The evolution of water games: WIBIT aquaparks

An exclusive interview with Jacques Casanova, co-founder of CDLD, a company specializing in equipment for leisure bases and distributor of the WIBIT brand.

Jacques Casanova talks to you about the company, the products and therefore the WIBIT parks, the advantages of opting for an inflatable structure on its nautical base, whether on a body of water or in a swimming pool. WIBIT will have no more secrets for you.

My name is Jacques Casanova. I founded this firm with my wife over 25 years ago, which was initially specialized in leisure center gear.

Yes, even if it was not called WIBIT at the time, it was AVIVA Sports. But we weren’t exclusive. The materials offered by AVIVA Sports were not as successful as the current materials which are very elaborate today.

Nous sommes donc des spécialistes d’équipements de bases de loisir. Puis depuis une douzaine d’années étant devenus le distributeur exclusif de la marque WIBIT, nous avons décidé de nous consacrer principalement à la distribution des matériels de ce fabricant.
Aujourd’hui, nous pouvons dire que c’est 90 % de notre activité. Le reste étant une proposition périphérique au parc, c’est-à-dire le balisage, des paddles, des canoës-kayaks, ou, pour des raisons historiques, les équipements de sécurité, de surveillance et de signalisation des baignades.

In two sectors:

• bodies of water. Authorizations at sea, in France, are currently prohibited.
• and then the swimming pools.

Today, more than 400 swimming pools are equipped.

We try to accompany them, sometimes it goes very far. For example, we sometimes discuss with banks, local authorities and State services.

Our job is to help them succeed.

Before they buy, we meet them to advise them, make sure that the prerequisites, which are numerous, are validated, and even if it is appropriate to settle, etc. Then we see them for installation. And following the purchase, we try to follow them regularly. On the one hand, to bring them our know-how because by seeing all our operators, we collect information on how to work well and we pass this information on to them. And they themselves provide us with extremely useful information which then enables WIBIT to improve its offer year after year.

We have extremely close ties with WIBIT, which is a German company. That is to say that we are in contact fifteen times a day with them. In Germany, there are two people who speak French who only work for us.

At first it was perhaps due to chance. We had met them at a boat show. And since we were specialized in basic leisure equipment and WIBIT offered a completely innovative concept in this field, inflatable water parks, we naturally came together.

And then over time, and with exclusivity, several factors have consolidated this partnership over time. The first factor is that we are incredibly lucky: Germany is very close to France. This facilitates relations and after-sales service. Besides, I think I can say that we have the same state of mind as WIBIT, that is to say that of course we have to sell, but that’s not what motivates us. >

What motivates us is to make our customers succeed because our pleasure and our vocation is to help them succeed.</strong >

Last but not least, the WIBIT parks “still have very good equipment” which is constantly evolving. It seems simple when you see inflatables, you think they are comparable to land inflatables, but this is not the case. It’s much more complex. They have to be designed, produced and tested on numerous prototypes, they have to be offered at a suitable price and certified. Finally, we must ensure its distribution in all the countries of the world.

Finally, thanks to a shared spirit with WIBIT, I think I can say that we are very good in after-sales service. You can request confirmation from our customers.

1. WIBIT is one of the best providers, although some think that Wibit is equivalent to other offers.

2. Accompaniment. We don’t just sell parks, we support all our customers 1 to 2 years before and for all the years that follow.

3. Our parks are designed so that each customer can develop their park. At the beginning, they start with the means they have and with the potential they imagine. WIBIT parks are designed to optimize the development of the park without having to redo everything.

4. Wibit parks offer organized areas that allow people of different ages and physical abilities to always have fun by being able to choose, of course, the most suitable area or areas. From 6 years old and up, by knowing how to swim, everyone can have fun!
Each park is made up of successive modules offering highly studied kinetics of speed, balance, obstacles and challenges. It’s not just modules juxtaposed randomly according to each person’s preferences.
Some make very high modules,

WIBIT could make them, he is the creator of the concept.

We don’t do it because it’s not useful and often even accident-prone.
In addition, users need rest areas for parents and grandparents because WIBIT parks are family friendly. And unlike what happens on a land playground, where parents, grandparents watch the child play, they can play with the child on the park. And so share a recreational moment together.

5. And finally, can I do a little complacency? I believe we are doing well. Feedback from our customers and friends confirms this impression.

WIBIT is also the largest water park in the world, located in Indonesia.

The profitability of a park is generally very fast, but it depends on multiple factors that we analyze with all project leaders.

Among these factors is the search for optimal geometry.

The park generally reaches its geometry after 3-4-5 years, but depending on the dynamics of the sites, we see changes 7-8 to 10 years later. Our work as a distributor consists of working constantly with our customers to strive for this optimization.

We have observed, in some cases, a doubling of park attendance following this type of recomposition.

If a park does not evolve for 10 years, this creates a phenomenon of wear, of the look and of use.

Profitability also depends on any critical points in the business plan: fixed purchase costs, the chalet, safety equipment, site layout, rent, payroll, etc.

And we look at all that. We have developed an operating account based on 10 years of experience. We forecast hour by hour, day by day. And that includes, for example, weather rates.

Our goal is to get as close to the truth as possible.

We are also seeing surprising successes in sites that I even had myself, yet not recommended for project leaders. I would say that on average the good investment for the first purchase is around 100,000 euros including 85,000 euros for the park, and 15,000 euros for installation costs.

We provide all information, tutorials, POSS, blueprints.

For an initial investment of 100,000 euros, the turnover is generally equal to the investment.</ blockquote>

There are currently around a hundred WIBIT parks in France.

Christine and I work together, it’s our company, we created it. And it is a joy for us to work for WIBIT.
We are passionate about helping project leaders succeed, accompanying them, flying three times, renting a car, a hotel, … is time-consuming, expensive, but it is the success of our customers that motivates us.