Connect with us

PREMIUM SPONSORS

Manufacturers

Latham is Going Public

Latham announced its intentions to go public. Will begin trading under “SWIM” stock symbol…

Published

on

Latham Pool Products - The Pool Company™ - Scott Rajeski announced the company is going public.

A new pool corporation will be listed on the stock exchange very soon and it’s a name we all know well. Latham – The Pool Company™, filed a notice with the Securities and Exchange Commission announcing its intention to sell its common stock in an initial public offering.

Under the ticker symbol SWIM, the Latham Group has applied to list its stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. Complete details about the offering and it’s terms are not yet known at this time.

The news of Latham’s intention to go public comes a month after Hayward, one of the “Big 3” manufacturers, made a similar announcement.

Latham, The Pool Company™, as it is now known was formerly known as Latham Pool Products.

Latham’s private equity partners, Pamplona Capital Management and Wynnchurch Capital, will hold more than 50% of the voting power of the company’s outstanding common stock, rendering the Latham Group a controlled company excluded from some corporate governance provisions.

Latham outlined a strategy to increase the overall market share of fiberglass among inground pools, change how customers access the company’s products, improve distribution capabilities across the United States, and expand internationally while discussing the company’s strengths and benefits.

Latham Pool Products - The Pool Company™  has made serious inroads with consumers with marketing directly to consumers as well as the acquisition of a 28% interest in  Premier Pools & Spas.
Latham Pool Products – The Pool Company™ has made serious inroads with consumers with marketing directly to consumers as well as the acquisition of a 28% interest in Premier Pools & Spas.

Latham Moves Into Lead Generation

With a new emphasis on direct digital and social-media marketing, backed by a demand-aggregation platform, Latham has made serious inroads to market directly to consumers. Consequently, this has enabled them to feed more pool leads to their dealer base. According to Latham, the company delivered over 45,000 customer leads to its dealer base in 2020, the first year the plan was fully implemented. According to the group, this represents a 210% increase from 2019.

The company also referenced it’s size, claiming that its network of nine fiberglass pool factories and distribution centers allows it to supply fiberglass pools to 95 percent of the US population within just 48 hours.

Latham has increased its market share in the fiberglass pool industry over time by purchasing a number of existing manufacturers. Three recent transactions were mentioned in their IPO application. Latham believes this will help it position itself well in the future.

Recent Latham Acquisitions

The acquisition of Narellan, an Australian fiberglass pool manufacturer with operations in Canada and New Zealand, in 2019 bolstered the company’s foreign presence. According to Latham, foreign markets account for 19% of its revenue, with Canada, Australia, and New Zealand having the most representation. According to Latham, the company is still on the lookout for emerging markets.

At the very least, the Narellan acquisition is expected to help Latham extend its footprint in North America by increasing fiberglass penetration. Narellan, as Australia’s largest manufacturer of fiberglass pools, played a key role in the increased acceptance of fiberglass over the last two decades in Australia, where the segment now accounts for 70% of the pool industry, according to Latham.

“Leveraging insights gained from Narellan, we are investing to build the tools required to drive higher fiberglass penetration in the North American market,”  Latham said.

It also mentioned that the acquisition of vinyl-liner and safety-cover manufacturer GLI in October 2020 has expanded its offerings in those categories.

In October, the company entered into a long-term strategic relationship with Premier Pools & Spas, acquiring a 28 percent equity stake in the pool-construction franchise. The company said, “The purpose of this investment in Premier Pools & Spas is to help expand our sales and distribution channels,”

In the future, it intends to form more strategic alliances with dealerships. “We believe these exclusive relationships will continue to enable us to increase market share at the expense of the fragmented and regional universe of competitors,” Latham said.

In North America, Australia, and New Zealand, Latham claims to be the largest builder, manufacturer, and marketer of in-ground residential swimming pools. It claims to have 32 locations, hiring over 2,000 people, and selling more than 8,700 fiberglass pools in the United States in 2020.

Although “net income does not adhere to this trend.” said Latham, 2020 represented the 11th consecutive year of net sales growth and adjusted EBITDA margin expansion. According to the group, net revenues were $403.4 million in 2020 and net income was $16.0 million.

Last year, vinyl liners accounted for 20% of Latham’s sales, covers for 21%, and fiberglass and vinyl-lined pools for the remaining 80%. The remaining 59%, according to the company, came from fiberglass units.

Featured Photo Credit: Albany Business Review

5/5 - (1 vote)

Joe Trusty

Editor in Chief of Pool Magazine - Joe Trusty is also CEO of PoolMarketing.com, the leading digital agency for the pool industry. An internet entrepreneur, software developer, author, and marketing professional with a long history in the pool industry. Joe oversees the writing and creative staff at Pool Magazine.

To contact Joe Trusty email [email protected] or call (916) 467-9118 during normal business hours. For submissions, please send your message to [email protected]

Manufacturers

Pentair Names Bob Fishman Interim CFO Following Executive Leadership Change

Published

on

Pentair Names Bob Fishman Interim CFO Following Executive Leadership Change

Pentair has appointed former Chief Financial Officer Bob Fishman as Interim Executive Vice President and CFO following the departure of Nicholas Brazis, who left the company on July 10 to pursue an opportunity with a private company. The company has launched a search for a permanent successor while Fishman assumes the role effective immediately.

Fishman previously served as Pentair’s Executive Vice President and CFO for six years before stepping away from the position earlier this year. His return comes as the company works through a challenging period for its pool segment, which has experienced significantly weaker-than-anticipated demand resulting from continued inventory reductions throughout the distribution channel.

“Our Board and leadership team are pleased to have Bob Fishman rejoin Pentair on an interim basis as we conduct a search for his successor. During Bob’s six year tenure at Pentair, he helped to strengthen our financial foundation and enhance our operating discipline. Given his deep financial expertise, clear understanding of our business and strong relationships across Pentair and the financial community, I am confident he will step back in seamlessly as we execute on our key strategic and financial priorities to build long-term value,” said John L. Stauch, Pentair President and Chief Executive Officer.

Fishman also commented on his return.

“I’m excited to return to Pentair and support the company during this transition. Pentair has a strong portfolio, talented team and clear strategy for long-term success. I’m optimistic about the opportunities ahead and look forward to working alongside John and the team to support disciplined execution and create value for our customers, shareholders and employees.”

Pool Business Drives Revised Outlook

Alongside the executive announcement, Pentair released preliminary second-quarter financial expectations and lowered its full-year outlook, citing more aggressive inventory reductions across the pool distribution channel than previously anticipated. The company now expects full-year sales to decline between 4% and 7%, compared to its earlier forecast calling for 2% to 4% growth.

According to Pentair, channel destocking is expected to reduce pool segment sales by approximately $250 million during 2026, with an estimated $155 million impact on pool segment income. The company also noted that second-quarter pool sales were significantly affected by inventory adjustments made by major channel partners amid softer market conditions.

Despite the near-term slowdown, Pentair said it is taking steps to strengthen the pool business by working more closely with dealers, distributors and service professionals while accelerating new product development and expanding technical support resources. The company maintained that it continues to hold a leading position in energy-efficient and connected pool technologies and expects market conditions to normalize heading into the 2027 pool season.

Stauch emphasized the company’s confidence in the long-term outlook despite current market conditions.

“We believe these headwinds are temporary and we are taking decisive actions to adapt the business to current demand levels while positioning it to return to normalized performance in 2027. We are confident that these actions will bring us closer to our dealers, accelerate innovation and drive long-term growth. Our pool business is an industry leader with a premier brand, strong customer base, and a large install base, with leading positions in energy-efficient and smart connected pool technologies. Importantly, our flow and water solutions segments performed generally in line with expectations as we continue to successfully execute our growth agenda, demonstrating the strength and balance of our portfolio.”

Fishman expressed confidence that the company remains well positioned as it works through current market conditions.

“We have assessed our full year forecast and feel confident that we can execute successfully in 2026 and position ourselves for significant growth in 2027. With a solid balance sheet, strong cash flow, a balanced capital deployment strategy and a resilient business model, we remain well positioned to deliver long-term shareholder value.”

Pentair is scheduled to release its complete second-quarter financial results and provide additional commentary on its outlook during its earnings call on July 28.

4.9/5 - (8 votes)

Continue Reading

Manufacturer

Fluidra Acquires Datapool to Lead Digitalization and Efficiency in the Pool Sector

Published

on

Fluidra Acquires Datapool to Lead Digitalization and Efficiency in the Pool Sector

Fluidra, the global leader in pool and wellness equipment and connected solutions, has announced the acquisition of Datapool, the digital twin platform developed by Ecotropy. With this transaction, the company reinforces its strategic commitment to sustainability, operational efficiency and the digitalization of the sector.

The transaction represents the evolution of a collaboration that began in 2024, when Fluidra invested in Ecotropy through Fluidra Ventures, its Corporate Venture Capital fund focused on startups with the potential to transform the pool and wellness sector through technological innovation.

With this acquisition, Datapool becomes fully integrated into Fluidra’s digital ecosystem for commercial pools, consolidating its role as a key part of the company’s value proposition. The platform incorporates advanced analytics capabilities, IoT solutions and real-time data within an open and scalable architecture, in line with the company’s strategy to offer connected and sustainable solutions that maximize the efficiency of aquatic facilities and accelerate the transition towards smarter management models.

Datapool outfits aquatic facilities with digital twins, enabling pools to be managed using reliable, real-time data and replacing management models based on estimates or manual supervision.

In this way, the platform simulates the optimal operation of each facility and continuously compares it with variables such as energy consumption, occupancy, weather conditions and water quality, providing a comprehensive view that helps anticipate incidents, optimize resources and improve operational performance.

Thanks to this technology, operators can reduce operating costs by 10% to 25% by optimizing water and energy consumption without the need for construction works or invasive interventions; monitor and adjust key parameters such as temperature, water quality and occupancy in real time; automate management through predictive models that adapt climate control and operations to real demand; generate automatic reports with traceable data for audits, tenders or grant applications; and plan investments and improvements based on objective data.

“This acquisition marks a milestone in our digitalization strategy. Datapool allows us to accelerate the transition towards an intelligent pool management model, improving efficiency, reducing environmental impact and offering our customers data-driven tools to make better decisions,” said Thorsten Muck, Commercial Pool Director at Fluidra.

5/5 - (1 vote)

Continue Reading

Manufacturer

Pentair Announces Leadership Transition for Pentair Pool

Published

on

Pentair Announces Leadership Transition for Pentair Pool

Pentair plc (NYSE: PNR), a leader in helping the world sustainably move, improve, and enjoy water life’s most essential resource, today announced that Jerome Pedretti, Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of Pentair Pool, will depart the Company effective July 1, 2026. Pedretti concludes a distinguished career with Pentair spanning more than 20 years.

In connection with Pedretti’s departure, Pentair is eliminating the Chief Executive Officer of Pentair Pool role. De’Mon Wiggins, current EVP and President, Pentair Flow and Pentair Water Solutions, will assume responsibility for the Pool segment as EVP and President, Pentair Flow, Water Solutions and Pool, effective April 28, 2026. Pedretti will remain with Pentair through his departure date to support an orderly transition.

“Over more than two decades with Pentair, Jerome has made a significant and lasting impact on our Pool and Flow businesses through his leadership, deep expertise, and unwavering commitment to our customers and our culture,” said John Stauch, Pentair President and Chief Executive Officer. “We are truly grateful for Jerome’s many contributions and for his thoughtful partnership in supporting a smooth transition. With De’Mon’s strong track record of execution and strategic leadership, I am confident in the continued momentum of our Pool business and excited about the opportunities ahead.”

CAUTION CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release contains statements that we believe to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Without limitation, any statements preceded or followed by or that include the words “targets,” “plans,” “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “will,” “likely,” “may,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “projects,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “positioned,” “strategy,” or “future” or words, phrases, or terms of similar substance or the negative thereof are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, some of which are beyond our control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include the overall global economic and business conditions impacting our business, including the strength of housing and related markets and conditions relating to international hostilities; supply, demand, logistics, competition and pricing pressures related to and in the markets we serve; the ability to achieve the benefits of our restructuring plans, cost reduction initiatives and Transformation Program; the impact of raw material, logistics and labor costs and other inflation; volatility in currency exchange rates and interest rates; failure of markets to accept new product introductions and enhancements; the ability to successfully identify, finance, complete and integrate acquisitions; risks associated with operating foreign businesses; the impact of seasonality of sales and weather conditions; our ability to comply with laws and regulations; the impact of changes in laws, regulations and administrative policy, including those that limit U.S. tax benefits or impact trade agreements and tariffs; the outcome of litigation and governmental proceedings; and the ability to achieve our long-term strategic operating and sustainability goals and targets. Additional information concerning these and other factors is contained in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025. All forward-looking statements, including all financial forecasts, speak only as of the date of this release. Pentair assumes no obligation, and disclaims any obligation, to update the information contained in this release.

ABOUT PENTAIR PLC

At Pentair, we help the world sustainably move, improve, and enjoy water, life’s most essential resource. From our residential and commercial water solutions, to industrial water management and everything in between, Pentair is a core large cap value S&P 500 equity stock focused on smart, sustainable water solutions that help our planet and people thrive.

Pentair had revenue in 2025 of approximately $4.2 billion, and trades under the ticker symbol PNR. With approximately 9,000 global employees serving customers in more than 150 countries, we work to help improve lives and the environment around the world. To learn more, visit www.pentair.com.

Contacts

Media Contact:

Shelly Hubbard
Vice President, Investor Relations
Direct: 612-812-0148
Email: [email protected]

5/5 - (7 votes)

Continue Reading

Read the Summer Issue of Pool Magazine

Read the Summer Edition of Pool Magazine
Add Pool Magazine on Google

See more of our coverage in your search results

Sponsored Advertisement
Sponsored Advertisement
Sponsored Advertisement

Pool News