An Interview with the CEO of BIOTOP, the Inventor of Natural Pools
DENVER, Oct. 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Today there are a number of people who declare that they have been the first to build a natural pool. Mr. "Natural Pool" himself, the Austrian Peter Petrich, could care less about who on online encyclopedias claims to be the inventor of this natural alternative to conventional swimming pools. He knows that in the last 30 years almost all of these people were his "students" – directly or indirectly. For in the industry, Peter Petrich with his company BIOTOP is not only considered the inventor of the natural pool, but also the one who turns the natural pool market upside down every two to three years with his innovative developments.
Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141020/153021
Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141020/153020
Question: Now be honest Mr. Petrich: Who built the first natural pool?
Petrich: That is a hard question. I would say that the first natural pool that actually functioned was built in 1984 by the Austrian Werner Gamerith in a private garden. I even have a photo of his pool in my archive. I am happy to leave this honor to him. But the first commercial natural pool system was developed by BIOTOP in 1985. And then for a long time there was nothing else. It was always obvious to me that sooner or later we would have competitors. Of course we enjoyed being the only provider for the first ten years, although our market was only a small niche at that time. Later, at the beginning of the 21st century one system provider alone wasn't able to cope with the growing demand. I was also delighted that the idea of a natural pool had caught on and gained momentum. I saw the other natural pool providers on the market as ambassadors of my idea and felt that my efforts in making the natural pool acceptable had been rewarded.
How are you seen by your competitors?
I'm respected, but I am not really dear to their hearts. With my developments I am always a bit ahead of them. That probably bothers them a bit. And I frequently rub them the wrong way if I think something is taking too long or is blocked due to shortsightedness. On the other hand, I have many good friends among natural pool builders and exchanging views with these experts is important to me. Once competitors appeared we at BIOTOP became faster at launching our innovations. We were able to keep our clientele and expand, because we quickly made new developments market-ready. And that is what we still do.
How do your innovations come about?
Many ideas for new developments come out of BIOTOP's partner network, some come from our customers, and some originate directly in our R&D team. I define the problem, collect solutions, and discuss them with colleagues and partner companies. Then the phase begins in which we try out the ideas at our BIOTOP lab. I often realize we were being unnecessarily complicated and how simple the final solution is, which is then extensively tested in our show pools. When I present the results to the partners, they wonder why they didn't think of this themselves. I am a fan of simple solutions, from solutions that consumers also understand and thus can use the equipment easily in their own pools. The consumer should be able to master technology – and not vice versa.
That sounds as if your products were nothing special?
Quite the contrary: what is special is their simplicity and the small amount of equipment needed while at the same time, the components used are highly efficient. The more equipment you have, the more complicated the usability. The more complex the system, the more confusing things will be for the customer. I respect our competitors' developments, but I don't think that the technical equipment that they talk the customers into is okay. With each additional component the proneness to error rises and possibly also the amount of energy. Who wants that today? We're not in the 20th century anymore.
Do you think you can score on the US market with the energy argument?
In Europe energy consumption of pools has become a standard question from potential customers. And the consumers in the USA are not far behind. Our partner companies in New England have noted that in the next few years operating costs will be an important factor in the decision to buy. On the West Coast, I am sure that the reduced water consumption of our pools will be a major issue. That is a big advantages we enjoy over traditional pools. The water in our Natural Pools and Living Pools never has to be emptied and completely refilled. Only water that has evaporated has to be refilled. That is a small amount compared to completely refilling the pool.
What arguments will you use to convince US consumers?
The main argument will most likely be that you can have a pool in your backyard that can provide crystal clear water without any use of chemicals. You can have a wonderful lifestyle secure in the knowledge that you are doing the "right" thing. You can protect the health of your children and family, and simultaneously contribute to the preservation of natural resources. Fun, extravaganza and the sustainment of nature – this all comes together in our pools. Anyone who has taken a dip in our show pools notices that natural, living water feels different on your skin. But that can't be described in words. Ultimately you have to swim in our pools yourself to experience it.
What target groups do you want to appeal to in the USA?
As in Europe we want to appeal to the upper end of pool owners. BIOTOP provides high-quality products and here we don't want to make any concessions on the quality of the materials used. The investment in a Natural Pool or a Living Pool should be an investment for two to three generations. The grandchildren of our customers today should be able to say: "Our grandparents were very forward-looking when they invested in the pool." This can only be the case when one relies on high quality.
The US is the largest market for pools in the world, with an extremely high density of pools. Do you think that there is still room for a newcomer like BIOTOP?
Of course there is room for us. In a country that has more than10 million swimming pools, old pools often need to be overhauled and revamped. For this we have a Converter System in our program, which allows traditional pools to be upgraded to Living Pools at surprisingly low cost and effort. We also believe that many landscape architects and planners will take our pools into their considerations in designing or redesigning gardens.
Do you also have fears and reservations about BIOTOP's US market entry?
I have to gulp when I hear about the horrendously high fines that the energy drink company "Red Bull" – which is also from Austria – has to pay for advertising promises it couldn't meet. I have sleepless nights when I hear news like that.
Can BIOTOP Pools give the customers wings?
No, we'll never advertise with a slogan like that. We promise sustainable, natural swimming pools. And that's a promise we can keep. We haven't only proved it in Europe, but as far away as New Zealand and Australia, too. And now also in the United States of America.
Meet Peter Petrich, BIOTOP CEO and inventor of the natural pool, at GREENBUILD 2014 in New Orleans, the premier event for sustainable building.
October 22-24, 2014 at the Morial Convention Center, booth 1713
For further US media enquiries please contact:
Gregor Vogrin, Email
BIOTOP Natural Pool Inc., 3801 E Florida Avenue, Suite #400, Denver, CO 80210
Tel.: (303) 691-3674, www.biotop.us or www.living-pool.us
For general media enquiries about BIOTOP please contact:
Martina Aigner, Email
Marketing & PR, BIOTOP Landschaftsgestaltung GmbH, A-3411 Klosterneuburg, Austria
Tel.: 01143 2243 304 06-20
Please visit the BIOTOP Media Centre http://presse.swimming-teich.com/Login.aspx?l=english for text and photo download. Photo Copyright: biotop.us or living-pool.us
Notes to Editors
BIOTOP Natural Pool Inc. – BIOTOP Landschaftsgestaltung GmbH – www.biotop.us
BIOTOP was the first company worldwide to introduce an ecological alternative to the conventional swimming pool – the natural pool – in 1987. Subsequently, the product was developed further and patented and received numerous international awards.
BIOTOP is with around 66 licensees – including six US partners – number 1 worldwide. Over 1,000 natural pools have been built by BIOTOP and more than 4,000 pools in cooperation with its partners. BIOTOP Natural Pools are built in the USA, in Europe, in New Zealand and Australia.
Market leadership is maintained through consistent R&D. The latest innovation is the Living Pool, a biological swimming pool that looks like a classic pool, but uses no chemicals. The Living Pool already accounts for roughly 25% of total sales. Thanks to the Converter System, conventional pools can also be converted to a Living Pool at minimum cost.
The headquarters are located in Klosterneuburg, Austria. BIOTOP's US subsidiary is domiciled in Denver, CO. Sustainability is an important aspect of the organizational culture, both on an economic and environmental level.