AstralPool buys Price Chemicals

AstralPool Australia has acquired Price Chemicals, the NSW-based manufacturer of swimming pool chemicals, headquartered in Somersby on the Central Coast.

Peter Wallace, managing director of AstralPool Australia, says the March acquisition helps move AstralPool towards becoming a full line supplier to the swimming pool construction, retail and service industries and consolidates AstralPool’s market leading position in Australia.

Price Chemicals manufacture, import, package and distribute a complete range of swimming pool and spa chemicals across Australia. The acquisition adds a high quality range of chemicals to AstralPool’s product offering, and AstralPool’s distribution through eight warehouses around Australia offers a unique opportunity to expand Price Chemicals’ market share.

Michael Price will continue in his current capacity as general manager. Price Chemicals was founded in 1984 by John and Wilma Price, and their main brand, Purex, is one of the oldest and most respect chemical brands in the swimming pool industry.

“Price Chemicals will continue their sales and relationships with their direct customers, however AstralPool’s network of more than 20 sales staff around Australia and in-house marketing team provides the opportunity to raise the profile of the Purex brand and bundle our equipment and chemical offering,” says Wallace.

“Lincoln Leisure will continue to distribute the chemicals as the current arrangement stands. However, the other distributor, Terry Megginson, has retired.”

Megginson had been in the industry for at least 30 years, working with Aqua Swim in the early 1980s before moving to Price Chemicals.

“Terry had been planning to retire at Christmas time,” says Wallace. “But he held off until we finalised the purchase. We wish him all the best in his retirement.”

Wallace says the attraction of Price Chemicals was its clever packaging and manufacturing processes which complement AstralPool’s own extensive equipment manufacturing in Melbourne.

“We will overlay our ERP system across Price Chemicals and concentrate on developing marketing and POS material for the Purex brand. This should be finalised and ready for release to the market by early May.

“Both Price Chemicals and AstralPool believe the acquisition offers the ability to improve our product and service offering to both companies’ customers and to further invest in production and product development.”