Composites Dive Into the Caribbean
Despite the recent downturn in the recreation, Florida company Sun Fiberglass Pools sees potential growth not only in the U.S., but also in the deep ends of the Caribbean.
Curt Prystupa, the company’s president, notes that even though the number of pools built has declined in recent years, composites market share is increasing. “Even with the downturn in the economy, our market share in the in-ground pool business is growing,” he says.
The increasing environmental awareness helps the company’s efforts. “We’re starting to see more market share gains though, because our biggest competing market is vinyl-liner pools, which today’s buyer knows will eventually go to a landfill, where it never goes away,” says Prystupa. He adds this is especially noticeable in the Midwest, where more vinyl-liner pools were sold.
But Sun Pools is also beefing up its business in the Caribbean islands. The company has sold pools in the area before, and it makes up a good portion of their business (10-15 percent). But Prystupa says he’s aiming higher. “We’re expanding and trying to get a little more well-known in the islands.”
To that end, Sun has developed a swim spa product for in-ground use. “It’s a model where you put in a high-powered wavejet and you can resistant-swim in place,” says Prystupa.
Prystupa adds that one unique aspect of the islands is that, depending on the size, there aren’t traditional contractors and pool builders. “So sometimes, builders would have to bring crews in from Florida and other parts of the U.S. to construct a pool. While the pool was being built in a factory, we give them the pool, pump and filter system, options, and ship it on an equipment barge,” he says.
More so than the U.S., the Caribbean market has a lot of vacation rental businesses, comprised of a community of little pools and each unit will have a private pool. “The fact that each customer will have their own pool for their own personal use will increases revenue (as well as free up public space) because renters want their privacy,” says Prystupa.
