Modpools, a company selling above-ground pools constructed out of upcycled shipping containers, launched by Paul Rathnam in British Columbia, has sold a thousand pools in its seven years of existence, with its 2022 year-end revenue projected at $20 million.
Rathnam started the company in 2015 without any formal training in manufacturing, engineering, or plumbing, and decided to use his background in altering shipping containers to build a swimming pool for his family. The result was an above-ground pool with a window and hot tub.
The success of Modpools may be attributed to an increase in demand for swimming pools during the pandemic, when people were spending more on household improvements because they were longing for outdoor experiences. It could also be attributed to the business’s innovative selling method, which allows customers to design and customize pools on the company’s website, choose different colours and sizes, and then their built pool is shipped to them directly.
The smallest pool, which is 3.66 m (12 ft) long, begins at $28,500. The largest pool, which is 12.2 m (40 ft) long, begins at $53,500. Clients have the option to ask for increased width of the pool, have spa seating, and add stairs for an additional price. Once the pools are installed, customers can add Wi-Fi and control it through an app on their devices. The customized pools take about eight to 18 weeks to be built.
To increase its production capabilities, Modpools opened a larger facility in Houston, Texas, last fall. The company now has about 100 employees across its divisions and locations.
According to Modern Retal, Rathnam says, “Building a pool, maybe from the outside, does not look that complicated. But there is a lot of complicated steps that have a lot to do with temperature and timing, and a lot of it has been trial and error.”
