Made in Germany: How swimming pools are produced at Riviera Pool

Without a swimming pool there is no swimming enjoyment. One-piece pools made of plastic are in high demand. They are delivered ready from the factory and can be installed quickly in the garden at home. The pool manufacturer Riviera Pool is a pioneer in this field. Prefabricated pools made of glass fiber reinforced plastic (GRP) make pool dreams come true and have done so for many years. Key advantages include a wide range of shapes, colors, entry options and step designs. Exclusively for us, Riviera Pool opened the doors to its production facilities.

Pools made in Germany, this is the standard at Riviera Pool, headquartered in Dalum. For decades, the manufacturer of swimming pools, plunge pools and whirlpools has stood for strong design, high quality and reliable functionality. Values such as reliability and flexibility form the foundation, especially for premium products. Production takes place at the family-owned company Rengers in northern Germany as well as in Trnava, Slovakia, which has been part of the company for 30 years.

It all began with an idea, more precisely with the registration of the company Rengers Kunststoffe in 1964 in Dalum by the founders Gisela and Josef Rengers. To this day, epoxy acrylates are processed into pools at Rengers Kunststoffe and refined with a variety of built-in components before being transferred to Riviera Pool for distribution. All processes take place within the company’s own production facilities and contribute to a premium pool product that is installed by specialist pool builders.

The ability to deliver such projects has a clear foundation, experience, as the production manager explains. In addition, there is a high level of independence from external suppliers. At Riviera Pool, everything comes from a single source. Alongside plastic production, the company operates its own CNC department, a computer-controlled system for machining tools, as well as an in-house metal workshop. “This allows us to operate both in series production and with individual solutions for each customer,” emphasizes the management.

The materials and construction of the pools offer a wide range of possibilities. Acrylic glass was initially a trend from the USA, the potential of which Josef Rengers recognized as early as the 1970s. During the same decade, the first in-house thermoforming machine for the production of whirlpools was introduced. Quality standards increased, as did sales figures. This led to a strategic shift away from sourcing acrylic sheets from the American market towards regional suppliers.

At the beginning of the 1970s, the first prefabricated swimming pools made of glass fiber reinforced plastic (GRP), commonly referred to as polyester, entered the market. The glass fiber is applied to a mold as a woven mat or as a spray laminate, strengthening the material internally. By combining two materials, GRP unites the advantages of both, the chemical resistance of epoxy acrylate and the high structural strength of glass. This results in prefabricated pools that are watertight, highly weather-resistant and resistant to both frost and heat.

GRP materials are also lightweight and easy to shape, making them ideal for pool construction. The material is applied in several layers as a viscous substance onto a production mold and hardens there. This process is known as sandwich construction. Company founder Josef Rengers was the first manufacturer in 1970 to produce a one-piece plastic pool, introducing a fully watertight pool to the market.

The pool shells of Riviera Pool GRP pools consist of seven material layers, each with a specific function. The first two inner layers ensure a colorfast, easy-care and skin-friendly pool surface. The first high-density color carrier layer is available in various colors, is UV-resistant and resistant to many chemicals and cosmetics. The second layer, known as the fine cell layer, creates a smooth surface that is easy to maintain, as microorganisms cannot adhere to it. Layers three to five provide high resistance to osmosis due to their embedding in epoxy acrylate, preventing moisture from penetrating the material. The sixth layer serves as insulation and consists of rigid polyurethane foam, 30 millimeters in the base and 20 millimeters in the walls, ensuring effective thermal insulation. The seventh outer layer provides structural stability. Integrated rectangular steel tubes and a standing ledge give the pool maximum strength.

All technical components such as main drains, massage jets, installation shafts and support edges for roller covers and steps are specifically designed for Riviera Pool systems and are directly molded into the pool shell. This ensures complete watertightness even at these critical points. All components are installed at the factory.

Like an automobile, Riviera Pool pools are produced in series. The experience gained from thousands of manufactured pools continuously feeds into development and the refinement of details. Riviera Pool pools share another similarity with cars. Like purchasing a new vehicle, all pools can be individually configured as system pools. From a wide range of sizes, colors, step systems, handrails and functional technical features such as counter-current systems, massage jets or roller covers, each pool can be tailored to personal preferences. This results in hundreds of possible combinations, allowing a Riviera Pool to meet virtually any requirement in terms of design and function.