Overcoming recent challenges
The main challenge during the pandemic surge was access to parts and components, something many businesses in the industry also faced. However, Aqua-Tech adopted several strategies to mitigate them, even as they began to unfold. For instance, the company changed its purchasing planning and made extensive orders early on during the pandemic.
Thanks to this early prudence, it allowed Aqua-Tech to become very flexible with its installation schedule. Instead of booking an install date based on a first come, first serve basis, staff could install and/or deliver items from a stocked complement of components. Still, this strategy was not perfect, as some clients had to wait longer than normal.
However, it allowed Aqua-Tech to have the most efficient production achievable during this period which helped them satisfy as many clients as possible. In a positive turn, most of the company’s supply chain challenges are either resolved or will be settled soon.
“Our goal for the future is diversification into as many things as we can tackle,” says Belcourt. “Being a seasonal business in our climate is fun but really, the biggest plans we have are investing in more products that can be used during the off season (cold weather months) so we can use our existing infrastructure to reach more potential customers and give our 99 seasonal employees a terrific future with us.”
Those interested in checking out Aqua-Tech are always welcome to visit their Winnipeg facility. Their location in the Canadian Prairies means the business has lots of space for this planned growth—more than 1800 m2 (20,000 sf), in fact. Half of it is a dedicated retail showroom with offices and the other half serves as warehouse space. Suffice to say, the Aqua-Tech headquarters is a bustling business.
“We have been wonderfully busy with lots of exciting things,” says Belcourt. “Our favourites tend to be pools with water features, unique lighting, automation, and automatic pool covers. At the end of the day, a well-designed and well-built pool of any size and shape that make families’ lives better are truly what we are most proud of.”
