Ongoing aquatic inflatable innovations from Aflex

Having achieved many notable firsts in its more than 20 years in business, New Zealand-based Aflex technology continues to created unique designs for the Australian, New Zealand and international market.

Innovating and manufacturing to deliver the best solutions for their customers one example of their ingenuity is their aquatic inflatable ‘re-entry pod’, introduced in 2013.

Ensuring a quick, easy and safe entry onto inflatable aquatic play features from the water, the re-entry pod is now incorporated into the design of Aflex aquatic play structures and has been widely adopted by other companies in the sector.

In the fledging stage of the Aflex business, Managing Director Martin Stratford designed many innovative concepts and PVC products before settling on specialising in aquatic inflatables.

Examples of this innovation includes a free standing collapsible Monsoon bucket for the fire fighting industry, designed and developed by Stratford after requests from helicopter pilots for solutions to have a collapsible yet free standing bucket for a quicker response time to fire fighting and easier water filling.

This patented product was a world first in the industry at the time.

Another innovation was the SIMB (self inflating marker buoy) for yacht racing events.

Stratford, a yacht racing official in Nelson, developed the SIMB as a solution for yacht racing when laying marks for yachting regattas and for Olympic trials back in 2000.

The full collapsible buoy, which requires no pumps, valves or gas bottles, replaced the need to use conventional large sealed buoys when setting an accurate yacht racing course.

The SIMB also means that small chase boats no longer need to spend extra time and effort setting courses when vessels can only carry a limited number of buoys.

Aflex’s collapsible buoys are still a popular product sold today.

Inflatable signage walls, as used by the Waikato Chiefs Super Rugby team - a safe soft inflatable barrier offering over 210 metres of sponsors’ signage space are another Aflex innovation.

One of Aflex’s latest installations has been for the Adrenaline Adventure Park, which opened in Northland on 4th November. A first for the area and already a very popular attraction, the aquatic playground is located in a beautiful bush setting with camping accommodation.

Measuring 32 metres x 28 metres with 13 exciting and challenging pieces, the Park has proved extremely popular since opening and operator Cody Rouse planning to add further modules in the future.

Other significant recent installations have included the Plantation Island Resort, Fiji, opened in early 2016, to which new Aflex modules have recently been added and a new installation in Oman

Throughout its years of innovation, Aflex has also consistently supported the development of industry safety standards.

As Stratford explains “I have always been very aware about safety aspects when designing my inflatable products.

“To that end, I am keen to see industry safety standards setting an awareness for individuals to measure themselves against, when designing, managing or purchasing aqua fun inflatables.” 

Click here to contact Aflex Technology via their listing in the Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory.

Images: The Adrenaline Adventure Park (top), Aflex's self inflating marker buoy (middle) and its Monsoon fire fighting bucket (below).

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