Poolspot becomes the largest and most professional swimming pool group in Flanders

GT Invest made its maiden acquisition in the swimming pool market with the takeover of JDS Pools in Maldegem in mid-March 2021. This investment was swiftly followed by a further 3 acquisitions in the swimming pool market: Intrapools, zwembadvoordeel.be and De Zwemwereld. This successful group of industry titans continues under the group name Poolspot and aspires to become the largest and most professional swimming pool group in Flanders.

JDS Pools: the launch of the Poolspot group

The swimming pool market has enjoyed exponential growth in recent years. Low interest rates, improved weather conditions, more affordable investment and running costs and an increased demand for luxury home amenities since the start of the pandemic have resulted in a proliferation of swimming pool installation companies, not all of which boast equally professional backgrounds.

JDS Pools is an extremely reputable and experienced player that intends strengthening its market position through ongoing expansion and professionalisation. Johny De Smet and his wife Caroline Van Heuverswijn joined forces with GT Invest with the aim of creating continuity for both the company and its employees and making further investments with a focus on profitable and sustainable growth. JDS Pools has formed part of the GT Invest corporate portfolio since the spring of 2021.

Additional acquisitions: Intrapools, Zwembadvoordeel.be and De Zwemwereld

The Poolspot group was born following a number of additional acquisitions in the swimming pool sector.

In May 2021, the company made a consummate add-on acquisition with Intrapools. Intrapools operates from Lokeren in the Belgian province of East Flanders and is the ideal geographical complement to JDS Pools. François Van Hemelrijck will continue to serve the East Flemish and Antwerp markets from out of Lokeren. Intrapools was a logical choice for GT Invest (Poolspot); indeed this Lokeren-based company delivers the same exacting standards in service and quality and consequently enjoys exceptionally high customer satisfaction levels. Intrapools installs approximately 90 swimming pools per year.

Poolspot welcomed online webshop zwembadvoordeel.be into the fold in May 2021, with a view to providing a comprehensive service provision to its customers and keeping pace with the trend in online shopping. Since May 2021, the sale of both offline and online swimming pool maintenance products for all companies in the Poolspot group has been performed by zwembadvoordeel.be. Zwembadvoordeel.be founder, Eefje Bleys, will remain on board to continue these operations, and will additionally assume an active role in the coordination of the Poolspot group’s marketing activities.

In June 2021, Poolspot further strengthened its geographical position with the acquisition of Wevelgem swimming pool specialist De Zwemwereld, which has an operational base in South West Flanders. The technical knowledge and extensive expertise of Filip Eggermont and his team is another welcome asset in Poolspot’s expansion. Whilst the group’s commercial operations in South West Flanders will remain within the group, Filip Eggermont and his team will primarily focus on expanding the 'after sales service' for the entire Poolspot group. A development that’s seamlessly aligned to Poolspot's mission to become the most professional swimming pool group in Flanders, with a strong commercial product tailored to the customer, hassle-free swimming pool installations and a technical service team that expertly assists customers with technical issues, maintenance solutions and seasonal pool start-ups.

About Poolspot: the most professional swimming pool group in Flanders

Poolspot operates from Maldegem, Lokeren and Wevelgem under the commercial names of JDS Pools, Intrapools, De Zwemwereld and Zwembadvoordeel.be. It’s the most professional swimming pool group and undisputed market leader in Flanders. The group is on course to collectively install approximately 280 swimming pools in 2021 and plans to install a further 350 in 2022. It seamlessly provides a more than 2000-strong customer portfolio with professional maintenance and technical services.