Filter Kings

Waterco sees growth in the U.S. with high-tech filters and quality service

When the residential pool industry saw a surge of growth during the pandemic, Waterco leaped at the chance to take advantage of the opportunity. Thanks to increased U.S. production and the ability to pull products from manufacturing facilities in five other countries, Waterco acquired new residential pool customers by providing filters when parts were scarce.

“Waterco in North America is on an aggressive growth curve,” says Marchal DePasquale, Waterco’s Americas division president. “We were experiencing a growth period before the pandemic, so our raw material purchases increased prior to the pandemic. Residential pool customers gave us a chance to service them when our competitors were unable to fulfill their orders in 2021. Fortunately, our product quality and value proposition resonated, creating a new loyal customer base.”

As with most filter systems, Waterco focuses on two types: media and cartridge. But the company stands out for many customers with a vast array of filter sizes, media and related accessories for commercial and residential pools, as well as aquaculture and water treatment systems.

However, the 40-year-old company may be most known for fiberglass commercial pool filters, DePasquale says. While he notes many companies are beginning to diversify into commercial pool filtration systems, Waterco is ahead of the curve with filtration types and sizes to meet the needs of any size commercial pool.

Dustin Anderson, CEO of Precision Aquatics, works with filtration systems from various companies. Anderson’s company services only commercial swimming pools in the San Diego metro. He is impressed with Waterco’s variety of products and, even more so, the company’s “technically sound” and “very responsive” professionals, he says.

“They are filter people,” Anderson says. “I think filters are in their DNA. They know everything about not only flow rates and things required and ideal for their filters, but they know the technical parts of how their filters are built and why their product and their process is superior to others.”

They are filter people. I think filters are in their DNA.

Dustin Anderson, Precision Aquatics

Waterco manufactures fiberglass commercial filters in top-mount, side-mount and horizontal configuration. The company touts its one-piece, seamless fiberglass vessels as superior to traditional steel filters because they are more lightweight and resistant to rust, corrosion and damage from water-treatment chemicals.

Anderson credits Waterco sales manager Tim Acevedo for educating him on the best filters for all his commercial clients. Anderson finds the commercial pool industry needs lots of options, and Waterco meets those needs.

“Filtration will make or break us in the commercial business,” Anderson says. “Commercial swimming pools have a wider variety of needs or variables when it comes to filter sizing and application. In my small bubble in San Diego, we have 10-15 different types and sizes of filters in the commercial world. And that number’s growing, thanks to Waterco.”

Waterco offers additional systems to clarify pool water. The Trimline Leaf Trapper collects large amounts of leaves and other large debris, and the award-winning Multicyclone Centrifugal Filter catches finer particles before they enter the filter. 

The Multicyclone Filter is used as the first stage in a dual-stage filtration system that includes a traditional media filter. With no required media or moving parts, the Multicyclone Filter catches particles as small as 5 microns, reducing the filter’s workload by a minimum of four times. The Multicyclone is also a good option for special designs, such as waterfalls and negative edge features, DePasquale says.