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.