WaterLinx, originally called Waterlines, commenced business as a small owner managed distributor some 15 years ago. Alchemy, represented by the current directors David Robert Buys and Michael Gordon Cumming, along with Gavin Van Aswegen, a private investor, assisted in further capitalizing, adding financial expertise, business counsel along with operational management skills to the then fledging business.
This enabled it to realize its common strategy and vision, which was to acquire certain key similar sized wholesalers throughout South Africa and merge them into a combined business operating as a national distributor with a broad range of products with key supply arrangements.
Another progressive step was successfully concluded when the group acquired Quality Pump & Pipe Fittings in 2002 and that stage introduced Investec Bank Limited as a private equity participant.
The name WaterLinx was born out of a sense of unifying the businesses duly acquired or started and necessitated when entering the international market further as the name Waterlines conflicted in certain areas.
An MBO in late 2005, resulted in the former chairman and some investors being bought out and the current executive management taking control of the company with the support of Investec Bank Limited who retained a significant minority stake.
The main vision and strategies were accordingly realigned from a Group widely positioned in various water related industries into what today is a much more focused and streamlined swimming pool and spa business, operating in both the manufacture and distribution areas of the supply chain, selling a wide range of product to an ever growing wider range of customers but primarily targeting the trade, its support and ancillary sectors.
Business Units
WaterLinx (Pty) Ltd has both manufacturing and distribution as its core competencies with its main business operations being carried out in the following divisions:
| WaterLinx Pool & Spa |
| Quality Pool & Spa |
| Waterlinx Trading |
| Sharmark Plastics |
WaterLinx Pool & Spa
Through its local and internationally branded hardware, equipment and chemical ranges, focuses itself primarily in the swimming pool and spa ancillary products markets, offering a wide range of specifically produced, assembled or procured product.
Quality Pool & Spa
Which is the manufacturing division within the group, also designs and develops new products and equipment as an ongoing basis for such industry sector whilst being a highly competitive producer of high ‘quality’ local product.
Waterlinx Trading
Through its support of products both procured and produced within the Group, the trading with the export and mass market segments are ably serviced and managed by this business unit.
Shamark Plastics
Shamark Plastics is a mature injection moulding business acquired from the owner/ managers who have supported our group for many years. Their expertise and industry knowledge will be maintained through the employment of key personnel. This acquisition further fulfills one of our strategies, that being reverse integration, which enhances our supply chain and product capabilities.
Head Office
The operations are supported by a compact Head Office, centralizing key functional and management matters such as:
| Human Resources - Incorporating payroll, training, recruitment, employment equity management, appraisals, HR issues and the like; |
| Commercial, public relations & communication, environmental & socioeconomic matters; |
| Group finance reporting and treasury management; Vision, Mission, Objective, Strategy & Tactics management; Marketing intelligence; and |
| Marketing, Sales & Operational planning and management |
In Summary
We offer a full solution by being a distributor who has reverse integrated into manufacturing to maximize the opportunities for the swimming pool and spa sector and its entire supply chain.
Our success is built on the strategy and strengths of these combined business units which, through a process of rationalization and change, have orientated and grown into the divisional, branch and depot national network evident today.”