Our
For over 30 years AIS Water has been a leader in designing and manufacturing water disinfection technology for swimming pools.
Since 2000 we have manufactured our own quality anode material that forms the heart of our award-winning residential and commercial chlorinators.
AIS Water’s commitment to quality is not negotiable and means that our products, in particular our electrolytic cells, are renowned for their longevity.
We believe in collaboration, not competition. With the opening of our new, dedicated anode production facility in 2022, we can now proudly offer our Australian made anode material to fellow industry partners.
Please contact us today for all your anode material requirements, and make your supply chain issues and exorbitant freight costs a thing of the past.
Our new anode facility is further proof of AIS Water’s longterm commitment to our industry. It’s yet another reason to choose AIS Water.
The Evo Edge-i offers the very latest in design innovation. Its space saving design means it can be installed almost anywhere!
The Evo Edge-i inverter heat pump is our latest innovation in domestic pool and spa heating and cooling. Ideal for tight installation locations, the Evo Edge-i can be conveniently installed in almost any location.
Designed with the latest stepless full DC inverter compressors, fans, and control systems – all working in perfect harmony to provide optimized year round heating and cooling with the lowest operating costs.
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On behalf of The Swimming Pool & Spa Association of Australia Ltd (SPASA Australia)
On behalf of The Swimming Pool & Spa Association of Australia Ltd (SPASA Australia)
Managing Editor: Chris Maher
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Disclaimer: This publication is published by The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd (the “Publisher”) on behalf of SPASA Australia. Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others. All materials should be considered protected by Australian and international intellectual property laws. Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees. Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information. The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information. All express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations in relation to the Publisher, its publications and its services are expressly excluded save for those conditions and warranties which must be implied under the laws of any State of Australia or the provisions of Division 2 of Part V of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication.
Disclaimer: This publication is published by The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd (the “Publisher”) on behalf of SPASA Australia. Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others. All materials should be considered protected by Australian and international intellectual property laws. Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees. Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information. The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information. All express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations in relation to the Publisher, its publications and its services are expressly excluded save for those conditions and warranties which must be implied under the laws of any State of Australia or the provisions of Division 2 of Part V of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication.
One of the longest running stories in the Australian pool and spa industry reached a conclusion in June, as SPASA Victoria (trading as Master Pool Builders Association Australia), merged with SPASA Australia.
Chris Maher Managing Editor chrismaher@ intermedia.com.au
This was the last brick in building a fully national association for the swimming pool and spa industry. Now, all the former State-based SPASAs have merged with SPASA Australia, and there will be one body to represent the industry. This can only be a good thing, as a national body has a much stronger voice in dealing with government and others when advocating for the industry.
It will also enable more consistent branding and economies of scale to aid greater promotion of the industry across the continent, as well as capitalising on training synergies.
While that’s one piece of good news, this issue also includes some less good news. It had been increasingly apparent that the covidfuelled growth in demand wouldn’t last forever, and this year had already been slated for a downturn. Then along comes war in Europe, spurring global inflation.
Combined, these two factors are seeing a softening of demand for the pool and spa industry. While there had been much anecdotal evidence that this was on its way, it is now starting to show in the approval numbers.
This issue of SPLASH! magazine published by The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd (Intermedia) may contain magazine or subscription; offers, competitions, forms and surveys (Reader Offers) which require you to provide information about yourself, if you choose to enter or take part in them. If you provide information about yourself to Intermedia, Intermedia will use this information to provide you with the products of services you have requested and may supply your information to contractors that help Intermedia to do this. Intermedia will also use your information to inform you of other Intermedia publications, products, services and events. Intermedia may give your information to organisations that are providing special prizes or offers that are clearly associated with the Reader Offer. Unless you tell us not to, we may give your information to other organisations that may use it to inform you about other products, services or events or to give it to other organisations that may use it for this purpose. If you would like to gain access to the information Intermedia holds about you, please contact Intermedia’s Privacy Officer at The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd, PO Box 55, Glebe, NSW 2037. Copyright © 2023 - SPASA Australia.
This issue of SPLASH! magazine published by The Intermedia Group
Pty Ltd (Intermedia) may contain magazine or subscription; offers, competitions, forms and surveys (Reader Offers) which require you to provide information about yourself, if you choose to enter or take part in them. If you provide information about yourself to Intermedia, Intermedia will use this information to provide you with the products of services you have requested and may supply your information to contractors that help Intermedia to do this. Intermedia will also use your information to inform you of other Intermedia publications, products, services and events. Intermedia may give your information to organisations that are providing special prizes or offers that are clearly associated with the Reader Offer. Unless you tell us not to, we may give your information to other organisations that may use it to inform you about other products, services or events or to give it to other organisations that may use it for this purpose. If you would like to gain access to the information Intermedia holds about you, please contact Intermedia’s Privacy Officer at The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd, PO Box 55, Glebe, NSW 2037. Copyright © 2023 - SPASA Australia.
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When you add in increased building material prices, skills shortages, prolonged wet weather and lingering supply chain issues, many businesses have been suffering. Unfortunately, some have been unable to cope with the situation, and have been forced to close.
There is some mitigating good news on this topic though, with supply chain starting to improve, US inflation easing and Cordell data indicating building prices have peaked. On top of that, the Bureau of Meteorology says there is a 70 per cent chance La Nina will flip to the El Nino cycle, and we’ll be back to hot weather this summer. With any luck, our landing will be soft, and we’ll be able to capitalise on improved conditions once this downturn passes.
Of course, there is much more to read in this issue, including the benefits of pool heating, a meeting of country pool managers, and the latest in our local manufacturing series – this time visiting Davey’s Melbourne facility.
I hope you enjoy it.
The Intermedia Group takes its Corporate and Social Responsibilities seriously and is committed to reducing its impact on the environment. We continuously strive to improve our environmental performance and to initiate additional CSR based projects and activities. As part of our company policy we ensure that the products and services used in the manufacture of this magazine are sourced from environmentally responsible suppliers. This magazine has been printed on paper produced from sustainably sourced wood and pulp fibre and is accredited under PEFC chain of custody. PEFC certified wood and paper products come from environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of forests.
The cover shows the wonderfully integrated lifestyle of having a swimming pool in your living room. There is more on this pool on page 66.
Image: Murray Fredericks, murrayfredericksphotography.com.au
POOL COVERS AND ROLLERS
Custom made pool covers and blankets to suit any size and any shape of pool
HEAT PUMPS
Modern full-inverter heat pumps with eco-friendly refrigerants
We bring over 30 years of industry experience to every project.
COMPREHENSIVE Product range and services, from purchase to installation and service.
WARRANTY
SOLAR POOL HEATING
Exclusive product range with competitive prices and warranties
Comprehensive warranty program protects our clients and their investments.
GUARANTEE
Fully stocked product range with same-day order response.
PROVEN
Track record of successful projects and satisfied clients.
PASSION
Industry leaders in introducing new environmental and sustainable products
23 A pioneering career improving pool knowledge all round
As Jayne Orth retires from the industry, SPLASH! looks back at her remarkable career that has covered chemistry expertise, training excellence and a highly dedicated sales performance known for going above and beyond.
27 Five tips to reduce the chances of going into insolvency
Inspire Accountants’ Ben Walker shares some tips and lessons learned over the years that may help small businesses avoid becoming insolvent.
32 Leading the heat pump revolution
EvoHeat Group’s general manager Tim Martin discusses the company’s formation and how it helped create the local swimming pool heat pump market – and where the business is going next.
40 Heated water makes the most of the swimming pool investment
Veda Dante looks at choosing the right pool heater to enhance the owner’s investment by extending their swimming season, improving wellbeing and adding value to the property.
56 Reignited Davey looking to the future
Heritage Australian brand Davey is completing its nineth decade, and is showing no signs of slowing down. SPLASH! recently toured the Davey facility in Scoresby, as part of our Australian manufacturing series.
64 Springboard for entertaining
Veda Dante looks at an intriguing architectural home, featuring an acrylic-walled swimming pool situated with pride of place in the living room.
72 Exchange of pool knowledge at Goulburn conference
Back after a covid-forced hiatus, the Country Pool Managers Conference brought pool managers together from all over New South Wales to listen to informative speakers, learn from each other, and network to improve their business connections and knowledge base.
Associations
SPASA Australia and SPASA Victoria, trading as Master Pool Builders Association Australia (MPBAA), have announced that the MPBAA members have voted to merge into SPASA Australia.
A vote was put to the MPBAA members at the general meeting on Wednesday June 28 at the Hotel Bruce County in Mount Waverley, Victoria.
The evening provided information and answered positive and challenging questions from the members who were satisfied to move towards a collaborative and cohesive association for the pool and spa industry.
MPBAA CEO Chris Samartzis says the local team is excited with this new step in delivering more value to members.
Celebrations
“The positive collaboration between the groups over the last few years has led to this positive outcome,” he says.
SPASA CEO Lindsay McGrath thanks “our directors, staff and members both past and present in supporting this achievement.
“We look forward to working together delivering on our mission to protect, promote and grow the pool and spa industry,” he says.
MPBAA members will be both MPBAA and SPASA members for the remainder of the 2023 calendar year with a single membership offering for 2024.
Members who want more information are advised to call their local SPASA representative.
More than 130 guests were joined by special guests, the Queensland small business commissioner Dominique Lamb, and SPASA CEO, Lindsay McGrath, who both delivered heartfelt speeches, congratulating AIS Water on its long history of manufacturing excellence, innovation and business success.
In her CEO’s address, Gosse referenced the connection between water, humanity and the environment, underpinning AIS Water’s vision of Enhancing Life.
The evening also celebrated Elena Gosse’s 60th birthday and commemorated 30 years since she arrived in Australia from Russia with her two young daughters.
Meanwhile, AIS Water was named amongst the 10 most innovative manufacturers in Australia in the Australian Manufacturing Forum’s @AuManufacturing List.
Leading Australian manufacturer of water disinfection technology, AIS Water, has celebrated its 30th anniversary as only it can –with a spectacular dance extravaganza at the Princess Theatre in Brisbane.
The event was organised to honour its history and thank staff, suppliers and customers.
The spectacular evening featured charismatic CEO and owner, Elena Gosse, along with AIS Water staff and special guests
in a celebration of innovation, creativity and collaboration.
The evening started with a dance performance representing the four elements (earth, air, fire and water) and included a flashmob performance by the company’s management team, a video of AIS Water’s history, an operatic showcase, a vocal performance by Gosse and a musical tribute by her eight-year-old granddaughter –representing the power of female leadership and the ability of young minds to contribute to positive change.
Gosse was delighted to accept the award on behalf of the company she and her husband own.
“Our AIS Team brings so much enthusiasm and fresh thinking to the table every day,” she says.
“The ‘I’ in AIS stands for innovation so it is wonderful to receive an award where we are named one of the 10 most innovative manufacturers in the country. It is especially wonderful to receive the inaugural award as we like to be world-leading in everything we do!”
The New Zealand Awards of Excellence Gala was held in June. This followed a two-day industry summit that saw industry people attend from all over the country as well as from overseas.
SPASA NZ region manager Michelle Marks says the Friday night gala at Auckland’s Pullman Hotel went off without a hitch and saw a terrific turn out, with numbers once again higher than the previous year.
The night ended with a hot dance floor and people kicking of their heels to wrap up a wonderful event.
“What an amazing night! How fantastic to see so many people coming together to celebrate with family, friends and colleagues. A big congratulations to all the winners, and bring on 2024!
“The 2023 Pool of the Year was awarded to Auckland Inground Pools for their stunning and unique concrete pool design.
“The 2023 Business of the Year for New Zealand went to Ultimate Pools. A well-deserved win for an industry-leading building company, at the forefront of design and engineering.”
Other major winners include:
Spa of the Year – Morgan Pools
Best Concrete Pool Builder – Alfresco Pools
Best Fibreglass Pool Builder – Ultimate Pools
Product of the Year – Fluidra New Zealand
Best Supplier – BioLab Limited
Best Spa Retailer – Alpine Spas
Best Pool Store – Poolside Christchurch
Best Mobile Service Business – Poolside Christchurch
Commercial Product of the Year – Morgan Pools
Professional of the Year – Zlatko Zivlak, Luijten Landscaping
Go to www.spasaawards.com.au to see all the winners.
As SPLASH! goes to press the Australian state awards are being presented across the country. In the next edition, SPLASH! will present all the winners and will bring more detail on specific national winners in subsequent issues. Stay tuned!
Comparing the available pool DA figures for the 12 months to June with the same period last year, annual applications were down by 11 percent nationally. Victoria was up 29 per cent, but all other states were down: South Australia by five per cent, Queensland by 18 per cent, Western Australia by 21 per cent and New South Wales by 23 per cent.
The numbers over the most recent three months were down by 18 per cent nationally when compared to the same period last year. The April-June numbers from Cordell show South Australia up by a massive 114 per cent, but all other states down: Western Australia by 31 per cent, Queensland by 29 per cent, Victoria by 26 per cent and New South Wales by 13 per cent.
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.
Five staff were terminated and it is estimated they are owed $139,882. Pool industry suppliers are estimated to be owed $34,783.
Howell says that says Constable claims factors involved in the collapse of the company include staff shortages, supply chain delays, and the increasing cost of logistics and materials.
Creditors can contact Jirsch Sutherland on: Phone: (03) 8605 7333
Email: MalcolmH@jirschsutherland.com.au
Earlier in June, Nyerse Constructions Pty Ltd, trading as Pools R Us, was wound up and a liquidator was appointed.
Two Victorian pool builders went into liquidation in June.
Fibreglass pool installer Pools & Spas Pty Ltd trading as Dreamtime Pools and Spas shut down owing at least $820,000. It is expected the total amount will be greater once all creditors’ claims have been received.
Dreamtime Pools and Spas operated in Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and western Victoria.
It has been estimated that 50 customers were left with unfinished pools. Dreamtime’s principal is Douglas Constable, who also runs a pre-insolvency consultancy helping people with cashflow difficulties, and is author of “What To Do When You Can’t Pay Your Debts”.
In an episode of A Current Affair broadcast on the evening of July 3, 2023, Constable admitted to having been previously bankrupted (saying a further two bankruptcies were annulled after creditors were satisfied), and previously convicted of financial deception.
A Current Affair also spoke with furious customers who were left without pools, one who claimed that because Constable used a different
builder’s licence number on his contracts, they couldn’t claim insurance.
One aggrieved client had documents showing Dreamtime took $39,875 three days before the company went to the liquidators. The client, a retiree, says the pool never materialised and the shell manufacturer told him that, despite what Dreamtime had told him, the shell had never been made.
Malcolm Howell of Jirsch Sutherland has been appointed liquidator of the company. He says they are still investigating a number of issues around the insolvency, including how many pools are left incomplete and the question of taking deposits and other monies.
He says investigations are ongoing relating to what monies, if any, are likely to be returned to customers.
“The likelihood of a return to creditors will be advised in Jirsch Sutherland’s report to creditors within three months of the date of liquidation,” says Howell.
This should be available on or before September 9, 2023.
The company may also be known under other trading names including Landscapes R Us, Oasis Poolscapes, Poolscapes R Us, Urban Oasis Poolscapes and Urban Poolscapes.
The liquidators details are: Andrew Juzva of GS Andrews Advisory, 2 Drummond Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053. He can be contacted on (03) 9662 2666; admin@gsandrews.com.au
SPLASH! understands that issues influencing the failure of the company include serious health problems affecting the principal director. The company sent a letter to clients on May 31 thanking those who showed concern with the director’s illness and ongoing treatment, while also saying their website had been hacked, and the family had been receiving threats against them. Those threats were referred to police.
The letter said that, regrettably and with much sadness, they made the difficult decision to permanently close Pools R Us, as they believed it was no longer possible or safe for them to continue trading given the abovementioned issues.
Keep informed by subscribing to the free online newsletter.
Dreamtime Pools and Spas goes into liquidation owing at least $820,000
50 customers have been left with unfinished pools, and suppliers and staff are owed money after a second Victorian pool builder collapsed.
The online stories that made the news over the past two months.
Victorian pool builder Pools R Us goes into liquidation
Nyerse Constructions Pty Ltd, trading as Pools R Us, has gone into liquidation leaving a significant number of creditors.
Pool industry stalwart suffers debilitating injury
Longtime pool industry member Aaron Hayes had a simple slip and fall at home, leaving him in hospital with spinal damage.
Pool industry lending a hand in Container Pools
NZ fallout
Kiwi pool builders and suppliers have offered discounts to help customers of failed pool manufacturer and installer Container Pools NZ.
Bryce Steele convicted on seven charges
The former CEO of SPASA WA from 2014 to 2021 has been convicted on seven counts of stealing from the WA association.
2023
Aug 3 SPASA Awards of Excellence ACT
Aug 25-27
Melbourne Home Show
Sep 2 National Awards of Excellence, Sofitel Sydney Wentworth
Sep 6-8 Waves 2023, Kirikiriroa/ Hamilton, New Zealand
Sep 8-10
Sep 19-20
Oct 11-13
Oct 13-15
Oct 20-22
Oct24-27
Nov 29-30
Nov 27-30
Dec 4-7
2024
Brisbane Home Show
Surf Park Summit, San Diego, USA
Aquafun, Istanbul, Turkey
Sydney Home Show
Aqua Summit, Gunyama, Sydney
Aquanale, Cologne, Germany
Engineers Australia Climate Smart Engineering Conference, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
Piscina & Wellness, Barcelona
Canadian Pool & Spa Conference & Expo, Niagara Falls, Ontario
Jan 16-18 ISSA International Swim School Spectacular
May 11-2 New Zealand Pool & Spa Expo 2024
Aug 20-22
Aug 21-22
Australian Swim Schools Association National Conference, Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre
SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show, Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre
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
Building prices are coming off the boil, according to Cordell’s Construction Cost Index which tracks the cost to build a typical new home. It returned a quarterly growth rate of 0.7 per cent for the June quarter, the lowest rate since September 2020 and well below the 1.2 per cent decade average. The quarterly growth rate has eased from Q1’s 0.9 per cent and is a significant deceleration compared to the index growth peak of 4.7 per cent, recorded in September 2022.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia has launched new green asset finance solutions for businesses. Its Green Vehicle and Equipment Finance product offers discounts of up to one per cent off the standard rate for new and used electric or hydrogen powered cars, trucks and vans.
Meanwhile, the ACCC is looking into businesses making misleading environmental and sustainability marketing claims. Of the 247 businesses reviewed during a recent sweep, 57 per cent were identified as having made concerning claims about their environmental credentials.
Work Health and Safety (WHS) ministers have agreed to Safe Work Australia’s recommendations to reduce workplace exposure to respirable crystalline silica and prevent silicosis and silica-related diseases. These include regulation of high-risk crystalline silica processes for all materials including engineered stone. They are now considering feedback on the initial Decision Regulation Impact Statement (DRS) and will then present a new DRS.
Melbourne-based, national swimming pool heating supplier Sunlover Heating has relocated from its office in Knoxfield to a new facility in Hallam.
The new 3800 square metre location is three times the size of the former location, and features a modern product showroom and training facilities, as well as scope for warehouse expansion, allowing for expanded services and greater product availability for their customers.
“The move to the new facility has allowed us to expand our offerings in our Oasis Aquatics pool
equipment range and provide a better experience for our customers,” says managing director Steve Rickard.
“We’re especially excited to have the space for our trade customer training centre and more warehouse storage.”
He says the relocation reaffirms Sunlover’s commitment to providing customers with superior service and products, solidifying the reputation as a top-tier equipment and heating solutions provider in Australia.
Bryce Steele, the former CEO of SPASA WA from 2014 to 2021, has been convicted on seven counts of stealing from the WA association.
SPASA Australia released the following statement:
A former employee of the Swimming Pool and Spa Association of WA (SPASA WA) has been convicted of seven counts of stealing as a director/officer. Sentencing will take place at a later date.
Mr Bryce Steele left SPASA WA in February 2021. A thorough internal investigation was initiated after discovering discrepancies in financial records, with all findings handed to WA Police.
The conviction confirms that Mr Steele abused a position of trust and the members he purported to serve.
It is fair to say members have been both shocked and disappointed by news of Mr Steele’s actions, but we are pleased to say the Association has moved on and is in a new chapter following the recent amalgamation with SPASA Australia.
We are thankful that we were able to identify this matter and are very confident that the Association now has much stronger governance arrangements in place.
There is no tolerance for anything but the highest standards of integrity at SPASA and we will continue to work very hard in the best interests of all our members.
For any enquiries please contact members@spasa.com.au
Maytronics commercial business manager Aaron Hayes had a terrible accident earlier this year. A simple slip and fall at home resulted in spinal damage, leaving him with no feeling from his shoulders down.
He underwent emergency surgery on the night of the fall, and remains in hospital after the procedure. He is very slowly getting some feeling and movement back, but cannot walk or feed himself. However, he wants everyone to know that despite the situation, he is in good spirits.
Pool Controls’ Ben Goot and International Quadratics’ Andrew Divan organised a GoFundMe page, saying that Aaron is living without an income and will be facing significant bills over the coming months in hospitalisation, recovery, and mobility and living aids.
Giving whatever you can manage will help improve his quality of life moving forward. For a link to the GoFundMe page: www.splashmagazine.com.au/ QuickLinks148
Industry moves LegalWhen your customers are deciding on the products best suited to their pool - think Davey. Our products are designed and manufactured with energy efficiency and connectivity in mind. Where your customers depend on sparkling pool water, you can Depend on Davey with the ChloroMatic Lifeguard.
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EvoHeat has appointed James Cain as the second business development manager for the New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory region.
Cain has more than 25 years of experience in the pool and spa industry.
“James has a proven track record in both retail and business development, making him a valuable addition to the EvoHeat team,” says group general manager Tim Martin.
His appointment comes at a time of consistent growth for EvoHeat in the NSW and ACT market and will further support the growth in the region.
EvoHeat has moved to larger purposebuilt premises in the booming new industrial area of Bundamba, in Brisbane’s western suburbs.
General manager Tim Martin says the move was essential as the company was expanding well in excess of the capability of their previous facility at Seventeen Mile Rocks.
The $3.5 million dollar facility consists of 3000 square metres of floor space, compared to the 700 square metres they had previously.
“For the past ten years we’d been operating from our Seventeen Mile Rock facility,” says Martin.
“Over that time we’ve had significant growth across all the business units in our group. So we saw the need to expand and build a purpose-built facility that can cater for the growth we expect in the next five to 10 years.
“We’ve got more than four times the warehouse space, more than double the office space and enormous capabilities to satisfy the needs of the markets across all the group’s businesses and operations,” he says.
“So we needed the space. We needed it two years ago.”
The state-of-the-art facility includes 40 kilowatts of solar PV on the roof, heat pump hot water systems throughout, and energy efficient appliances including LED lighting throughout.
It also includes electric vehicle charging stations.
“We’ve built this facility for the next five to 10 years – we certainly see this as a mid to long term facility for us. And our office space gives us the room to expand, to almost double our staffing levels from where they are now.”
“We are thrilled to have James join our team,” says Martin. “His extensive experience in the industry and his sales and leadership background makes him an excellent fit for EvoHeat. We are confident that James will help us continue to grow and expand our business.”
As business development manager, Cain will work alongside fellow BDM Anthony Zantides to develop strong relationships with and provide service and support for EvoHeat’s network of Evo Authorised partners in NSW and ACT.
Fluidra Group has decided to close some of its non-operating entities around the world including several in Australia.
Fluidra marketing director SOHEM, Jonah Ryberg has issued the following update to help avoid any misunderstandings.
“This update is to inform you that our operating entity, namely Fluidra Group Australia Pty Ltd is not in members’ voluntary liquidation.
“As a result of the merger between Zodiac Group Australia Pty Ltd and AstralPool Australia Pty Ltd back in 2018, we were left with a number of dormant non-operating entities. In order to simplify our organisational structure, we have taken the decision to wind
up these non-operating entities by placing them into members’ voluntary liquidation.
“The most recent non-operating entity to enter into voluntary liquidation is Fluidra Australia Pty Ltd which is an entity that has in fact never traded. Other dormant entities that are currently in voluntary liquidation are Astral Pool Australia Pty Ltd and Hurlcon Staffing Pty Ltd. Fabtronics Australia Pty Ltd (now fully integrated within Fluidra Group Australia Pty Ltd) will commence with its voluntary liquidation in 2024.
“Please be reassured that our operating entity, Fluidra Group Australia Pty Ltd, remains active and trading.”
Fluidra Commercial Australia has appointed Chris Clarke as its new business development manager for Victoria and Tasmania.
He was previously with Fluidraowned company Sunbather Pool Heating and started his career in 1993 as a contractor installing solar pool heating and covers. After completing his plumbing apprenticeship at Monash University Clayton, he worked from 1995 to 2005 as a service manager, solar installer and plumbing professional for Greenhouse Pools and Spas,
collaborating closely with Compass Pools.
In 2005, he returned to Sunbather as a retail and trade representative before transitioning to the Sunbather Commercial team as the commercial manager for the southern region in 2015. In his new role he will continue to work closely with the Sunbather Commercial team to help deliver a larger range of aquatic solutions to the greater commercial pool sector.
Poolwerx has appointed Russ Reynolds as its new chairperson.
With more than 30 years’ experience in leading retail and services brands across multiple franchise networks, Reynolds has implemented growth strategies and technology improvements that have driven impressive and sustainable outcomes.
After leading GNB Technologies ANZ Automotive Division, the North American Motive Power Division, and the Global Automotive Division for 13 years, Reynolds moved into retail franchising with Batteries Plus as a principal and CEO, accelerating the company’s growth to over 600 stores and generating $600M in system revenue.
Continuing his franchising journey, he has since worked with commercial cleaning franchise Jan Pro and in 2021 became the
first CEO of Spotless Brands where he transitioned to a board and advisory role.
Executive director John O’Brien says Reynolds’ experience in technology and innovation will bring a new perspective to the brand to continue driving growth across Australia, New Zealand and America.
“Russ’s impressive expertise in driving impactful change through continuous improvement will be an invaluable asset to Poolwerx as we continue to navigate a shifting business landscape with agile responses,” he says.
Maytronics Australia has appointed Shawn Scurrah as its new national sales manager, who brings a wealth of
He most recently held a prominent position at Davey Water, playing a key role in shaping their sales and business development strategies. Prior to that he was at
Business director Chris Papa says Scurrah will be instrumental in driving sales growth across Australia
“With a successful track record in the industry, Shawn’s deep understanding of the pool market and his customer-centric approach will undoubtedly propel Maytronics Australia’s sales efforts to new heights.”
In his new capacity, he will oversee the sales team
and work closely with Maytronics’ valued partners and distributors throughout the APAC region.
Maytronics has also promoted Christian Tyra to the position of national branch operations manager from his previous position as NSW state manager.
“As state manager, Christian demonstrated outstanding leadership and successfully drove our most successful state, achieving remarkable growth and surpassing targets,” says Papa.
“I am truly delighted to see Christian promoted to this newly created position. It is a testament to many years of hard work and commitment. His in-depth knowledge of Maytronics’ business processes and his passion for excellence will help streamline our operations and maximise efficiency.”
Cristin Dowling Chris Clarke Russ Reynolds
Managing director Stefan Ossenberg says Australian Plunge Pools was created for small backyard owners who wanted a swimming pool.
“The growing trend of living a healthy and modern lifestyle continues to attract many individuals toward leisure services such as spas and pools,” says Ossenberg.
“The most obvious benefit of a plunge pool is they enable people who do not have space for a traditional swimming pool to fit a pool in their yard.”
Ossenberg says the smaller size also means plunge pools are more convenient to purchase and install, and relatively inexpensive to operate using standard filtration. Extras available include spa jets, air bubblers, and heating or cooling.
He says concrete currently has a 10 per cent plunge pools market share, and it is growing day by day.
“The advantage of a precast concrete plunge pool is it can be installed in one-and-a-half to two days – delivered as a plug-and-play fully finished shell with plumbing already in place to connect up to – versus a traditional fibreglass pool of seven to 14 days, or a traditional concrete pool of four to 12 weeks.”
Prefabricated concrete plunge pool manufacturer, Australian Plunge Pools, has relaunched under new ownership and new branding.
Australian Plunge Pools Pty Ltd has been recreated from the previous brand Australian Plunge Pools by Taylex, which had been operating from its Gold Coast base for 12 years. The company specialises in manufacturing prefabricated concrete pool and spa packages.
Recently, Australian Plunge Pools Pty Ltd relocated from Ormeau south of Brisbane to Caboolture, north of Brisbane, where they are starting to produce precast concrete plunge pools with custom tiled interior finishes.
Fibreglass pools
He says that Australian Plunge Pools manufacture their pools in a controlled environment ensuring the best quality product for the consumer.
“We are not looking to be the largest manufacture of precast concrete plunge pools, however we are aiming to become the benchmark for manufacturing of precast concrete plunge pools,” he says.
Australian Plunge Pools Pty Ltd is currently looking for dealers, distributors, resellers and installers.
Contact: Sales@AustralianPlungePools.com.au; 1300 758 643
Compass Pools Melbourne has released three dealership zones for contract within their region of operation, and are seeking expressions of interest from builders keen to establish themselves in the Mornington Peninsula; Bass Coast and South Gippsland; and Maroondah East Melbourne zones.
General manager Kate Smith says Melbourne’s growing population has increased the geographical area within their dealership region, that these zones have demonstrated long-term demand for inground fibreglass pools and the market is well-established.
“Each zone has achieved solid installation numbers and good margins but with pool builders based locally there will be greater opportunity to enhance sales,” she says.
“We have complete confidence in the continued success of these zones and to that end, we will consider vendor financing on a
per pool-project basis or partnership buyout program.
“We are offering as little or as much support as is required, immediate access to the Compass Pools Dealer system (with the
support of our manufacturer, Compass Pools Australia) and will provide extensive history of existing and future jobs in each zone.”
A key benefit to a Compass Pools dealership is the licence to build pools featuring the reliable Vantage self-cleaning system. Smith says as one of the founding dealerships more than 40 years ago, Compass Pools Melbourne helped pioneer the self-cleaning system and has installed thousands of them.
CEO of Compass Pools Australia, Anthony Cross says that he and his team are looking forward to working alongside Compass Pools Melbourne to support new dealers in these areas, including with training.
“We bring together industry experts alongside the Compass team to assist with training in sales, marketing, installation and engineering,” he says.
Contact: (03) 9764 2700; sales@ compasspoolsmelbourne.com.au
Spring is just around the corner, and we’re on hand to help with everything you need to service and maintain your next pool. Reece branches are home to some of Australia’s highest-quality pool and spa brands, from pool chemicals to equipment, robotic cleaners, and more.
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As Jayne Orth retires from the swimming pool and spa industry, SPLASH! looks back at her remarkable career that has covered chemistry expertise, training excellence and a highly dedicated sales performance known for going above and beyond.
Back in 1993, when Jayne Orth first moved into the swimming pool and spa industry, there were very few women around.
“There was Kathy Ralph from the POPs Group, we had Kaye from Questa and myself here. We had some in the other states, like Tess Schembri, for example, which was BioGuard. She was in Victoria. But there were very few women, and it was such a difficult thing to overcome,” she says.
Orth recalls turning up to a builder in the early days and the builder just looking past her, searching for the man he expected to be there.
“And he’s like, ‘Oh, you’re on your own? But I had some technical questions’.
“It really took a long time for the industry to accept that women could actually do the job. And there are so many women doing it now.
“It’s funny how sometimes when companies are putting a rep on, a lot of them now lean with putting women on. It’s almost turned the other way.”
Orth also sees a dramatic change in the retail environment on the back of more inclusion of women in the workplace.
“In the old days, you’d literally have a couple of blokes behind the counter, there’d be broken bits of equipment everywhere, it was a dingy hole.
“It transformed as people realised women were coming into the shop. You know, Hubby goes, ‘Can you go to the pool shop and get whatever’. And they’d come from Coles, they’d come from Myers – and then they walk into this dump.
“They didn’t see it as having a value. It was only when the stores started to revamp themselves and become ‘retail’, that people started to see a value in what they were paying for.”
Orth believes a consumer will buy whatever the pool shop staff tell them to buy, as long as they understand why. And it took the industry a long time to learn that lesson.
“They used to just pile it in front of them, and say you need that. And everyone would have heard the feedback that ‘every time I go to the pool shop, it costs me hundreds of dollars’. It’s not the hundreds of dollars that’s the problem. It’s that they don’t understand why they were given it in the first place.
“Whereas if you explain why they need it, they’ll buy it.”
Having traversed the bad old days of being underrated and ignored to rise to the top as a repository of vital information and experience, Jayne is seen as somewhat of a standard bearer for women in the pool and spa industry.
So, what advice does she give to young women entering what was once a very blokey industry, and still has echoes of that exclusiveness?
The first thing she says is to ask questions, go on site, and learn as much as you can.
This advice, while valuable for young women, is just as valuable to anyone entering the industry. Whatever the gender or age, knowledge is gold.
“When I transferred from being purely chems after 15 years, I didn’t know one bit of a pump from another. And off I choofed to Astral. The day I started, there was a sales meeting, and they were talking about the pump impeller and the mechanical seal and I just had no idea.”
Her way to overcome that initial lack of knowledge was to energetically pursue it, wherever she could find it.
“Ask questions and just learn all the time,” she says.
“Learn your product inside out and upside down. Test it – you know, I personally test everything and see what it does. So when I give my recommendation to my customers, it’s based on the fact I know it works and I know that product.
“You know, I’ve had products over the years I don’t like. I actually say to people, I personally don’t like that product, but I’d make this other recommendation.”
One tip she has for reps is to be focussed when you visit a customer, and have a reason for going there.
“When you do the rounds, don’t just tick a box that I went to Joe Bloggs Pool Shop or Joe Bloggs Pool Builder. Always have something you want to talk about, and show them – take it in with you. It’s no good just talking about the footy last night. No one cares.”
Orth entered the pool and spa industry when, while working with the Rice Growers, she saw a job advertised at Guardex. She thought, why not have a crack? She got the job and flew down to Melbourne for her first day in the office.
“I remember my mum ringing me from the UK at the hotel and asking how it had gone. I was in tears. I said ‘I don’t know what I’ve done. I don’t understand any of this. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I don’t know one end of a pool from the other.’ I will never forget that night.
“Years later, I look back and go wow!”
She had studied chemistry in the UK, but never really utilised any of that specific knowledge. What set her up to become a pool industry chemistry expert was more down to the fact she was mentored by some of the best, including another industry legend, Paul (Jake) Jacobsen.
“Then I was blessed to be surrounded by Peter Wallace, Matt Adlam and a lot of people who taught me well, including some old names like Chris Tandridge; Tess Schembri was a source of huge knowledge as well.
“I just sucked their brains dry. And I rang up a pool builder and said, I want to be involved in a pool from start to finish. I was there on site when we did the reo, the plumbing, everything. So I could really understand it from a hydraulics perspective, as well as a water perspective.”
One of her favourite things was to go on site and visit a consumer with the pool shop or service guy. Not only did she help fix an issue, at the same time she tried to impart knowledge to the technician, so they could learn from the experience.
Another piece of advice is to always make yourself available, within reason.
“If I was going to give another rep advice, it would be find the time to answer calls and get back to the clients. And do what you say you’re going to do. Under-promise and over-deliver.”
Technology is bringing rapid change to the way people do things in the industry, both technicians and customers – and that clearly has many advantages. However, Orth thinks it may also have led many people to lose sight of the basics.
“At the end of the day, the water will balance itself up. And if it can’t find what it needs to be in the right level, it will take it out of the surface, the equipment, the swimmer…everything.
“I think there’s a massive concentration on additives and more fancy water balance levels – with people forgetting your pH and alkalinity. Calcium hardness seems to have been lost, particularly in the fiberglass and vinyl sector where there is still a need for some, and water is aggressive, it will balance itself. So I think the industry needs to go back to basics at times.”
With increasing automation, consumers are expecting they don’t have to do any maintenance. And then many consumers blame the pool cleaner for problems, such as the pool going green.
Orth says pool shops jealously guarding their knowledge is partly to blame.
“It’s not the cleaner, it’s a lack of regular maintenance. And we are responsible for a lot of that, because they may go to the pool shop once a month, and no-one’s saying to them – at the end of every week on a Friday, I want you to add 500ml of acid. I think there’s a fear that if they tell them too much, they won’t need the pool shop. But the reality is, they’ll always need the pool shop and it will make the pool shop’s life easier if they actually share that information.”
Another by-product of hoarding knowledge is that consumers will jump on Dr Google to try to diagnose the pool problems themselves, often ending up doing more harm than good.
In the field of training, Orth is pleased to see the end of PowerPoint slides.
“In the old days, you sat through PowerPoint after PowerPoint, with people just reading off the screen, and it used to drive me up the wall. I’m a massive advocate, obviously, for education and training. I did my last training on my final week – we got a group together to do staining and scale treatment and prevention.”
Going back further, past the PowerPoint era, she recalls dealers’ educational customer evenings held in hired halls. There was no
“My aim as Igot further into the industry, was to make a difference. I wanted to make a difference not only to my customer, but to the customer’s customer.”
internet in those days, so customers were sent hand-written invitations and followed up with phone calls.
“The number of sales the shop got as a result was huge. My biggest one was 142 consumers in North Brisbane. A lot of work goes into those things, but a lot of money comes out of them. And we’ve got the opportunity now to still do that. People need to invest time, but what you can do is you can have a chemistry person, a cleaner person, and someone can talk energy saving pumps. And think of how big those sales can become.”
Orth is a strong advocate of information sharing – not just between pool shops and customers, but intra-industry, on the basis that a well-working pool is good for the whole industry.
Word of mouth that pools are being enjoyed, rather than being a headache, can only help the tide of the whole industry rise. And sharing knowledge can assist with that aim.
The pool industry gives Jayne Orth great joy.
“My aim, as I got further into the industry, was to make a difference. I wanted to make a difference not only to my customer, but to the customer’s customer.”
Over the years, many customers soon became friends – and they are friendships that will never disappear.
“The joy you get when you rock up and see the customer you really like, and take them and show them a product that you know outperforms any of the others. I used to take photos of before and after when I tried things, and show them what it did.”
Orth thinks the industry should make more of selling the whole picture – after all, it’s a industry based around people having a healthy, fun lifestyle.
“I can only talk for Queensland, really, on this one, but we don’t sell the whole picture. A good builder will talk about heating, but a lot of them don’t talk about heating. And a lot of shops are too scared to do heating, they pass it on to other people.
“You’ve got so many pools in Queensland and probably other states that are unheated. It’s like spending $100,000 on a Merc and leaving it in the garage for nine months a year.
“If you’re going to sell them a lifestyle, sell them the whole lifestyle – and explain to them that yes, you might pay 10 grand more upfront, but you’re going to get a benefit from that investment every day, not just three months a year.
“So I think we need to be more collaborative, as an industry. Find your niches of people that you respect, and products that you like of other people’s and make contact with that rep, which is what I do. And I knew which products I liked. And then if I heard that Joe Bloggs pool shop was looking for XYZ, I would ring the rep that’s got it, and I’d say to the pool shop, I’ll contact Fred. I’ll get him to give you a call.
“Then you save the customer having to look it up. It’s all tied up with a nice neat little bow and everyone’s made some money, which is what
we’re there for. And we’ve sold the idea of the whole pool package.
“Heating and a blanket should be standard, and we need to teach people how to look after the blankets as well.”
Party hard, and be happy
A self-confessed party girl, conferences were always her favourite highlight.
“Everyone knows I’m a party girl. So conferences were always a highlight for me. I’d be the first to put my hand up to go to a conference, and I’d been last man standing every time.
“One conference I did with AstralPool was in Hawaii. We did the awards dinner on the USS Missouri – and I wanted to do a Cher and sit on the cannons! But they wouldn’t let me.
“And I went to Barcelona, and all over the world, just through being a rep in the pool industry in Queensland. And I’ve seen so much.
“I just want to give a huge thank you to this industry, it’s been amazing. The customers are amazing, and I’ve worked with some fabulous people.
“I would like to acknowledge Paul Simons and the Lo-Chlor family here. Without them I could not have done this. They supported me through 16 months of hell. They paid me every step of the way, and gave me whatever time I needed. And that’s where a family company shows that they’re also a family.”
Sadly, after suffering a continuation of serious health issues, she is retiring from the industry she loves – and that loves her in return. After coming into the industry almost by accident thirty years ago, she has made a fabulous career from it, and helped thousands of people along the way.
“I didn’t really have anything in my head that when I went to join the industry. I always wanted to be an author. I’ve had a book in my head for years.
“Maybe now’s the time I could write that.”
And her last piece of advice:
“If you’re not happy, change it. If you’re not sure about your health, check it. There isn’t a tomorrow promise for anyone. And if you have a tomorrow, be thankful for it, because this has been such a ride.
“Just be happy. That’s all people need to do. Don’t worry too much, just let it go.” n
“You’ve got so many pools that are unheated. It’s like spending $100,000 on a Merc and leaving it in the garage for nine months a year.”
The Hayward OmniLogic pool and backyard automation system provides an easy way to control the chemistry of a residential pool and spa, as well as the heating, lighting, water features and any other pool or backyard equipment... straight from your smart phone!
Ben Walker runs Brisbane-based accounting firm Inspire Accountants, which works exclusively with small business owners. Here he shares some tips and lessons learned over the years that may help businesses avoid becoming insolvent.
By Ben WalkerFirst of all, to run through what insolvency is at a high level, it means that the business is not able to pay its bills when they are due.
If the director(s) of the business continued trading reasonably, knowing that the business is struggling to pay its bills in full as and when they
How it normally looks is that the business’s accounts payable will slowly increase and put pressure on the payment terms of the business’s suppliers. We usually see tax debt increase (BAS is the common one), and even superannuation being paid late, or not at all. The business starts to rob Peter to pay Paul, and the owners are super stressed.
If as a business owner, you are, or could be seen to be, trading insolvent, it is important that you seek advice as early as you can. Whether the advice is to steer the ship back in the right direction (even using the tips I’m about to share in this article) or to consult with an insolvency specialist to understand what your options are – it is better to start either of these two things early.
So what do we do to reduce our chances of going into insolvency as business owners?
Without up-to-date and accurate numbers, it’s near impossible for an advisor to assist, and it makes it very difficult to make sound financial decisions about your business.
My recommendation is that you get your bookkeeping done monthly at the absolute least, but it is best to have this done weekly or fortnightly to keep your books right up to date.
If you’re not happy with your bookkeeper or you do it yourself, it’s time to get another one.
This is best done with an advisor who can help you interpret your business’s financial performance using the reports available in your accounting software.
But beware: not all tax accountants have commercial acumen and understand these reports on a management level.
Often you will want to compare your numbers between your current and previous periods, compare them to industry benchmarks, and review them for anything that looks out of place.
Inflation has kicked the guts out of profit margins for businesses all around the world.
How this happens is that if the price of our expenses increases, and the prices we charge to customers does not increase, then the profit we previously made begins to erode.
You don’t want to be in a position where we’re working for free, or worse yet, it’s costing you money to serve clients.
are due, this can be seen as “insolvent trading” and comes with heavy penalties, including the possibility of exposing the director’s personal assets.
A common observation I make of businesses going into insolvency is that it doesn’t happen overnight. The writing is on the wall for usually months, but it could even be years of the financial security of the business eroding.
Pricing is the key lever businesses have to increase their profit margin. Now is the perfect time to increase your prices if you haven’t already, as customers are almost expecting it given the fact that the price of almost every input has increased.
My recommendation is to check the last time you increased your prices, because if that was three years ago, you’ll want to make sure that you
“A common observation I make of businesses going into insolvency is that it doesn’t happen overnight.”
increase your prices by at least CPI – and not just for the past 12 months, but from the last time you reviewed your prices.
You may lose clients as a result of your increased prices, and a couple of points on that:
• An unprofitable client is not worth keeping.
• If you increase your prices by 10 per cent and lose 10 per cent of your clients, you will have around the same dollar revenue figure, but your costs to deliver will have dropped by 10 per cent.
schedule jobs so it reduces the time they are sitting in cars travelling between work sites. There is software that can optimise this, and it should be cheaper than paying for people to sit half the day in a car.
• Consider getting rid of the employee who’s not pulling their weight.
• Review all your expenses to make sure you’re not paying any unnecessary money to anyone. Even cancel services that you can do without that won’t have a big impact on the business.
• Make sure your senior people aren’t doing junior work where possible.
• Do you have extra vehicles that are hardly used?
Hopefully this has jogged some ideas for you.
This one is a similar to Point Four about efficiency.
Stock and materials on a shop’s shelves or in storage are just like cash that not is in a bank account. Make sure you don’t have excessive amounts of stock lying around, or you have a shop full of stuff that will take you ages to sell.
You have to balance this with bulk discounts for large amounts of stock. But my recommendation is to find the sweet spot, and stock the correct number of weeks’ worth of materials and stock you need to make sure you don’t run out.
I hope these tips have helped spur some ideas on ways you can optimise and improve your business, particularly around the financial and cash flow aspects.
If you need assistance with any aspect of what I’ve mentioned above, please feel free to reach out to our team at Inspire Accountants and see how we can be of assistance. n
Contact: www.inspire.accountants
• Communication is key. Tell your clients why your price is going up. Give them notice and (for the ones we like working with!) let them know it’s absolutely their choice who they use at the end of the day if they’re not happy with the new rates.
My final comment on pricing is to make sure you do this regularly, not just once and then forget about it.
When I think of efficiency, my frame here is making sure for every dollar you spend, you are getting what you should get out of that.
This applies to contractors, employees, subscriptions, and any people providing services to you. Any outgoings.
Just some general thoughts on how you may optimise efficiencies:
• Ensure your team members are well trained to reduce the need for rework, or generating unhappy clients.
• If you have a team on the road, make sure you
“Increase your prices by at least CPI – and not just for the past 12 months, but from the last time you reviewed your prices.”ABOVE: Ben Walker, chartered accountant and founder of Inspire Accountants
SPLASH! recently sat down with EvoHeat group general manager Tim Martin, marketing manager Nicole Chapman, and national sales manager Sam O’Sullivan, to discuss how the company started, and where it is heading.
ABOVE: EvoHeat group general manager
Tim Martin
EvoHeat commenced operations back in 2006, founded by Travis McNeill and Tony Mills, in a typical Australian pool industry story – starting small before growing tall.
The two directors were running a glazing business and decided to add a few heat pumps as a side business for one of their wives.
“They bought a couple of products and started taking them to market by approaching some of the small builders,” says Tim Martin.
The builders took a little bit of convincing, but once the idea gained traction, it really took off, and the heat pump venture expanded to become a business in itself.
Ultimately, they shut down the glass business to focus on heat pumps.
“Back in the early 2000s, or even the late 2000s, it was a new market. Nobody else was doing heat pumps for pool heating. Back then it was solar pool heating or gas pool heating,” says Martin.
“I think Tony is, at least in part, responsible for creating the pool heating market for heat pumps here in Australia.”
Educating the public and the pool builders was critical from the outset, and importantly they secured a number of customers in Victoria and Tasmania. That enabled them to demonstrate the efficiency of heat pumps even in cooler climates.
“Once that was demonstrated, the adoption into the warmer states – where they’re obviously a lot more efficient and a lot more economical – was a pretty seamless transition,” he says.
As well as their success in Australia, they expanded into Asia, including setting up an office in Singapore in 2018.
“From that base we service all of Southeast Asia, and we do a lot of work in some island communities as well.”
Martin joined the business in 2017 with a background in hot water heat pumps. He set up Evo’s hot water division which quickly gained traction in the hot water market. He took over the pool heating business in 2018. It had already been growing well, but it surged even more on the back of covid.
Covid accelerated their local expansion and sparked a period of sharp increase in their market share.
“At the start of covid, there was a lot of doom and gloom and a lot of uncertainty.
“We had some foresight into potential supply chain issues, so we invested heavily in inventory. And I think in a lot of instances, a lot of our competition had also backed off their marketing, whereas we actually doubled down.
“As we invested more into our marketing, we were thinking that the market was going to taper off. So we needed to invest to generate the enquiries. Obviously, covid had the complete opposite effect, and our investment in marketing just created an explosion,” says Martin.
TOP RIGHT: National sales manager Sam O’Sullivan and marketing manager
Nicole Chapman
BOTTOM RIGHT : The new facility in Brisbane
“From there, it grew pretty rapidly to a relatively successful business turning over a reasonable amount of money. And as the market grew, the business grew with it. For the last six or seven years in particular, we’ve had exponential growth here in Australia,” he says.
Despite the surplus inventory they had planned for, they still faced some supply chain issues – in particular with sourcing ST chips due to a worldwide shortage across multiple product categories.
“Our PCBs have a similar semiconductor chip to those used in cars and appliances. So that was really the biggest challenge for us.”
Martin says that their manufacturing facility in China was fantastic – a partner they’ve been working with since 2009.
“They were able to manufacture and produce the goods at the rate that we needed them, but not having that ST chip, just meant that we couldn’t actually finish the goods. That was the biggest challenge that we had. And we had the other flow-on effects of shipping delays and astronomical shipping costs.”
While manufacturing is carried out in China, the engineering design work for EvoHeat products is done in their new purpose-built premises in Bundamba, in Brisbane’s western suburbs, where they house their engineering and technical department.
There is more on EvoHeat’s move on page 16. There is also more on EvoHeat, including their ideas on refrigerants, CoP and pairing heat pumps with photovoltaic panels in the Pool Heating feature starting on page 40.
Martin is confident EvoHeat are the biggest heat pump supplier in the Australian swimming pool market.
Their pool heat pump business is split 60/40 between residential and commercial, but the hot water side of the business is also rapidly increasing.
“The hot water market as a whole in Australia is a billion dollar industry,” says Martin.
“So compared to the pool heating market, which sits around 100 million, it’s significant – 10 times the market.”
He says heat pumps are really still in their infancy in terms of adoption into the hot water market, despite the fact they’ve been in that market longer.
While sales for hot water heat pumps are only about four per cent currently, cooling heat pumps own 50 per cent of the cooling market, so there is plenty of scope to grow.
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EvoHeat’s pool heating market share is split relatively evenly between the states, and they plan to continue to grow further in each of those markets.
“Queensland is our number one performing state. But there’s not a vast difference between Queensland and New South Wales, New South Wales and Victoria and Victoria and WA. In fact, throughout Victoria and New South Wales and WA, it’s a matter of only one per cent difference. So we have fairly even distribution.
filtration system without impacting the operation of the chlorination.
“One of the beauties of our products is, in terms of installation, you’re cutting into the pool return line, and connecting inlet and outlet water. And it’s really, really simple. And if the customer installs our J box as well, then they don’t need additional pumps,” he says.
“The new pool market seems to be now at a point where people consider heating as part of their new pool installation. Whereas with the retrofit market, a higher percentage of people wouldn’t have heating. So I don’t think the difference would be that great between new and retrofit – I think we’re probably running pretty close.
“There are 1.3 million pools in Australia or thereabouts – and 25,000 or 30,000 being built every single year. So, there are opportunities on both sides.”
Evo Energy Technologies is another part of the Evo Group, an industrial energy division, offering cogeneration and heat recovery technologies. This includes 2G cogeneration systems, biogas blowers, biogas flares, biological gas cleaning and gas storage solutions, specialised heating and cooling applications, and power factor correction.
Evo had two Big Green Evo Energy units at the SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show.
“We do cogeneration and biogas generation, utilising heat pump technology and other technologies to convert gas into electricity or waste energy into electricity. That’s a completely different business,” says Martin.
“In terms of our business, our split geographically is fairly even across the board –although in some of states the markets are bigger. As an example, New South Wales is obviously the most densely populated region in the country. So the market would be bigger in that particular area. But we have actually just appointed an additional salesperson in that area. James Cain, formerly of Pool Systems,” he says.
“I think the market for pool heat pumps is still growing and will continue to grow. Our objective is to ensure that our market share continues to be at –or better than – the level it is now. When the market goes from 100 mill to 120 mill, we want to make sure that we’re capturing that extra five mill in line with our growth.”
In the commercial space, EvoHeat has a roughly 50/50 split between supplying heating for new aquatic centres and aquatic centre refits. In the residential space there is also great scope for pool refits.
Martin says that in 95 per cent of their retrofits, the owners can utilise the existing water and
“We’ve got a couple of projects in tender at the moment, upwards of $40 million each. One of the things we’ve encountered in the marketplace, when customers, particularly in aquatic centres, are looking to move off gas boilers to a heat pump is they don’t have the available power to run the heat pump.
“The G Box we had on display at SPLASH! can connect to the gas supply and convert that gas to electricity, which is then used to power the pool heater.”
Martin says this is still three times more efficient than a direct gas boiler.
“There’s obviously other limitations in terms of what the capital cost of that equipment is, and more importantly physical space for that equipment. But it’s a solution that we can provide to those customers.”
The new $80 million Pimpama Aquatic Centre features their cogeneration technology, as well as EvoHeat pool heating and some dehumidification equipment, as does the Cook & Phillip AquaticCentre.
“We can utilise the waste energy or the discharge energy that’s been produced by the heating and ventilation equipment – with one product feeding into the other – to increase efficiency across the board.
“Back in the early 2000s, or even the late 2000s, it was a new market. Nobody else was doing heat pumps for pool heating.”
“Typically you’ve got air conditioners running and we’re getting hot air blowing out of the fans. So we can capture that air and then utilise it within our heat pumps, and it increases the efficiency of both products.”
Pool owners swimming more often Martin says that while thermal solar marketing sometimes claims solar is free energy, it needs a pump to circulate the warm water from the roof to the pool and back again.
“But even if you do classify this as free, it might be good for extending the season by a month or two on either side. Our business is about swimming every day. We want people to be able to utilise their pool 365 days a year if they want to.
“Even if you’re using the pool for four months of the year, you’re not providing the real benefit
of having a pool. And pools are expensive – if you put a pool in now, you’re looking at upwards of 50, 60, 100k.
“So for that to only be utilised three or four months of the year doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.”
He says that EvoHeat technology – paired with solar PV for example – may add an extra 10 or 15 per cent to the cost of the pool. But you’ll be able to use it 80 per cent of the time.
“So from our perspective, if you’re going to invest in having a pool, then invest in having a pool that you can actually use, not just a pool that’s a water feature for nine months of the year.”
Sam O’Sullivan points out that consistency is another issue.
“We have customers who want to swim for nine months of the year at 28 degrees, and Amanda in our office can size up a heat pump to do that job – so for those nine months of the year, your pool will be at that temperature you’ve selected.
“Whereas with solar tubing, you can be at the mercy of the sun. So you can go outside and maybe you’ll have a warm pool today and maybe you won’t.”
Martin says every product has its place, including gas.
“For the people who only want to swim once in a blue moon, and they want it to be the perfect temperature on that day, they can flick on the gas unit in the morning and be swimming in the afternoon.
“You know, the downside is that in the energy they’ve used to do that, they could have had the pool heated for two months.
“So really, it’s about managing customers’ expectations and aligning that with the right product.
“The same with solar thermal, if a customer in Queensland only wants to swim on a hot sunny day between December and March – and they don’t mind if the water temperature fluctuates – then yeah, solar thermal may be a solution for them.”
He says they also do a lot of work in the hydrotherapy space, and for people who need specific temperatures for health reasons.
“We did one just the other day where the guy has arthritis, and he needs to be able to get into the pool every single day to improve his mobility, and it has to be at 33 degrees. He wouldn’t be able to do that with solar thermal. And if he did that with gas, it would cost him an absolute fortune.
“So realistically, it’s about matching the right product to the right customer to enable them to achieve the outcomes that they need.” n
ABOVE: The reception area just prior to moving in
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Swimming pools offer instant respite to beat the scorching summer heat. But is a dip in the pool only reserved for hot weather? Enjoying a swim in warm water during the colder months can be just as satisfying.
From extending the swimming season and improving wellbeing to adding value to the property, the right pool heater can enhance the owner’s investment as well as their lifestyle.
Supreme Heating marketing manager Sam Seif says technology has evolved significantly over the years, across a range of heating categories. Key advancements include:
• Solar – solar systems have become more efficient and effective in capturing and utilising the sun’s energy to heat pool water. Improved design and materials have also made them more reliable with faults and servicing becoming less frequent.
• Heat pumps – the introduction of inverter technology in heat pumps has improved their energy efficiency and reduced running costs. This has made them very popular especially when used in conjunction with solar photovoltaic (PV) panels that can reduce the operating costs significantly.
• Hybrid panels – Photovoltaic thermal hybrid (PVT) panels combine traditional PV panels (producing electricity) with solar thermal panels (producing warm water), maximising energy generation and reducing rooftop surface requirements.
• Improved efficiency – Overall, there have been advancements in the design and efficiency of pool heating systems, aiming
to provide optimal heating performance while minimising energy consumption and environmental impact.
• Pool covers – use is now widespread due to their ability to reduce pool chemical consumption, water evaporation, and heat loss. Contemporary covers can be concealed in underground enclosures at the end of the pool to help maintain aesthetic appeal.
According to Seif, solar pool heating is the most cost-effective and sustainable option for heating residential pools in Australia, but heat pumps, gas heaters and pool covers provide powerful and unique solutions depending on specific needs, aesthetics and budget.
Choosing the right pool heating system depends on a range of site-specific factors such as climate, lifestyle, performance, pool use expectations, running costs and budget.
“Solar has moderate upfront costs for installation but has minimal ongoing running costs as it utilises the sun’s energy,” Seif says.
“Heat pumps have higher initial costs compared to solar systems but can provide consistent heating year-round. Their ongoing running costs depend on factors such as electricity rates, usage, and maintaining consistent temperatures.
“Then there are gas heaters,” he says, “which have moderate initial costs compared to other options but higher ongoing running costs due to the consumption of gas.”
Seif says pool owners are often under the misconception that they need a solution that can heat the pool even on cold and rainy days.
“The fact is that very few people use their pools
on cold and rainy days. Most people decide to use their pool based on the ambient temperature before considering the pool temperature,” he says.
“That means you don’t need to worry about ensuring the pool is consistently warm for all days of the season.”
Gas pool heaters have been around for decades and are a popular choice for pool owners who want the convenience of on-demand heating.
Pentair Aquatics product manager Robert Sterland believes there are several factors that make gas heaters an attractive option.
“If you are comparing gas heaters versus heat pumps, gas heaters are far cheaper to buy when measured by their energy output. A 400MJ gas heater is roughly compared to 100kW of heat pump and such a large heat pump will cost tens of thousands of dollars and take up a lot of space,” he says.
“When it comes to running costs, because heat pumps are sourcing heat from the air and transferring it to the water, rather than creating the heat from an energy source, they are much more efficient and cost effective at heating a pool.”
Sterland says Pentair’s MasterTemp gas pool heaters quickly heat water for on-demand use. “So you’re not wasting energy heating the pool or spa when it’s not needed,” he says.
“MasterTemp is popular because it provides high heat outputs, regardless of the weather, with a small footprint. It is also quiet and efficient.
“Spa heating times are typically measured in minutes, not hours.”
Pool heating technology has undergone significant advancements over the past 10 years, with a major shift towards energy-efficient, ecofriendly heat pump technology.
A heat pumps work like a reverse cycle air conditioner by extracting ambient heat from the atmosphere, which is then transferred to the pool water.
“These advancements have improved heating efficiency, reduced operating costs, and minimised environmental impact, providing pool owners with a more sustainable and cost-effective option that can operate year-round,” says Evo Group marketing manager Nicole Chapman.
Although pool heat pumps may require a higher initial investment compared to traditional methods of heating, their low operating costs ensure that they pay for themselves in a short period of time.
“Our Evo heat pumps are up to 16 times more energy-efficient than other pool and spa heaters, providing the lowest running costs that translate to exceptionally large long-term savings,” she says. Reduced running costs, excellent efficiency gains, minimal maintenance, and a long-life span – it’s not hard to understand why the popularity of heat pumps has risen significantly over recent years.
For pools owners who don’t have, or can’t get, three-phase power, ASX-listed Waterco released a large output single-phase inverter pool heat pump specifically for the Australian and New Zealand markets.
Waterco’s 31kW Electroheat Eco-V inverter top vent single phase pool heat pump delivers a massive heat output of 39kW at 27C air and 32kW and 15C air achieved by the unit’s oversized evaporator area and twin fans.
BELOW: Supreme’s NovaPro290 heat pump, the first Australian residential pool heat pump to utilise the natural hydrocarbon R290 as a refrigerant, which has a GWP of less than one
“Modern homes need a larger electricity supply than they did in the past due to increasing demand from heating, cooling and electrical appliances,” says Waterco’s pool heating specialist Adam Shelley. “This increased demand has put so much pressure on electricity networks that utility companies have implemented restrictions. This means three-phase power is not available in all residential areas and, if it is, it can be cost prohibitive.”
Upgrading a home from single- to three-phase electricity supply costs thousands of dollars, so Electroheat Eco-V’s inverter technology provides a viable option of heating larger pools without the extra expense.
“For every 1kW of electricity consumed, Electroheat Eco-V can produce up to 8kW of heat,” Shelley says.
EvoHeat’s group general manager Tim Martin talks us through two topical issues relating to heat pumps: the coefficient of performance, or CoP, which rates the amount of energy produced relative to the input; and the global warming potential of refrigerants used in heat pumps, also known as the GWP.
First, he discusses how climate affects the
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efficiency of heat pumps and the consequent CoP rating.
“Climate is a big consideration for heat pumps,” says Martin. “But I think it’s not as dire as people may assume it to be.
“I mean, a heat pump operating at very low efficiency is still upwards of two or three times better efficiency than gas or electric heating. I think we have to be careful as an industry about saying you lose efficiency in colder climates because, yes, you lose efficiency compared to if you’re in Cairns, but you’re not losing efficiency compared to if you’re coming off gas – we’re still gaining significant efficiency compared to using a gas product.”
Martin says he was really pleased when the new Swimming Pool Heat Pump Systems Australian Standard came out, but he looks forward to when the standards actually get enforced.
“I think there’s some new products on the market that are
promoting significantly higher CoPs which I don’t think would be accurate under the Australian Standards as they are published at the moment.
“Realistically, up until that Standard had been introduced, people could claim whatever they wanted. You know, we haven’t seen any enforcement of that Australian Standard yet. And I’m sure that it will come in due course.”
Air conditioning and heat pump refrigerants have been evolving to become more efficient, but also to mitigate their global warming potential (GWP). (See box on Page 54 for more on refrigerants).
Discussing refrigerants, Martin says some of the mainstream low GWP refrigerants such as CO2 and R290 have been getting a lot of publicity lately.
“All refrigerants have a different purpose,” he says.
“R134a works really well to get water to heat to 60 degrees. R32 works really well to an optimum efficiency band – to heat water to around 40 degrees. R290 and CO2 have most efficient and optimum temperature bands heating water between 60 and 80 degrees.”
The other thing is that each refrigerant will operate differently depending on the climatic region that it’s in.
“So again, 134a works really well in terms of air temperatures of between 10 degrees and about 35 degrees. So does R32. R290 and CO2 work really well in very cold climates.
bands, both in terms of air temperature of the climatic region, or the environment and their output water temperatures.
Martin says that in Europe, they need refrigerants that will perform very well at sub zero temperatures – which is not required in Australia.
“Most of the heat pumps that are going out in Europe now are for building heating and hot water. So they need temperatures ranging from 50 degrees upwards – not for pool heating temperatures.
“We’ve been looking at R290 for six years. We’ve been reviewing that alongside multiple other refrigerants. The two downsides we’ve seen with R290 specifically, is the loss of efficiency – right at pool heating temperatures.
“Also the fact that it’s a highly flammable hydrocarbon gas. So here in Australia, particularly in Queensland and WA, you need to have a type B hydrocarbon license to be able to operate on that equipment. It’s not just a refrigeration license, it’s an additional certification that’s required, which not all refrigeration mechanics have.”
He says there are also additional storage and handling requirements of equipment that carry R290.
“So when we talk about what’s happened in Europe, and the adoption of those refrigerants in Europe, it’s because the climatic regions with the climatic requirements of that region are completely different to what we have here in Australia.”
Different refrigerants have different optimum operating
“Because it’s effectively propane – LPG. So you have the same sort of storage requirements for storing equipment that’s charged with R290 as what you would if you were storing hundreds of cylinders of gas bottles.
“The other thing to probably touch on is GWP. Again, we’re all a bit fixated on the GWP. But you know, GWP is global warming potential – the potential damage it can do if the gas is
“Heat pumps have higher initial costs compared to solar systems but can provide consistent heating year-round.”
released into the atmosphere. Now, we don’t release gas into the atmosphere at all here in Australia.”
Martin says even accidentally, it would be extremely uncommon for sealed refrigeration circuits to fracture and the gas to escape. And in terms of disposal of units, he says there are Australian and international laws governing the safe disposal of units relating specifically to refrigerants, and they are seriously upheld.
“Every gram of refrigerant is supposed to be evacuated from it. And they are being more serious about that.”
His argument is that having a low GWP refrigerant is one thing, but if the efficiency suffers, then you need to use more power to achieve the desired result, which means more energy is consumed and more CO2 goes into the atmosphere.
“It’s a balance really, but the core things for us are about the efficiency of the product. Having said that, we’re not stuck on a particular refrigerant and the refrigerant we use, R32, has a far lower GWP than our previous refrigerants. And as other advancements in refrigerants occur, then we’ll adopt a refrigerant that is suitable to what we actually need it to do.
“There will continue to be other changes in refrigerants. I mean, R134a as an example has been scheduled to be phased out over the next couple of years. We don’t use that in our pool heaters, we use it in our hot water heaters because of the temperature band, and it’s performed higher. But there are replacement refrigerants that have been engineered and tested at the moment to do that.”
With a rich history dating back to 1974, Sunbather has established itself as a highly regarded and trusted company within Australia’s pool industry. Over the decades, it has witnessed significant advancements in pool heating technology
Sunbather equipment has been manufactured in Victoria since its inception, and continues to be made there. The company now comes under the Fluidra umbrella.
“While the underlying science remains the same, Sunbather has continually focused on enhancing the quality of materials
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ABOVE:
used, incorporating technological improvements in controllers, and refining the aesthetics of our products,” explains Sunbather national sales and marketing manager Anthony Lestani.
One area of improvement has been the quality of materials employed in its pool heating systems.
“Through research and development, we have sourced and utilised high-quality materials that offer enhanced durability, longevity and performance. By selecting the right materials, we ensure that our pool heating systems can withstand the rigors of outdoor use, present minimal issues and operate efficiently for extended periods,” he says.
Furthermore, Sunbather has made significant strides in refining the aesthetics of its products.
“Recognising the importance of both functionality and visual appeal, we have invested in designing systems that not only perform well but also complement the overall aesthetic of the home,” Lestani says.
“By incorporating sleek and visually appealing designs, Sunbather ensures that its heating systems blend seamlessly into the home environment, enhancing the overall appeal of the space.”
Lestani says that by continually refining its engineering processes, and by understanding water flow through heat exchanges, the company has also been able to address potential issues and deliver products that offer enhanced performance and reliability.
The initial costs of solar pool heating systems for domestic use typically range from $5000 to $10,000. It’s important to note that the specific costs can vary depending on factors such as the size of the pool and the complexity of the installation.
“Once installed, the system utilises the sun’s energy, which is free and readily available,” Lestani says.
“Unlike traditional heating methods that rely heavily on fossil fuels, solar pool heating systems incur minimal ongoing electricity costs. The longterm savings and environmental benefits offered by harnessing solar energy make it an attractive and cost-effective choice for pool owners.”
While solar pool systems provide an exceptionally energy-efficient heating method, their efficiency is contingent upon system design, size, location, and prevailing climate conditions.
“On average, solar pool heating systems achieve impressive thermal efficiencies ranging from 70 per cent to 90 per cent,” he says.
“This performance is influenced by variables such as solar irradiation, and circulation system efficiency. Attentiveness to adequate sizing, location on roof, design and installation and water flow rate and pressure is paramount to optimise energy efficiency.”
Lestani offers a hypothetical scenario:
“Imagine a 30 square metre solar pool heating system operating at an impressive 80 per cent efficiency. This system has the ability to generate an estimated energy output of 24kW,” he says. “What really sets it apart is when it’s paired with a 500-watt motor for water circulation, resulting in an impressive CoP ratio of 1:48. This comparison against conventional fossil fuel-based heating systems like gas or electric highlights the exceptional energy efficiency and environmental consciousness inherent in solar pool heating.”
MIDDLE:
By embracing solar pool heaters, pool owners can appreciate the twin benefits of environmentally friendly heating solutions and significant energy savings.
While these eco-friendly systems are designed to be durable and long-lasting, regular maintenance and checks are still recommended to ensure optimal performance.
Three EvoHeat CS-i 130 commercial inverter heat pumps at Lakeside Leisure Centre, in total providing a heating capacity of up to 390 kW for their outdoor 50m pool
A project by Zane Heating in Brisbane incorporating both PV and thermal solar
“Annual inspections by qualified professionals can help identify and address any issues or inefficiencies in the system, ensuring it continues to operate efficiently and effectively,” he says.
“By conducting these routine checks, potential problems can be identified early on, and preventive measures can be taken to extend the lifespan of the system.”
Lestani believe the industry should embrace solar pool heating, especially when combined with pool covers, as a climate-conscious and responsible option.
“This approach aligns with the growing global movement towards renewable energy adoption and addresses the increasing consumer demand for sustainable solutions,” he says.
With the growing emphasis on sustainable living and renewable energy sources, homeowners are increasingly turning to solar power as a means of reducing their carbon footprint and saving on energy costs.
EvoHeat recommends pairing heat pumps with photovoltaic (PV) solar.
“The adoption of solar PV in Australia is one of the highest in the world – around 32 per cent of domestic homes have solar PV, and that’s only going to continue to increase,” says Tim Martin.
“I guess traditionally, a lot of homeowners who have a pool have had solar thermal on the roof. Obviously, when the solar PV goes up, that’s in the prime locations, solar thermal comes off, the PV goes on.
“And then for consumers still looking for a heating solution, the obvious option is the heat pump, and then we all have our products that can be paired with solar PV and to integrate through their timers to operate in line when they’re producing the most solar energy.”
For Zane solar and heating manager Adam Shelley, combining solar pool heating with solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on the same roof provides homeowners with two technologies that provides a raft of benefits.
Of course, this relies on having sufficient space to have both available, rather than choosing one or the other. Hybrid systems are even more efficient, as they combine both products in the one system, supplying synergy as well as saving space.
ABOVE: An Oasis X19 heat pump installed by Sunlover, who supply a comprehensive range of pool heating equipment including state-of-theart heat pumps and efficient solar options
RIGHT: Aspire’s clamping system allows it to be screwed directly into metal roofs
Shelley outlines some of the benefits of both thermal solar and PV.
Optimal use of available space. One of the key advantages of combining solar pool heating and solar PV systems is the efficient use of limited roof space.
“Typically, rooftops have finite surface areas, making it crucial to maximise their utilisation,” Shelley explains. “By installing both systems, homeowners can take advantage of the entire roof area, maximising the overall energy production. This integrated approach ensures that no valuable roof space goes unused, amplifying the return on investment for homeowners.
Cost savings and energy efficiency. Solar energy systems, including solar pool heating and solar PV, offer homeowners significant long-term cost savings.
Environmental benefits: Installing solar pool heating and solar PV systems promotes sustainable living and contributes to environmental conservation.
Longevity and reliability. Solar pool heating and solar PV systems are designed to withstand
Myth: Solar pool heating is not effective in cooler climates.
Fact: Solar pool heating can still be effective in cooler locations. While colder temperatures may impact the efficiency and performance of the system, ensuring the correct size solar collector coupled with a good thermal cover is important to achieving excellent performance.
Myth: Solar pool heating will rust your roof.
Fact: Good quality solar pool heating systems have a low incidence of leaks. However, it’s important to regularly check all components, including the roof connections, to ensure proper circulation and detect potential leaks. Installing a solar system on the roof and ignoring it for an extended period is not advisable and regular maintenance is crucial for longterm efficiency.
Myth: Solar pool heating systems are unsightly and detract from the homes aesthetics.
Fact: Let’s face it, pool equipment is generally engineered for smarts, not looks. That said, solar panels have evolved in design, becoming sleeker, more visually appealing and, in many cases, installed out of sight and out of mind.
Myth: Solar pool heating systems can overheat the pool.
Fact: Solar pool heating systems are equipped with temperature sensors and automatic controls to prevent overheating. These systems are designed to maintain the desired pool temperature within a specific range, ensuring optimal comfort without excessive heat.
Myth: Solar pool heating is old technology.
Fact: Solar pool heating has evolved with advancements in technology and design, making it a relevant and effective choice for pool owners. Key points to consider:
• Evolving technology – modern solar pool heating systems incorporate innovative features and materials, improving reliability, aesthetics, performance, and longevity
• Integration with other technologies – solar pool heating can be integrated with heat pumps or automation systems for increased efficiency and convenience.
• Cost-effectiveness – solar pool heating offers significant cost savings through free solar energy, incentives, rebates, and long-term savings.
• Environmental sustainability – solar pool heating reduces reliance on non-renewable energy sources, contributing to a greener future.
While solar pool heating has a long history, it is by no means outdated technology. It has evolved and adapted to incorporate the latest advancements, resulting in efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally conscious heating solutions. Solar pool heating remains a relevant and effective choice for pool owners seeking sustainable and costefficient heating options.
various weather conditions and can last for decades, providing homeowners with a reliable source of energy.
Synergy and aesthetic appeal. Combining solar pool heating and solar PV systems on the same roof not only amplifies energy efficiency but can also enhance the aesthetic appeal of the property.
“Solar panels have evolved in design, becoming sleeker and more visually appealing,” says Shelley. “The synergy of both systems on the roof creates a seamless and uniform appearance, enhancing the overall value and curb appeal of the home.”
With Australia boasting some of the harshest weather conditions in the world, manufacturer’s like Aspire Pool Solar Heating – which Fluidra Group Australia recently acquired a 50 percent shareholding stake in – use materials and components that are capable of tolerating the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
“We also have to consider potential damage from wildlife like cockatoos, which damage soft strip collectors by piercing the tube with their beaks thereby causing leaks,” says company director Mick Carroll. “Our solar panel tubes are made from a high impact polypropylene resin, which is tough enough to resist cockatoo attacks and hail damage.”
Aspire’s clamping system allows it to be screwed directly into metal roofs and, in some cases, by using the existing roof screws – as opposed to a soft strip collector that requires you
to silicone the strip to the roof and wait for it to cure before commissioning it with water.
“For a tiled roof, Aspire has developed a unique adjustable batten hook that locks into the panel clamps,” he says. “This means there is no need to drill and plug the tile to anchor the clamp. The other advantage to this system is zero penetration, tile breakage and no potential to leak.
“In addition, to reduce the time-consuming process of securing the pipework to the roof, we have developed a patented manifold-to-pipe clip, which secures the pipework to the panels with no need for drilling, screws or saddles.”
Mick’s company, Carroll’s Injection Moulding, casts the components required to make each panel, and Aspire, owned by both Mick and his brother Paul, assembles the units.
“We’re situated next door to each other in Hastings on the Mornington Peninsula, which streamlines communication and helps lower manufacturing and transportation costs,” he says.
Both companies are conscious of their carbon footprint and the impact they have on the planet.
“As manufacturers of plastic products, Aspire and Carroll’s have invested in 180kW of PV panels between the two companies. This allows us to generate 80 percent of our plants’ electricity requirements from the sun,” Carroll explains.
“Essentially, we are using solar electricity to manufacture the pool solar panels.”
Every component on the Aspire solar panel is 100 percent recyclable; each one can be granulated and reused at the end of its working life.
“We recently received SPASA-accredited Climate Care Certification and also OG-100 certification from North America’s Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (ICCSRCC), an ISO/IEC 17065 accredited certification body.”
A pool cover is a worthwhile and highly recommended investment to maintain valuable heat once your preferred system has been installed, as well as prevent evaporation.
“Australia has led the world with technological changes over the years that have resulted in giving us better life spans and, in some circumstances, some slightly better insulation factors,” says Daisy Pool Covers managing director Derek Prince.
Pool covers are designed to insulate pool water from the ambient outside temperature and retain heat energy in the pool. Thermal insulation is measured via the R value, which is the same as home insulation.
“The Pool Cover Australian Standards has a thermal performance criteria that is used in the heat load calculations,” he says. “We calculate the R value via either the ISO 8302 (R value) Guarded Hot Plate or Thermal Resistance test ASTM C518. The Daisy 525 covers have an R value of 0.1m²K/W while the 4.5mm Thermal Foam covers have a 30 per cent increased R value of 0.13m²K/W.”
Prince says heating your pool without a cover is like using a refrigerator without a door – all the energy escapes.
“Pool covers retain the heat overnight, meaning the heater has a higher starting point the following day,” he explains. “Heat loss overnight can be so high that the consumer is heating their pool from scratch every day, so regardless of what heater is chosen, a pool cover is essential to lower running costs and ultimately give the consumer a better swimming pool experience.”
By generating and retaining heat in the pool, solar pool covers can be a bona fide heating solution on their own.
“Many people find a bubble style solar pool cover can double their swimming season for a fraction of the cost of a heater, with many other benefits,” says Prince. “Regardless of what heating system is chosen, a pool cover is essential.”
Technology, as we know, is constantly changing says Caroline Raadschelders, marketing and communications manager for Abgal, manufacturers of 550-micron bubble style pool covers.
“Our PhotoMeasure system is a great example,” she says.
“Who would have thought 10 years ago that we’d be making pool covers and liners using measurements taken from a smartphone or drone? With PhotoMeasure, all the pool tech needs are a couple of check measurements, then a series of photos taken using our printable targets. We turn those photos into a pattern and manufacture a perfectly fitted cover! It’s so much quicker and easier than
Sunbather’s Anthony Lestani looks at the common barriers to convincing pool owners to install heating.
Cost: The upfront cost of purchasing and installing a pool heating system may be a barrier for some pool owners. They may perceive it as a substantial financial investment, especially if they are uncertain about the long-term benefits and return on investment.
Lack of awareness: Some pool owners may not be aware of the benefits and availability of all pool heating systems. They may be unfamiliar with the technology and its potential to enhance their swimming experience and extend the pool season.
Maintenance and operational considerations: Pool owners might have concerns about the maintenance requirements and operational complexity of pool heating systems. They may worry about additional responsibilities, such as system upkeep, monitoring, and troubleshooting.
Pool design limitations: The design of the pool itself can impact the use of a pool cover, which in turn affects the efficiency of the heater. If the pool design does not accommodate a cover, heat loss through evaporation can occur, leading to increased running costs and reduced overall efficiency of the heating system.
Space limitations: Some pool owners may face challenges in finding suitable space for installing different types of pool heating systems. They might lack adequate roof space for a solar collector or have limited space around their plant room for a heat pump or gas heater.
To overcome these barriers, it is important to provide education and information about the benefits of all pool heating systems, address concerns regarding costs and maintenance, and offer alternative solutions for pool designs with limited cover options or space constraints.
Customised recommendations and professional guidance can help pool owners find the most suitable heating solution for their specific needs and circumstances.
on most pumpsWarm water equals happy family.
ABOVE:
Contacts:
www.abgal.com.au
www.aspirepoolsolar.com
www.evoheat.com.au
www.pentair.com.au
www.sunbather.com.au
www.sunloverheating.com.au
www.supremeheating.com.au
www.waterco.com.au
www.zane.com.au
the traditional AB Markout, and so much cheaper than a laser-measure. Plus, you have the convenience of measuring anytime you like – no need to try and schedule a third party for a laser-measure.”
With heated spas and plunge pools gaining in popularity, Abgal also developed a highquality cover called SpaTex. The 20mm closed-cell thermal foam is upholstered with a polypropylene mesh fabric.
“They look great, are just as effective as a traditional hard spa cover, but without all the weight,” she explains. “It’s perfect for outdoor built-in spas and are fully made to measure, so can be shaped around ladders, for example.” n
In recent decades, significant efforts have been made to mitigate the depletion of the ozone layer, and air conditioning and heat pump refrigerant improvements had a part to play in that success.
Initially, the focus was on phasing out the use of ozonedepleting substances (ODS) and replacing them with environmentally friendly alternatives. This successful transition has been followed by efforts to mitigate the global warming potential (GWP) of refrigerants.
The Montreal Protocol, signed in 1987, has been instrumental in curbing the use of ODS such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) in air conditioning and heat pump systems. These substances were known to deplete the ozone layer and contribute to global warming. The protocol set forth a timetable for the gradual phase-out of ODS, encouraging the development and adoption of alternative refrigerants. This was largely successful program, which is on track to help see the ozone layer return to its pre-1980 condition by 2040.
One of the most notable replacements for CFCs and HCFCs has been hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). While HFCs do not deplete the ozone layer, they possess high GWP, contributing significantly to global warming. To address this issue, initiatives have been launched to reduce the use of high-GWP HFCs and encourage the development of low-GWP alternatives.
The agreement that specifically addresses the GWP of refrigerants is the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, adopted on October 15, 2016, in Kigali, Rwanda.
Recently, the European Parliament adopted an ambitious position on the revision of the EU F-gas Regulation, supporting a HFC phase out by 2050 and multiple bans on fluorinated greenhouse gases (f-gases, both HFCs and HFOs) in applications such as heat pumps and stationary refrigeration.
GWP measurement was developed to allow comparisons of the global warming impacts of different gases. Specifically, it is a measure of how much energy
the emissions of one ton of a gas will absorb over a given period of time, relative to the emissions of one ton of carbon dioxide (CO2). The larger the GWP, the more that a given gas warms the Earth compared to CO2 over that time period. The time period usually used for GWPs is 100 years. CO2, by definition, has a GWP of 1 regardless of the time period used, because it is the gas being used as the reference.
Methane (CH4) is estimated to have a GWP of 27-30 over 100 years. CH4 emitted today lasts about a decade on average, which is much less time than CO2. But CH4 also absorbs much more energy than CO2. The net effect of the shorter lifetime and higher energy absorption is reflected in the GWP. The CH4 GWP also accounts for some indirect effects, such as the fact that CH4 is a precursor to ozone, and ozone is itself a greenhouse gas (GHG).
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) are sometimes called high-GWP gases because, for a given amount of mass, they trap substantially more heat than CO2. (The GWPs for these gases can be in the thousands or tens of thousands.)
While HFOs have very low GWPs and ODPs (ozone depleting potentials) there are questions about the secondary chemicals produced when they break down if not destroyed properly after decommissioning of units, generally by incineration. However, Australian regulations are in place to mandate proper disposal. Natural refrigerants (CO2, ammonia, hydrocarbons/ HCs, water, air) are possible alternatives already present in nature, and, for this reason, are typically both less expensive and less polluting than artificial substances; however, they require refrigerant circuits that can withstand high pressure values (CO2), or corrosion (ammonia), or that can safely minimise flammability risks (HCs). Natural refrigerants are generally within the GWP band of 0 to 5.5.
More: www.epa.gov; www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au; www.unep.org
The Compass Pools dealer network continues to grow from strength to strength and we’re looking for more quality focused, reputable dealers to join team Compass. Here are some of the many reasons our dealers choose to align themselves with Compass Pools:
• 43 years of proven success
• 50,000 pools across Australia and New Zealand
• 60 successful (and happy) independent dealers
• World-leading ceramic composite shell construction
• Australian owned family business since 1980
• Proven in-floor cleaning and circulation technology
• Extensive sales and technical training
• #1 ranking pool website in Australia
• No franchise fees
• Industry renowned exclusive engineers for 40 years
• The only lifetime warranty against hydrostatic damage
We’re looking for new dealers in the Greater Melbourne region, South Australia (including Adelaide), and a number of regional locations in country NSW and QLD including Far North QLD.
When Chris and the Azure Pools team joined the Compass Pools dealer network, their business went from strength to strength.
Based in Taree, Azure Pools specialised in concrete pools and covered around 20 projects per year. By making the switch to a trusted and proven fiberglass pool brand, Chris and the team were able to grow sales to an average of 50 pools per year.
“Joining the Compass dealer network really changed our business. The Compass philosophy is about truly giving pool owners the lifestyle they dreamed of. The Vantage self-cleaning and circulation system (which is exclusive to Compass Pools) allows us to offer customers the ultimate in low effort pool ownership. The more Compass Pools we sold, the more our customers became our sales force which is testament to their market leading technology.
One of the key things that attracted us to Compass was the fact that they aren’t a franchise. We’ve been able to build our own brand and value in our business, without paying franchise fees along the way. Despite this, Compass have invested heavily in marketing and training support to help every Compass Pools dealer to continually improve systems and sales.”
www.compasspools.com.au
If you lead the way with service quality, then lead the way with product quality too.Chris Azure Pools
Davey is a heritage Australian brand, but as it completes its nineth decade, it shows no intention of slowing down. SPLASH! recently toured the Davey facility in Scoresby, Victoria, as part of our Australian manufacturing series.
ABOVE: The 20,000 sqm site includes nearly 10,000 sqm allocated to manufacturing and distribution, where two-thirds of the value of Davey’s product line is produced
Davey is an iconic Australian brand. Their pumps have been vital to helping farmers irrigate their crops since 1934. And firefighters and landowners rely on them every summer to keep the community safe.
Davey has been involved in swimming pool pumps since swimming pools became popular in Australia.
Over their 89 years, Davey expanded their range of products to moving water in residential, farming and commercial environments, as well as domestic drinking water purification and a whole range of products in the swimming pool and spa space.
In 1996, the business was bought by GUD Holdings Ltd, an Australian company that owns a portfolio of subsidiaries in the water products sector and the automotive aftermarket, operating mostly in Australia and New Zealand.
Davey Water CEO Valentina Tripp says the Pool side of the business became more important in 2004 and 2006, with two acquisitions that were brought into the fold.
“Originally there was more focus on the core pump transfer business. But with SpaQuip and Monarch coming on board, that really solidified our ongoing investment in the pool category,” she says.
“Pool is about a third of our business – it’s very important to us. It is an important platform for continued growth and for our strategy going forward.
“When I came to Davey a few years ago, it felt like there was a bit of a vacuum, and there was the question in the market of, well, is Davey in Pool or not? So I hope we’ve really answered that question, showing what we’re doing, and investing behind that.
“Particularly over the past few years, some of our biggest investments in new product development have been in the Pool business.”
Half of Davey’s manufacturing is handled out of the Scoresby facility in Melbourne’s southeastern manufacturing district.
The site is approximately 20,000 square metres, with nearly 10,000 square metres allocated to manufacturing and distribution. During covid, while many staff worked from home, the office space was fully updated with a welcoming modern ambiance, which has created a positive working environment for returning staff.
“We’re probably a bit unique,” says Tripp. “As we have about 30 engineering staff right here in Melbourne, working on Australian products that we make here for the Australian market, and then we’re exporting them around the world.
“Over the past three to five years, we’ve overindexed in terms of investment around new products, broadly running at between five and six per cent of pool revenue, invested in R&D, engineering and product development capability.
“We’re approximately double the average for our industry. And that’s important to us, because we’re looking at the next three to five years, and what we would need to do to be positioned for that growth, both here in Australia and in our European business.”
Davey’s Pool business, which includes swimming pools and spas, has over 250 products, half are manufactured in Scoresby with the remainder designed and engineered in Australia and manufactured with global partners.
“Most of our high value, highly engineered products and more than two thirds of the value is created here in Scoresby,” says Tripp.
This includes their flagship pump and chlorination products.
“Manufacturing in Australia is really important. We’re Australian-owned, we’re listed on the ASX as part of GUD Holdings which has been and listed here since the ‘60s.
“We have an amazing team who are committed to the Davey brand and love our Davey story. The past few years have been all about transformation and reigniting that passion in the brand around innovation.”
Tripp says that they had been absent from the consumer pool shows for some years, but this year attended every show.
“The feedback has been incredible, from end user customers who love what we’re doing, and also distribution partners and retail partners, some of whom have been with us for 20 years if not longer. And now they’re just excited to see what we’re doing.
“We had a big spike in demand through covid – we all did, the whole industry had a really good lift. The challenge now for the industry is to keep innovating. We’re not taking the foot off the pedal, we’re going to keep going forward with continued investment in product development.”
“For us, having a local manufacturing capability is very important,” says Tripp.
“We’ve got our whole engineering and design team here, and the actual tooling and the kit here to be able to test and bring things to market quickly. It helps us control our quality and our supply chain,” says Tripp.
“The Davey brand is all about reliability, quality and innovation. And we want to be able to protect that, particularly for all of our high value premium products that we make here.”
Tripp says having control through local manufacturing was critical during covid; when supply chain experienced vulnerabilities. Through this they were able to manage their capability around planning and supply chain management, strategic sourcing, and making sure they had all the raw materials.
“It has been a big investment over the past two years. We particularly want to make sure we’re in stock and we’ve got enough finished goods available for our customers when they need them, wherever they may be here in Australia or New Zealand or anywhere around the world.”
Davey exports a range of products to 47 countries across all their divisions, including home pressure and firefighter pumps. For more than 20 years, Davey has had a team based out of Lyon in France.
“Our focus is on premium Australian manufactured products. And we have a strong position in that market where they’re looking for quality products they can’t get anywhere else,” she says.
“And we absolutely talk to being made in Australia – it’s very important too for our export customers. It gives us a unique position and an ability to showcase our unique Davey design. Australia is quite well known for our ability to design and engineer and innovative products and solutions. You can typically recognise a Davey product, it stands out”.
And the products themselves are tough, built in Australia for tough Australian conditions.
“They’re built to last, that’s for sure. And built for quite a variety of climatic conditions. From up north into Queensland, or down south in Tassie, there are lots of different types of temperature and other climatic conditions. Our brand is quite strong when it comes to that. Being Australian certainly helps.”
Lyon also has an R&D centre, complementing the ones in Scoresby and Perth.
“We set that up just over 12 months ago, for R&D and testing in-market, as well as for training and educating our dealers and customers in our local market.”
As well as France, Davey has a presence in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany and Benelux, serviced from the central European warehouse based in Lyon.
Davey is a Lean business, keeping their processes running with a minimum of waste and redundancy.
“We’ve been working on our Lean across our processes and, most importantly over the past 12 months, we’ve been working on multiskilling. Our team members are not single-station types, they are quite experienced and technical operators; quite high-skilled labour.”
She says multi-skilling has created a lot more flexibility in the plant, especially at the end of the covid period when supply of some raw materials could be troublesome. Workers could be moved from one project to another to make best use of the available materials, or to meet a change in demand.
“It’s also given the team more skills to take with them into whatever else they want to be doing. It’s been a win-win for our people and our company.”
Tripp says they manage the famous seasonality of the pool and spa industry by establishing an 18-month planning cycle.
“We optimise for our inventory. So we don’t make things as we go, we forecast and then we will balance that out in terms of making sure that we have a build program through to summer. And luckily, we have two summers, because we’re building for Europe, and then we’re building
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for Australia. It gives us more balance in our portfolio and ability to smooth production for our manufacturing facility.”
Davey has 270 directly employed staff across the organisation. Although numbers vary, at any one time there may be 80 operations staff at the Scoresby plant, including production and warehouse staff. Additionally, there are seven distribution centres and the new national distribution centre at Willawong, Queensland.
The national distribution network has around 15,000 pallet spaces, providing plenty of room for growth. Most finished goods go from Scoresby to the national distribution centre at Willawong, which services the biggest market of Queensland and northern New South Wales; Sydney is covered from Prestons warehouse, as well as Willawong and Victoria. Perth warehouse in Bibra Lakes services Western Australia, and Brompton site provides fast local delivery across South Australia, supported by Scoresby for Victoria, Tasmania and export operations.
“We’ve redesigned our whole supply chain over the past two years to give ourselves the ability to raise our service level way above what it was coming into the organisation,” she says.
“We’re now achieving a DIFOT [Delivered In Full On Time] over 90 per cent plus and 98 per cent line fill rate, which is incredible for our customers, and especially important for customers who are in a situation where they need a pump or other part urgently, because their pump has stopped working.
Davey’s authorised service agent network is now over 320 partners, in what Davey says is the most extensive coverage across Australia.
“We want to be able to have the right stock in the right place at the right time when our customers need it.
“Our Service Promise, which is you order by two o’clock and it’s out the door by five o’clock, is leading in the industry. It’s important to us and our customers. And 98 per cent of the time we will be able to fill that order.”
“It’s been an enormous amount of work that the team’s done to reorganise our network to achieve that, and we’re expecting to be able to scale and grow it. There is a significant investment behind it.”
Davey has invested heavily – and is continuing to invest – in setting up effective processes to streamline manufacturing, distribution, and sales.
“Sales and operations planning process –S&OP – has been a real core enabler for our organisation. And we brought in our own internal CM [Customer Management] system called Nexus, which is, again, a core platform and enabler for all of our teams across the organisation. The launch of Nexus has been a real game changer for us,” she says.
“Our biggest challenge was building the planning capability and being able to forecast where we think the inventory needs to be, and then being able to replenish on a weekly basis into those warehouses. The whole supply chain transformation has enabled us to deliver the service level and Service Promise, and importantly, at the same time reduce our overall inventory and cost-to-serve.
“It may seem unusual, but we started with building the inventory up, which was in response to covid supply chain uncertainty, and delays in supply of raw materials and parts. However, our ability to forecast and continue to improve our forecast accuracy means we are now holding less inventory than we were a year ago, with much higher service performance.”
During covid, the risks of Just in Time manufacturing and supply came into focus, now post-covid the industry is taking the time to reassess operating models.
“Just in Time as a concept is still relevant to all of us. But I think of it more as optimising the way that we manage our inventory to meet our service levels, rather than purely Just in Time. There are levels of ongoing uncertainty – we still have a war in Europe, and the pandemic hasn’t really gone away – the high inflation rates, economic uncertainty, inventory destocking and further normalization of supply is still causing some supply disruption.
“So we were holding more inventory across the supply chain and have worked hard to optimise and reduce this, while improving service levels through enhanced planning, forecasting and modelling to ensure we can continue to reduce overall costs. We are very pleased that we reduced our inventory levels down materially and improved service at the same time this year. We are working on introducing more advance analytics and AI to further improve our forecasting and Service Promise to enhance our customer’s experience over the next 18 months.”
Tripp says that over the past six months in particular, availability of inbound freight has improved, and the inbound freight prices have fallen.
“Availability of those containers coming into Australia and getting out of Australia is a lot easier now, from a freight perspective. That’s really helped reduce lead times. We saw lead times push out from 60 days to 360 days! So we went long on inventory and increased safety stock, more so than any organisation we saw at the time.
“It’s great to now see lead times normalise which also helped to reduce inventories. There are however still high levels of inventory in the
“All the high value, highly engineered products and more than two thirds of the value is created here in Scoresby.”ABOVE: Peter Wolff on the Scoresby factory floor
Pool category, given the softening of demand post-covid. We estimate it could take another 12 months to 18 months to normalise.”
What they are looking for in planning is addressing underlying consumer demand and taking the peaks and troughs into consideration.
“You will make some poor decisions around the future if you don’t quite understand core demand,” she says. “In some of our markets, we’re able to get actual retail data and in others, we’ve got modelling tools – we best estimate the shape of underlying demand, and the impact of destocking initiatives. Some of our markets, such as Middle East, are seeing recovery however it’s masked by destocking which is still taking place.”
Davey follows new pool builds and new home builds to inform their understanding of underlying demand.
“We’re looking to understand the underlying trends in terms of that demand, what type of pools and location – we’ve built quite a few models that give us a good sense of where their location is, what the replacement rate looks like, and what that next generation of pool equipment needs to look like to meet the next generation end user needs as well.”
Australia has been experiencing a skills and staffing crisis across many industries and geographical locations. Tripp says they have not been immune.
“It’s a whole of economy issue,” she says. “And it’s definitely an issue within our industry, particularly for service technicians.
“It’s one thing to buy a pool – but you’ve got to maintain it. And that’s an important part of the whole value proposition to ensure people are enjoying it, so we can continue to have a strong pool industry. I think it’s an ongoing challenge in being able to secure and supply enough people to continue to service those pools.
“However, in terms of the factory, we’ve been quite strong. We have amazing capability here and the ability to attract talent.
“We get a good flow of casuals who come in to cover us for some of the peak periods, but I think
more broadly, our outlook on talent has been much more holistic than before,” she says.
“In fact, we invested in a full-time talent manager, Rania Haidar who joined us early last year. Part of her role is to seek out untapped talent directly in the community, and to do that across many different sectors. We’re looking for talent who can bring innovation, curiosity, problem solving and that diversity of thought to our team. Previously that sort of role would have been outsourced.”
Chief marketing officer Tom Fisher encourages anyone looking for an opportunity to call Haidar, as they are in the process of identifying talent as they plan for the next five years.
“And the thing that’s important is we’re not hiring just for the needs of the Australian market,” says Fisher.
“These are global roles, because this operation supports our global core business. So we don’t just have aspirations to be a significant player in Australia: we also want to grow globally.
“That’s why we’ve put in place those very big investments in marketing, product development, engineering capability, supply chain, S&OP and manufacturing,” he says.
Fisher adds that it’s not only the global reach that offers greater opportunities and brings in more varied experience, but also the category spread of the company.
“There’s a real advantage in having our people understand moving water en mass in all kinds of segments and categories,” he says. “And developing that kind of thinking into insights and really clear strategies for product development.
“So when you think about our business as a whole, and while we have these three very strong
“Luckily, we have two summers, because we’re building for Europe, and then we’re building for Australia.”LEFT: Chlorinator parts ready for assembly
pillars, they’re really connected, making water better and safer, pumping water more effectively, and creating that joyful pool environment.
“There’s a reason why this company has been investing in it for years and will continue to do so.”
The concept of a “joyful pool environment” came from new pool and spa category manager Sharon Tucker, who SPLASH! will talk to next issue.
Regardless of Davey’s global push, Australia is still their most important market.
“It’s our home country. It’s where we come from,” says Tripp.
“It’s where we have the opportunity to test our R&D capability, to have amazing talent coming through the door, to cross-collaborate with other parts of our business such as pumps and water treatment.
“We actually have many synergies across those other pillars of our business as well. And it gives us the opportunity to expose our talent to global opportunities – to take their credentials and Davey experience and be able to work anywhere around the world.
“And coming back to talent attraction, that is an important part of what we can provide as an employer of choice.”
And Davey is committed to continuing to invest in Australia.
“Absolutely. We’re really excited about what we’ve been doing in improving our planning, operations, utilisation, productivity. That’s all for the next generation of products that will be manufactured here in Scoresby,” says Tripp.
“So watch that space – it’s coming.”
Davey has a number of local partners who handle their injection moulding, manufacturing off-site and delivering to Scoresby, where the core pump lines, chlorination cell lines and spa products are made, and a series of workstations are set up for assembly.
Chief operating officer Peter Wolff says that one of their key strengths is flexibility to respond to customer demand.
“Demand forecasting is an art form,” says Wolff. “Further complicated by various inputs that affect demand seasonally and on an events basis.”
However, he says their setup enables them to respond pretty quickly, thanks to their planning approach and their manufacturing flexibility.
“We could have an order for twice as many of XYZ and we can have that in production the following week. While we are quite disciplined about the stocks we carry, more often than not, we can accommodate these requests pretty quickly.”
He says their success in reducing lead times stems from strong communication and knowledge-sharing with their suppliers, many based locally in Australia.
Davey currently run single shifts and has the capacity to ramp up production if required.
Wolff says most of the workforce is very long term, with some employees being with Davey for more than 40 years.
“They know a lot of the history, and actually they tell us about the company we’re part of now.”
The factory is clearly set out and follows good manufacturing practices, with clear signage and neat work area, with the focus being on producing quality products.
“We will not issue a serial number label unless the product passes all of the tests. There is a saying that goes, if there is no water in your pump when it comes out of the box, then you need to ask yourself why. Because all of our pumps get tested with water. And although we empty the water to the best of our abilities, there’s always a little drop or two, so you can tell it’s been recently tested.
“I had somebody visit the other day and they said I didn’t realise we still make the motors here – we don’t wind our own staters, but we assemble the motor from individual parts.”
The parts are largely made by Australian suppliers, including the extruded aluminium shell that is made in lengths and cut to size as required. The aluminium casings for the pumps include fins to disperse heat, which are then powder coated in Davey yellow on the automated spray line.
The Firefighter is also built in Scoresby, and includes a reliable Honda engine, a partnership that now extended many decades.
“We buy in the engines and keep pallet stock of them,” says Wolff. “We are market leaders in fire fighter transfer pumps in Australia, and we manufacture them here at our Scoresby plant.
“It helps us have more control over our supply chain, and there’s a quality benefit as well. And we can be more responsive, especially during Australia’s intense weather events. Be it floods or fires, being able to respond and support our customers and communities, especially in rural and regional Australia is very important to us.”
Firefighter pumps have recently been sent to Ukraine, to be used on the back of mobile firefighting vehicles, and are also used by the French military and Indonesian Navy.
“We take real pride in making our products here in Australia,” he says.
“And the reason I joined the company, I feel there’s an amazing future for Davey, not just in Australia or ANZ or the Asia Pacific region, but globally. We’re earning the right to manufacture products here in Australia.
“And we’re enjoying ourselves while we do it.” n
Contact: www.daveywater.com
When it comes to seamlessly integrating indoor living with outdoor entertaining, this striking Sydney family residence takes it to the next level.
Surrounded by double-storey houses and low-rise apartment blocks, the residence is located in a beachside suburb known for its high density living and iconic coastline. So, when CplusC Architects + Builders were asked to design a home that could be both a springboard for entertaining and a private family retreat, the swimming pool became an integral part of the design.
“This pool is used to reflect and refract light, stabilise the thermal environment of the home through its thermal mass, use the water surface to cool northerly breezes, and act as the focal point of the home both day and night,” director and lead architect Clinton Cole says.
“We don’t know of a pool that integrates more with the overall home than this one.”
The site foundations were essentially sand, so screw piles were used to support the concrete ground slab structure and the pool structure.
“Due to the nature of two separate sub-contractors for both the concrete slab and the concrete pool shell, each had to be poured separately with a control joint between them,” he says.
“This increased the risk of settlement issues where the acrylic wall intersected with the structural steel columns that sat on the control joint.
Essentially, we were making two separate unconnected structures and loading it with tonnes of weight from the pool water.”
The acrylic pool wall and the steel columns sit outside the pool shell structure on top of the separate ground floor concrete structure.
“There was no room for error and the results were fortunately faultless,” says Cole.
Measuring 12025mm x 2780mm, the fully tiled aboveground half-lap pool shares a clear acrylic wall with the double-height social space and acts as a visual connection between the interior and exterior spaces. It also reflects and refracts natural light throughout the lower level of the house.
“The built form is consistent with the immediate neighbours in terms of setback and height with the green wall and LED strip lights within the planters playing on the scale of the mix of single detached housing and the surrounding apartments,” explains Cole.
“To increase privacy from pedestrian traffic, the entry was partially sunken and screening elements were introduced at the front and side of the property.”
Since completion, Living Screen House has received widespread recognition, which includes winning the Waverley Heritage and Design Award, Good Design Award, and the Trends International Design Award. n
Lead architect: Clinton Cole
Project Architect: Ryan Ng
Length: 12025mm
Width: 2780mm
Depth: 1550mm
Pool construction: Concrete
Pool columns: Mild steel
Pool area ceiling: Kobe Board – cement bonded wood composite
Pool tiles: Ezarri glass mosaic tiles 25mm x 25mm
Pool deck tiles: Ezarri anti-slip glass mosaic tiles 25mm x 25mm
Pump: Viron P320
Sanitiser: Oxy Silver Purifier
Sand filter: AstralPool RX280
Cleaning: Net’n’Clean Astral in-floor cleaning system
Contact:
CplusC Architects + Builders
(02) 9690 2211
62 Ivy Street Darlington NSW 2008 www.cplusc.com.au
ASSA general manager, Emily McNeill, says children’s swimming abilities can deteriorate rapidly during extended breaks from swimming. While parents may assume that their child will effortlessly pick up where they left off, the reality is that regression can occur faster than expected.
Keep Swimming Safer Week held in early June helps keep swimming safety top of mind for parents. “The engagement and commitment we’ve seen from swim schools and families during this week have been exceptional,” McNeill says.
“Keep Swimming Safer Week is an important campaign that emphasises the significance of consistent swimming education year-round.
“We’re grateful to each of our member schools for their involvement in Keep Swimming Safer Week, playing an active role in empowering families to prioritise year-round swimming and ultimately ensuring the safety of children in and around water.”
The weather is getting chilly and the pool is looking less inviting than ever. At this time of year, with cooler temperatures and shorter days, swimming can be the furthest thing from our minds. It’s no wonder during winter many parents pause their child’s swimming lessons.
Many local pools in country areas close during the cooler months, often reopening in spring. So, does it matter if kids stop swimming lessons over the winter?
The first thing to note is that a pause can easily turn into stopping lessons altogether. Or, it can make restarting lessons in summer tricky, as children try to remember skills they haven’t practised in months.
And it’s important to remember drowning risk, particularly for young children, is present 365 days a year. Almost a third of all drowning deaths of children under five occur in autumn and winter.
Learning to swim is one strategy for parents to reduce a child’s risk of drowning, alongside active supervision, restricting access to water and learning CPR.
However, an estimated 40 per cent of children leave primary school without
being able to swim the length of an Olympic swimming pool. Participation in swimming lessons declines significantly after age seven.
That means the younger years represent a valuable time to ensure your child has the skills and knowledge to keep themselves safe in the water.
A 2015 study I co-authored found that, when it comes to children mastering the skill of swimming, the more time in the water the better. One potential benefit of keeping up with lessons over winter is giving children the opportunity to continuously hone their water safety skills.
Swimming lessons offer kids other bonuses too, including physical, cognitive and language skill development benefits.
Ceasing swimming lessons in the cooler months may also mean the child risks losing their preferred lesson timeslot. It may even mean they lose their place altogether, in an industry where demand often outstrips supply and waitlists can be long.
Children’s swimming lessons have also been significantly affected by the covid pandemic. Research has warned too many kids have missed swimming lessons due to lockdowns, pool closures,
swimming teacher shortages and long waitlists.
There are fears this will lead to a generation of Australian children leaving primary school without the basic skills needed to keep them safe and enjoy the water throughout adulthood.
If parents must discontinue swim lessons over winter, they should consider enrolling their child in a holiday or summer intensive swim course. This is where kids have lessons every day over a week or two. It may give them the chance to catch up after taking the winter months off.
Given the near record number of drowning fatalities in Australia last financial year, and the disruption to swimming lessons during the covid pandemic-related lockdowns, it’s important we don’t lose momentum now.
Giving a child every opportunity to learn how to swim is vitally important. It could even save their life one day.
This article from NHMRC Research Fellow, School of Population Health and co-founder of the UNSW Beach Safety Research Group, UNSW Sydney, is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
The Australian Leisure Facilities Association Queensland (ALFAQ) has re-established its board with key industry leaders, again becoming active in representing Queensland aquatic professionals.
Newly appointed ALFAQ president, Jay Clarke, says they are building a framework in the post-covid world that aims to endorse policies and procedures, and support members in understanding and implementing them. This includes aiming to foster collaboration with members by connecting them through events, and advocating for initiatives that elevate the industry’s standards and performance.
“ALFAQ is challenging the industry in Queensland to come together and support a body that ultimately exists to support them.”
A rebrand is also under active consideration.
The new ALFAQ board members are:
Jay Clarke – ALFAQ president and managing director, City Venue Management.
Dan Kwaczynski – ALFAQ vice-president and managing director, Maytronics Australia.
Nicky Sloan – ALFAQ secretary and chief people officer, City Venue Management.
Sovannara Tuon – ALFAQ treasurer and senior accountant Casal Corporate Advisory.
Ken Chandler – managing director for Aquatic Services Equipment and Training Qld (ASETQ).
Dan Cullen – state manager QLD/NT, Belgravia Leisure.
Matt Howes – aquatic contract coordinator, Sunshine Coast Council.
Lindsay McGrath – CEO, SPASA Australia.
Cath Sharples – city pools manager, Brisbane City Council
A $10 million indoor aquatic facility at Lambton Park War Memorial Swimming Centre is part of a tender the City of Newcastle (CN) has placed on public notice, for the operation of Newcastle’s five swimming pools. Proposed upgrades by BlueFit Pty Ltd, who have been managing Lambton Swimming Centre since 2014, will also include a gym, new kiosk and new changerooms. BlueFit has also committed to building accessibility facilities at each of the city’s five pools at Lambton, Wallsend, Beresfield, Stockton and Mayfield.
Under the proposed lease of seven years with two possible seven-year extensions and currently on public notice, BlueFit would commit $5 million as part of their successful tender to operate the city’s pools.
A decision on whether to award BlueFit the contract to manage Newcastle’s local pools will not be made until August following a public notice process that invites comments on the proposed lease.
CN staff have also developed a business case for the internal operation of the pools, which will be considered alongside
the external tenders, prior to a final decision by the CEO in August.
The proposed upgrades at Lambton Swimming Centre would see 10 new or improved facilities: A new 25m indoor warm water pool for improved programs and year-round operations; a new indoor toddlers’ pool and changerooms for year-round operations; refurbishment of the amenities block and changerooms; accessible change facilities; new health and fitness facilities; new accessibility features for pool access; upgraded kiosk and café; upgraded swimming centre entrance; improved administration facilities; new multi-purpose room.
Submissions in writing should be addressed to The City of Newcastle, Inland Pools Lease, PO Box 489, Newcastle, 2300 and be received by close of business Monday 31 July 2023. Contact: www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au
The Victorian government has scuttled the 2026 Commonwealth Games. Preparations for the regional-based event were well underway, and architects Warren and Mahoney and Four18 Architecture had started work on Geelong’s three-pool Armstrong Creek Aquatics venue, due to host swimming, para swimming and diving. Premier Dan Andrews says the cost had blown out to more than $6bn and the state could not afford it in the current economic climate. However, the Commonwealth Games Federation says his numbers are 50 per cent more than advised to the organising committee in June. The regional facilities, including the aquatics venue, are reportedly still going ahead.
Alternative hosts are yet to put up their hands.
Sunshine Coast may get two surf parks within 20 kilometres of each other, after a legal stoush settled in favour of the second park.
Three wave pool projects have been proposed for the Sunshine Coast in recent years at Glenview, Glass House Mountains and Coolum.
Developers of the Glenview project hope to have their park open by the end of 2024 or early 2025. Sanad Capital had appealed against Sunshine Coast Council’s approval of a second wave pool at Glass House Mountains, saying you can only fit so many similar attractions in a local community. The company plans to proceed with its
development at Glenview, regardless of the court outcome. Plans for the 25-hectare site include a $40 million surf pool, a four-star 160-villa family resort, and a water park. The third surf park at Coolum in not proceeding.
Queensland parents and guardians will have greater access to swimming lessons for children aged 0 to 4, following a $4.8 million government program, which has been given the full backing of Royal Life Saving Queensland. Eligible families are going to be able to apply for vouchers valued at up to $150.
European jurisdictions have come out in favour of women being able to go topless at local swimming pools. In Berlin, a women won a legal case after she had been thrown out of a swimming pool for going topless, and now authorities agree that everyone has the right to go topless according to Freikörperkultur, or free body culture.
Meanwhile, public swimming pools in the Spanish region of Catalonia have been ordered to let women go topless or face hefty fines – up to $A820,000. A spokesperson for the Free Nipples group, says it is a gender equality issue, as men could go topless and women couldn’t. Last year, Catalan authorities launched an advertising campaign to support a woman’s right to go topless.
After a covid-forced hiatus, the Country Pool Managers Conference was back on again, this time held in the southern tablelands town of Goulburn, in Yorta Yorta country.
Back in 1997, the first conference was held at Mudgee. It attracted 70 pool and 15 trade delegates. This 19th conference saw numbers swell to 94 delegates plus a large number of trade people attending 36 displays, pushing total numbers to around 160.
The conference brings pool managers together from all over New South Wales, where they can listen to informative speakers, learn from each other, and network to improve their business connections and knowledge base.
The conference was opened by the deputy mayor, Councillor Steven Ruddell and featured a very informative tutorial on using technology to aid with swimming pool management by Angus Westaway of the Leisure and Recreation Group.
workplace procedures, chemical storage and algae control. There were also presentations on superannuation and microbiological testing.
A local police representative briefed the delegates on managing anti-social behaviour in regional swimming pools, and delegates from the floor explained their exasperation at some situations and explained ways they managed to handle it. SPLASH! will bring more detail on this presentation in a future issue.
The update on the Public Swimming Pools and Spas Advisory Document from the NSW Department of Health was one of the headline presentations, which generated many questions and some lively comments from the audience.
BELOW:
Regional coaching director Chris Myers discussed how to support country squad swimming; and conference regular John McKenny from Macquatics gave an outline of
An open forum was one of the more engaging items on the program, with many pool managers asking questions and others offering advice to be shared. One issue that was discussed was training and the lack of career pathways and qualifications, although IRLearning’s aquatic management qualifications were discussed as an option.
There were also many opportunities for networking, with a welcome drink, a choice of a bowls or a golf afternoon, regular breaks to peruse the trade displays, and a dinner at the Goulburn Workers Club.
One of the features of the conference was a visit to the new Goulburn Aquatic Centre, and SPLASH! will bring more on that next edition.
Sam Thompson and Ashley Clegg are part of the new breed of pool managers, and they are full of youthful enthusiasm for the job.
Together they manage the Memorial Pool at Lake Cargelligo – a red dirt town of 1500 people in Wiradjuri country near the Lachlan River.
“Before this, I was doing roofing and Ashley was working at Target. So it’s a bit of a change from what we were doing, and we’ve really enjoyed it. It’s quite rewarding. I like working with people,” says Thompson.
As well as managing the pool, he’s coaching, and he has been mentored by some swim coaches around Lake Cargelligo. He’s learning on the job, and loving it.
He particularly appreciates that his boss, Angus Westaway of the Leisure and Recreation Group, is always looking to branch out , which helps extend their experience.
“We’re just doing a small pool at the moment, but Angus is always looking for more opportunities for us, to see where it can take us.”
Clegg has also been really enjoying the country pool life, and agrees that the Leisure and Recreation
Group has been really good to them, and has been an excellent introduction to the industry.
“They’re teaching us all the ways in pool facility management, and they’re so experienced so we learn so much.
“It’s way more rewarding than Target! Just seeing the kids in the Learn to Swim classes, and their growth as they move up the levels. And watching the families that come in – and a kid may not have been able to put their head under the water, then by the end of the season you can’t keep them out of the water! It’s just those little things, and the community is so welcoming.
“I feel like we know everyone,” she says. “They look after you and it’s easy to make friends, and everyone just wants to help.”
Their big issue at the moment is algae, coming on the back of flooding and two very wet summers.
“We’ve had a problem with algae for the last season, and me and Angus have been trying a few different methods to try to get rid of it,” says Thompson.
They got on top of it for a while, but then it returned.
“It’s been good to come to this conference and see what they had to say about algae control and get a bit more insight on it. There’s a couple of things, and I think it’s a flow issue. It’s a very old system at Lake Cargelligo. We’ve had a bit of maintenance done there already, and I still don’t know they’ve fully fixed the problem. We’ve been chatting with council about all that and hopefully getting it fixed before next season.”
Regional pool management often has to go to great lengths to attract staff. Point in case is the fact that Thompson and Clegg are not local – not by a long way. They come from 900 kilometres to the west.
“We’re from Adelaide,” says Thompson. “I’ve been family friends with Angus’s nephew, Eric –who works at the West Wyalong pool. We’ve been friends since we were in school, so a couple of years ago he asked me and Ashley if we’d like to come out and give it a crack. And we thought, yeah, we’ll give it a go.
“And yeah, we’ve enjoyed every minute of it. We really, really, like it,” he says.
“It’s different coming out to the small regional town, compared to Adelaide,” says Clegg.
“We love the new lifestyle. The only thing is, we’d want to live out here all year round.”
Lake Cargelligo is too cold for outdoor winter swimming, so the pool closes until September.
During the off season they go back to Adelaide and pick up a bit of work there.
“Our pools are just solar heated, so everybody complains about the temperature dropping. It’s more just the lap swimmers that are keen to swim in winter,” says Clegg.
“A lot of them they go over to Griffith because they’ve got the indoor heated pool over there,” says Thompson.
“But back in the summer, they’re always here, keen as mustard to get back into it.”
Next issue, SPLASH! will publish an interview with Thompson and Clegg’s employer, Angus Westaway, who runs six swimming pool facilities in regional New South Wales. He has some excellent ideas including how to manage staffing across multiple sites, and the benefits of apps to streamline management processes.
Gilgandra is a small town of 2700 people, 432 km northwest of Sydney. The name is Aboriginal for long water hole, and Gilgandra was traditionally a meeting place between the Wiradjuri, Kamilaroi and Wailwan nations.
Bill Welsh is the Gilgandra council swimming pool manager, looking after the 33 metre pool that was originally opened in 1939.
He has been attending the conference for seven years. He comes for the camaraderie of meeting people in similar situations, and to learn more about pool management.
Staffing is a big issue in Gilgandra, and most of the staff are school leavers who generally only last until they head off to uni.
“We might get a few coming back every season,” he says. “But staffing is difficult. We basically just go through the schools – but outside school, you won’t get anyone. So it’s really hard.”
Welsh says covid had an impact on staffing, and he virtually has to do all the maintenance himself. The other issue is dropping visitation numbers.
“I find kids are just not using the pool. That’s the biggest problem at the moment.”
They have three “free days” a year to help kids come in and get a taste for swimming, and during school holidays they have dollar entry. Swim Club has had varied success.
“When I first started the Swim Club it was it was good, then a couple of years after that it started dying off. The older kids weren’t swimming. Now it’s sort of picked up again.”
Welsh blames mobile phone and screen culture for the decline.
“From what I see, once they get to high school, the kids don’t want to swim anymore. We used to have probably 150 kids participating in swimming carnivals. Now you’re lucky to get 50. That’s in high school, in public school. But the Catholic school we probably get all of them participating.”
He says the council marketing department in the main office tries to entice kids to the pool, but nothing seems to be working too well.
“I’ve been there seven years and this is the worst I’ve seen it for high schoolers not using the pool – even on weekends, you might just get 20 people using the pool.”
Gilgandra Shire Council published plans in 2021 for a redevelopment of the pool as part of a revitalised recreational precinct, and it would be expected that attendance improves if and when the plans are realised. However, external funds will needed if the plans are to reach fruition.
Welsh hopes there are people ready to take the pool on when he moves on.
“I think I’m nearly at the end of my time. So hopefully there are people out there that would like to take it on, because I’ve learned a lot going from being chucked in the deep end and then coming to country pool managers courses and learning that way.”
Welsh initially started with an interest in fitness, and learned about pool management as he went along. He would recommend people getting into the industry and becoming a pool manager.
“I definitely would because I’ve learned a lot. I’ve come a long way.”
Kerry Lynch runs the pool managers conference with wife Mary, helped by local Graham Rutherford. Lynch says the conference has been a raging success.
“We had 94 delegates from right around country New South Wales. We had 36 trade displays, and the presenters we had excellent. There were varied topics and everyone was engaged in what was presented.”
Lynch started his pool journey out at Condobolin when he was 17, back in 1979. He and Mary are now preparing for retirement.
“I was at Condobolin for 12 years, started out at as a pool attendant and moving onto pool superintendent. Then I moved to Blacktown City
Council for another 12 years, and expanded my knowledge on bigger centres. But being a country boy, we moved back to the bush and spent seven years at Muswellbrook, and then to Orange for three years, then onto Cowra for eight years.
“We love the industry, and I love my work. The pool is ours. We may not own it, but that’s the way we treat it.”
But he sees the pride and passion missing with some of the younger people coming through, and is worried about the decline in qualifications, adding that without a mandated requirement for qualifications, there is no clear career path forward, making it less attractive to young people.
“When I started, I actually had to work in the industry for three years before I could sit the pool superintendent’s examination. It was like a preapprenticeship, even though it wasn’t recognised as such. But they wanted to know you could handle the chemicals, understood how to do the water tests and backwashes.”
ABOVE: The Waterlink stand with national sales manager Jacob Mansfield (right)
TOP RIGHT: Presenter John McKenny listening to Tim Batt explain his new Becsys Live app, an online monitoring and data management tool for swimming pool chemical levels
He also needed a letter from the council clerk to attest he was of sufficient character to run a pool, and proudly displayed his credentials on the centre’s wall.
Lynch is also worried about the number of people retiring, leaving fewer to handle mentoring of younger staff. The conference is one way for young people to meet some older heads and gain knowledge, to help ensure a safe environment for patrons and staff.
He was very happy to see the conference go so well.
“It was also very satisfying to see that NSW Health came along and made the effort to be here,” he says.
NSW Health representatives Leslie Jarvis and Tabitha Holiday braved the questions from the floor, which revolved mainly about ORP, cyanuric acid levels, alkalinity and pH and how it affects regional swimming pools using water that may be quite different from city water with sometimes very high alkalinity.
“They wanted to run the pH at 7.5 and have an alkalinity level of 80. And a lot of time with the different water that is used in different towns, it’s impossible to achieve.
“So they’re putting in acid to reduce the pH level, then trying to put bicarb in to
increase the alkalinity level. So all you’re doing is making a chemical cocktail, and going nowhere apart from wasting a lot of chemical.
“Our suggestion to them was up operate at 7.5, then the minimum for the alkalinity should be 50. If you’re going to operate above 7.5, then have your minimum at 80, because that’s achievable without wasting chemical.”
Lynch had put in a submission to the department about the use of ORP systems.
“The guidelines say to operate at 7.2 and have 750 millivolts. Well, no-one operates at 7.2. So what they had in there was irrelevant, because people don’t operate like that.
“Our submission was, it doesn’t matter what automatic control unit you use, it must be able to maintain the chlorine levels that’s required by them. So the millivolt part of it is irrelevant. People should understand that they’re getting a controlled automatic controller – they’re getting something that’s going to work and be able to make the job easier and keep the chlorine levels at that safe level.”
The next conference will be held in another regional town in 2024. Stay tuned for details. n
Contact: www.countrypoolmanagers.com.au
RIGHT: Father and son team Lachlan and Graham Rutherford both have links to the Goulburn Aquatic Centre. We will have more on this next issue
FAR RIGHT: The bowls afternoon was a great opportunity for fun networking
• D el i v e r s u p e r i o r w a t e r qu a l i t y a t lowe r o p e r a ti o n a l cos t wi t h Def e n d e r R e g e n e r a t i v e M e d i a F i lt r a ti o n ( R M F ) .
• T r u s t e d p a r t n e r o f s e v e r a l t ho u s and aqu a ti c f a cilitie s g l o b a ll y .
• S up p o r t e d b y a 10 y e a r w a r r a n t y
(te r ms and c o n d i t i o n s app l y)
• R e m o v e s pa r t i c l e s d o wn t o 1 m i c r o n.
• S a v e o n s p a c e , w a t e r and e n e r g y.
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E v o qu a
The program is based on the following units of competency;
• SISCAQU001 - Test pool water quality
The new Commercial Pool Technician Program (CPT) is proudly delivered by IRLearning and is endorsed by the peak swimming pool and spa industry body, SPASA Australia.
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• SISCAQU003 - Maintain aquatic facility plant and equipment
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• Responses to various bather incidents – faecal and non-faecal
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• Having site-specific identification and management process to eliminate or minimise risk
Davey’s ChloroMatic Lifeguard was launched in Europe and has now been brought to the Australian market ahead of the southern hemisphere summer.
It is a complete pool and chemistry controller that offers simple, automated pool chemistry control and monitoring. It is plug-and-play and easy to program.
The ChloroMatic Lifeguard offers pool owners the option of a fully integrated app-based dashboard for remote monitoring, and includes pH sensor and acid dosing, temperature and salt measurements including ORP control. There is even a low salt cut-out to protect the cell and a boost mode for additional chlorination during heavy bather load.
The app provides full control over the pool system to view and modify schedules, modes and adjust set points as required. It can be controlled locally for customers who do not want to connect to their Wi-Fi.
ChloroMatic Lifeguard is suitable for pools up to 175,000 litres and can be used for salt, low salt, or mineral pools.
Contact: www.daveywater.com
The Waterlink Hydro Touch is a high-performance residential dosing unit that simplies backyard and entry level commercial pool and spa water treatment. It comes in a variety of models, including models designed to read pH, ORP with optional Free Chlorine probe, and can either be used with an existing chlorinator or used to dose both liquid chlorine and acid.
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Sunlover has introduced a new range of single and quad element cartridge filters to their Oasis Aquatics range.
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Pentair says their new FullFloXF C620 high-efficiency cartridge filter offers superior filtration performance and a sparklingclean pool experience. The high capacity cartridges also provide benefits of lower operating cost and easier maintenance.
EvoHeat has recently launched the Evo Edge-i, their latest pool heat pump that boasts cutting-edge space-saving design. Ideal for tight installation locations, EvoHeat says this inverter heat pump series is a pioneering advancement in residential pool and spa heating and cooling.
With its innovative side discharge and rear air intake, the Evo Edge-i heat pump can be conveniently installed in almost any location.
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Contact: www.evoheat.com.au
The FullFlo XF is a four-cartridge filter that traps more dirt and extends time between cleaning with 620 sqft of filtration, making it up to 25 per cent more energy efficient for a lower operating cost and reduced cleaning and maintenance.
It has been designed with longlasting durable plastics and is built with 65/80mm unions for commercial grade performance, keeping even large and “splashy” pool environments sparkling clear.
Contact: www.pentairpool.com.au
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