers’ strengths and capabilities throughout the season. This also ensures swimmers are getting the right type of training at the right Periodisingtimes. yearly or seasonal training plans means practice is structured so swimmers are in peak shape to perform optimally in their races. It also divides the training plan into different cycles. Each training block will have a specialised focus that eventually culminates in swimmers reaching peak performance come competition season. For this to be effective, the goal for every single practice should be aimed towards achieving the objectives for the training phase you are in.
Swimmers are in the water for hours a day, multiple times a week, and often, even that doesn’t seem like enough to get in all the necessary work to help them swim faster. One thing that sets winning swim teams apart from the rest is they can maximise efficiency of every swim practice, making sure that every workout counts. Get the most out of your swim workout sets at every practice with these four tips.
2. The main structure of each practice should follow a warmup, main set and cool down. Any form of intense physical activity should start with a warmup. This goes without saying, but swimmers don’t always show up on time, or you’re tight on time. No matter what the circumstances of the day, it’s still worth sparing a few minutes to do a quick warm up set. Not only does warming up prevent injury by properly prepping muscles for higher intensity work, but it also only helps athletes get a proper feel for their stroke, so they can maximise the efficiency of their main set. Adding drills as part of the warmup, for instance, can set swimmers up for a successful rest of the practice. The main set will be the primary focus of the practice, and this is where the specific objectives come in. Whether it’s a speed day, endurance day, strength day, etc., these targets would be accomplished through the main set.
3. Practices should have just enough variation throughout the season. Swimming, by its nature, is a repetitive sport. However, this doesn’t mean that practices should also be repetitive. Swimmers could lose interest quickly and plateau when swim sets are too monotonous. With the right type and right amount of variation between workouts, swimmers can progress and develop their skills further with every practice.
But a proper cool down that reduces heart rate back to normal levels and releases any lactic acid built up in the muscles shouldn’t be skipped. This will help them recover quicker in the short term and help prevent injury in the long run.
Here are a few fundamentals of swimming practice plans to guarantee a successful season for your squad.
76 SPLASH! August/September 2022 feature
“Pool lifesaving, alongside surf life saving, is an incredible opportunity for those looking for an alternative swimming sport that is relatively different to conventional competitive swimming,” says Holly Jones from Life Saving Queensland.
“There are ample opportunities for swim schools, schools, clubs and teachers to learn, provide, teach and be involved in pool lifesaving sport,” she says. to www.bkgymswim.com.au www.au.formswim.com www.lifesavingtraining.com.au
n Contacts BK’s Learn
Form Goggles, for example, use digital technology to help swimmers measure their performance in real-time. As they swim, a smart integrated display built into the goggles allows them to access a range of metrics such as distance, speed, pace, and more. Additionally, the gadget can detect rests and different strokes. Squad culture
How does a swim school develop a swim squad and foster the latent talent of the youngsters once they have learned competency in the water? Which methods and programs can help encourage them to take the next step, and how can teachers help them to achieve their goals and be fulfilled by their experience?
Swim:
Life Saving Training:
Alternative swimming sport
The culture of the team comes from within and that starts with having a clear vision. Allow everyone the opportunity to have a voice and feel they can be heard with respect and dignity. Developing a successful swimming squad culture doesn’t necessarily cost more money, or require more facilities, time or resources.Rather,ittakes a common desire to have a common goal to create an environment where everyone has the optimal opportunity to consistently perform at their best.
The skills and activities of pool lifesaving are a great way to add variety into learn-to-swim and fitness programs and to not only help improve the skills of individuals, but also open their eyes to the opportunities that the world of pool lifesaving can offer them.
At the end of the day, you want to create an engaging, inclusive, high-performance environment for students, coaches, and the families who support them.
Utilise technology Incorporating technology can help enhance training and give an added advantage to your swimmers and your squad, so you can see better results and win the season.
Form Swim:
“Pool lifesaving is open for individuals of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to participate in, from amateurs just beginning to learn the required skills, to seasoned competitors and lifeguards who are looking for a different way to apply their skills and knowledge,” saysEventsJones.such as the pool lifesaving championships incorporate various lifeguard training equipment, including ropes, rescue tubes and manikins, in a mixture of events and scenarios that imitate real water rescue situations.
“Competitors don’t just get a sense of accomplishment from learning, training and competing in pool lifesaving. They develop a sense of teamwork, alongside an array of important water safety and survival skills that can be used in any aquatic environment,” she says.
The sport of pool lifesaving tests a lifesaver’s skills in rescue, accident prevention and emergency care, heavily relying on the skills gained from previous years of swimming
Additionally,lessons.pool lifesaving allows individuals to further develop their swimming and lifesaving skills and stay active in the water, with pathways from community lifesaving and clubs to international championships.
feature Track progress Keeping track of your team’s progress is one of the best ways to know if your swim workout sets have been effective. Have their times been improving? If you have access to more data, have a deeper look at how they are progressing based on metrics like distance per stroke (DPS) or stroke rate.
Elite level swimming teams have been using sports science and technology to increase their athletic performance for years. But the everyday team was often shut out due to a lack of skilled staff or funds.
A large part of getting the most out of swim workouts is knowing how to tweak them to better suit the needs of individual swimmers. Identify what works for your swimmers and what doesn’t to determine if you need to adjust your training plans moving forward.
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View our online video showing common pool fencing faults and how to spot them at www.kidshealth.chw.edu.au/projects/drowning-prevention/swimming-pool-fencing
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