Fort Wayne Pools - We Give Back

What is Pool Builders Academy? It is a hands-on technical course where attendees will learn the proper way to install a residential, polymer-wall or steel-wall inground vinyl liner pool.

Lighthouse Ranch Build!

Upon completion of the program, attendees receive 32 hours of APSP technical credit and a complimentary Signature Series inground liner (up to 16 x 32).

Who should attend? Anyone entering into the pool construction business should attend a build, as well as seasoned builders who have hired new employees, or anyone who would like a refresher course. Participants at the Pool Builders Academy are able to enhance their skills and learn pool construction techniques in a hands-on environment.

Peter Moran, Technical Services Manager of North America, takes on this huge undertaking and runs two of these each year. We donate the pool kits. The white goods, pump and filtration equipment are all donated by industry partners. Coverstar LLC donates the automatic cover. Construction equipment and crew time are donated by local builders.

Crumley House Pool!

Acknowledging our social responsibility and our commitment to give back - our builds are for nonprofit organizations. Recent builds include a wheelchair-accessible, heated ingorund swimming pool at Crumley House Brain Injury Rehabilitation Center in Johnson City, TN. The Crumley House specializes in the rehabilitation of brain injury survivors.

Other nonprofit recipients include the Lighthouse Ranch for Boys in Loranger, LA. Lighthouse Ranch is a home for at-risk young men who struggle with substance abuse and behavioral issues. The site houses a school, living facility and several counselors and care workers.

Tupelo Children's Mansion!

The Tupelo Children's Mansion is another nonprofit organization that is happily enjoying their new 18 X 36 inground swimming pool! The Tupelo Children's Mansion is a facility that offers temporary and longer-term care to children in need of a safe and loving environment. The home also houses troubled teenage girls at the Haven of Hope home, hosts an on-campus school, and provides social workers and counselors for the children.

The next Pool Builders Academy is planned for October in Pell City, Alabama with the build of a polymer pool. If you would like to be a member of this class and learn about code awareness, pool layout, excavation, panel, brace and step assembly, plumbing, liners, deck options, and safety--all from APSP certified builders, please click on the email link with your contact info. It’s a great feeling to give back!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pool & Spa News Presents Reader's Choice 2010 Top 50 Products!

We're thrilled to announce that three of our exclusive Strong Support liner patterns were chosen as one of Pool & Spa News Reader's Choice 2010 Top 50 Products!

Pool & Spa News took note of industry interest in items that printed in their annual New Product Supplement. Those generating the most buzz were included in the May 14th issue! We're very proud to boast that three new daVinci liner patterns from Fort Wayne Pools were chosen as one of the Reader's Choice 2010 Top 50!


From the pages of Pool & Spa News:

The daVinci Code - Fort Wayne Pools offers three new liner patterns in its daVinci brand.

The Legato design features an eye-fooling "Escher-esque" pattern in a 9-inch tile with beige and gray geometric shapes set against the Prism wall.

The Roman palace-inspired Santorini uses small, square tiles to create a larger 9-inch block in gray, aqua, blues and a hint of beige with an embossed leaf centered in a rope frame. It compliments the Crystal wall.

Galena is a large stone mosaic pattern in a 9-inch height, featuring an array of natural earth tones. It also goes with the Prism wall.

 
 
 
 
 

Welcome to Fort Wayne Pools!

Welcome to the official launch of the Fort Wayne Pools blog! Let me start by telling you who we are and how we got started and introduce you to Fort Wayne Pools.

Fort Wayne Pools was founded in 1968 in Lyle Bertsch’s garage, building and selling fiberglass steps. In 1972 with one style of fiberglass step, one salesperson and one production employee, Lyle went to his first trade show, the National Show in New York City. There he sold 40 steps and Fort Wayne Pools was officially in business.

Fort Wayne Pools increased the step line over the next few years. In the early 1970’s Fort Wayne Pools began building gel coated fiberglass wall panel pools with concrete bottoms and moved to a facility in Industrial Park in Fort Wayne, Indiana. By the mid 1970’s, the offering had expanded to include polymer wall panels. Polymer was innovative in that it didn’t blister, crack or corrode.

The 1980’s brought a new building and the in-house manufacturing of polymer wall panels. Vinyl liners were added to the product line giving consumers another option for inground swimming pools. Shortly thereafter, Spas were added to the product line as well. Lyle Bertsch retired and sold the business to his son Robin Bertsch and Rick Garton, the original salesperson, along with other investors.

The capabilities of the manufacturing facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana continued to grow to include non-swimming pool plastic items. In the late 1980’s, diving boards, slides and steel wall pool components for swimming pools had also become part of the product line.

The 1990’s brought more changes; the Spa Division and the Slide & Dive Departments were sold. Eventually the Plastics Division was sold and the company moved next door, which is our current location on Gettysburg Pike, Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Fort Wayne Pools was an early innovator in the manufacture of polymer wall panels; it was the first company to manufacture pool entry steps for vinyl liner pools and the first to create the original StoneTite™ liners. These innovative liners were a selection of liner floor patterns (blue base, gray base, green base and a teal base) that were made to coordinate with the texture of the colored steps that created the exterior coordinates program and was exclusive to Fort Wayne Pools. The texture was integrated with the colors and was exclusive patterns. And if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, we’re proud to say that it’s been copied by every other liner manufacturer in the industry!

In 2004, Fort Wayne Pools joined the Latham International family of companies. Latham International is North America’s largest manufacturer of inground packaged pool components, so this was a perfect fit.

Fort Wayne Pools has spent over 40 years building our reputation, and because that reputation rests on every component we manufacture, our quality controls are second to none. Our industry recognized brands include the Sterling™ steel pool and the Elite™ polymer pool. We are a leading manufacturer of pool wall systems, braces, coping, steps, spillover and inground spas, vinyl liners and safety covers. Our products are sold and installed by pool builders who are members of our “Strong Support” network of dealers – some of the best pool builders in the nation – and are backed by an outstanding warranty program. Our other popular brands include Oasis, Frontier and Premium.

Fort Wayne Pools has been manufacturing swimming pool components in America’s heartland for more than 40 years and we’re only just getting started. Our products are offered all across the U.S. I invite you to come back often and learn what other innovative, dynamic changes we have waiting for you!

My name is Denise Mickalonis and I have been with Latham International and Fort Wayne Pools since July 2003. I am the Marketing Communications Specialist and I will be sharing information with you. I welcome your comments and questions.