Bali Group buys Majestic Pools & Landscapes

Majestic Pools & Landscapes has been acquired by Bali Pools Group.

As part of the acquisition, Bali Pools gains the business names Majestic Pools & Landscapes and Majestic Constructions, the Majestic trademark, the majesticpools.com.au website, Majestic’s phone numbers and email addresses, as well as past current and prospective client lists, social media pages, intellectual property, awards and the pool and landscaping design portfolio.

One of Australia’s longest standing concrete pool builders, Queensland’s Majestic Pools & Landscapes suffered from a range of market conditions and saw declared revenues down considerably compared to the previous year. The company went into liquidation in July, and in August the liquidators offered the complete business for sale.

Bali Pools is a 22-year-old company that was founded by Daryl Knipe in 1997. Majestic Pools & Landscapes will fit into the premium end of Bali Group’s growing stable of brands, servicing Brisbane with the potential to also service the landscaping segment on the Gold Coast.

Knipe acted quickly after learning that Majestic had gone into liquidation.

“The day I heard, I contacted the liquidators and my lawyer sent through a proposal, and everything that was documented in SPLASH! was everything that I had offered – then they thought, hey we could sell this.”

Majestic Pools founder, Jack Jakovac, is staying on with the brand and will continue to head up the team of designers.

“Majestic’s always been known for their pool designs and we’re keeping the designers,” says Knipe. “Jack’s staying on as a design manager. His knowledge and the time he’s been in the industry is definitely an asset to us.

“Jack helped me out in the younger days in the early 2000s, after Michael Chapman introduced me to him, and I’ll never forget that help.

“I’d be disappointed if he’d be lost to the industry so that’s why we talked and said it’s not time for him to go, but to give back through his knowledge and design expertise. You can’t count out the amount of respect everyone’s got for him in the industry. He’s been a hard businessman for many years but the respect has always been there.”

Burgeoning portfolio of brands

The Bali Group now includes Bali Pools (high end Gold Coast), Cosy Pools (builders range Gold Coast), Majestic Pools & Landscapes (high end Brisbane) and North Brisbane Pools (builders range Brisbane), with all companies specialising in in-ground concrete pools.

Knipe says he purchased Majestic to build the Bali Group and to take it to another level.

“Everything that we’ve purchased is going to be used and utilised at its greatest – it’s definitely a vision.”

Cosy Pools had been operating for about five years on the Gold Coast and offered a standard pool builder range.

“They’re quality structural concrete builds at a reasonable price,” he says. “But the owners can’t change the designs. Bali Pools is at the premium end on the Gold Coast – more lush pools for entertaining and not just for the kids.”

He says that Bali Pools misses out on about 30 to 40 per cent of the market because of price, but in those instances they can direct potential clients to Cosy Pools. A similar situation will play out in Brisbane with Majestic Pools & Landscapes and North Brisbane Pools. Additionally, Majestic might pick up some work on the Gold Coast focussing on their design and landscaping expertise.

He says the Bali Group will continue to strive to acquire other quality pool companies that are struggling to sustain their businesses for a variety of reasons.

“I feel there’s definitely more on the horizon,” he says. “I’m looking for great companies that have got tired, are looking at closing up and walking away – and there’s a lot of them at the moment. A lot of people have been doing it for 40 years but have had enough, and at some time they’re going to close their doors, and I’m more than happy to sit down and discuss the future of the legacy they’ve built.”

More information on the purchase and Bali Pools’ plans will appear in the next printed edition of SPLASH!

Main photo caption: (L-R) Daryl Knipe director Bali Pools, Wipat Pannawong, house builder, Mark Knipe, Purapool and Ash Ryan Bali Pools supervisor