UNEXPECTED INVITATION — Bill Cable, who operates Austin Lake RV Park and Cabins in Toronto, had the opportunity to visit Bocholt, Germany in January. Cable, along with his son,Corporate Secretary and Treasurer Austin Cable, accepted an invitation from Commercial Recreation Specialists in Verona, Wis., to tour the Wibit Sports GmbH corporation in Germany. The Wisconsin business is one of the few places in the United States that sells Wibit products and noted because the Cables are such good customers, they were asked to participate in the company’s annual meeting as top-tier customers. -- Contributed

TORONTO — It isn’t too often one gets invited to take a tour of the world’s largest and most popular water inflatable company.

However, that is exactly what happened to one local family, a family whose roots run deep in the heart of Toronto.

Bill Cable, along with his son, Austin, recently packed their bags and traded the familiar rolling hills of Jefferson County for the innovative landscape of Bocholt, Germany.

Cable, who operates one of top-rated parks and campgrounds in the country — Austin Lake RV Park and Cabins — and Austin, the business’s corporate secretary and treasurer, traveled across the Atlantic specifically to tour the Wibit Sports GmbH corporation.

The January trip was an experience Cable described as being a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for which he remains incredibly grateful.

TOURING HEADQUARTERS — Bill Cable of Austin Lake RV Park and Cabins in Toronto had the opportunity to tour the headquarters of Wibit Sports GmbH in Bocholt, Germany, in January. The invitation provided a great learning experience of the Wibit products Cable purchases for his guests. Austin Lake has one of the largest Wibit inflatable water courses in the state. -- Contributed

Austin echoed his father’s sentiment, noting the pride he felt in his family being selected as one of the few representatives from the United States to attend such a prestigious international gathering.

Yet, the invitation did not come by chance.

It was rather earned through more than a decade-spanning partnership with Pat Whalen, a senior product sales specialist for Commercial Recreation Specialists of Verona, Wis.

Cable noted Commercial Recreation Specialists is one of the few companies in the United States that sells the Wibit products.

Whalen, who has been with his company for 11 years, pointed out that Austin Lake was already investing in Wibit’s signature inflatable obstacle course pieces well before he even stepped into his role.

Wibit Sports GmbH President Romann Rademacher, above, led a tour of the company’s headquarters during its annual meeting for those in attendance. This is the first year top-tier customers of the Wibit products were invited to be a part of the meeting, with Austin Lake RV Park and Cabins’ Bill Cable and Austin Cable, below, invited as special guests. Throughout most of the company’s 30 years in business, Austin Lake has purchased more than 40 Wibit pieces for its guests. -- Contributed

As a distributor for more than 300 vendors, Whalen’s focus remains heavily on water-related products.

He is the first to admit his biggest successes come from selling Wibits.

Whalen considers the Cables to be more than just his clients, describing them as some of his best and most experienced customers.

In fact, Whalen noted that among all the attendees on the trip, no one possessed more hands-on experience with the products than the Cables did.

And they should, as Austin Lake RV Park and Cabins has been utilizing the German-engineered equipment for much of the 30 years the company has been in existence.

Austin Lake RV Park and Cabins has more than 40 Wibit pieces which connect and form an inflatable floating obstacle course … one of the largest in Ohio.

The course includes a climbing wall, hurdles, slides, a trapeze, swing, balance beam and trampoline.

Additional progress has been made to the course, including a new Match Ball Wibit added last year.

This particular piece allows guests a chance to take part in some friendly competition on the water by using the inflatable as a challenge with two swaying balls to try to knock off their opponent.

A Match Ball Arena is being ordered for the summer and will be added to the course.

The addition will include four extra balls and a balance beam to make the competition accessible to more guests.

Bill explained families come from Pennsylvania to specifically utilize the Wibit course, as it provides hours of entertainment and offers users an excellent workout.

Known as the “Cadillac” of water inflatables, Wibit decided this year to do something a little different for its annual corporate meeting at its Bocholt headquarters, which is the central hub for the company’s operations.

While the event typically hosts engineers, landscape architects and internal employees, this marked the first year the company opened its doors to its top-tier customers.

The goal was to provide a behind-the-scenes look at the “evolution of water” and offer a platform for those who use the products daily to interact with the people who design them.

Whalen knew the Cables just had to be there, and he extended the invitation.

The sales specialist explained Bill was a perfect fit for the meeting because he remained “an engaged and active participant” throughout the sessions, with Austin showing the same level of dedication.

The atmosphere in Germany was one of high-level business and genuine camaraderie, as the Wibit offices are uniquely designed to resemble a soccer stadium.

The design stems from co-owners’ Romann Rademacher and Robert Cirjak’s history as professional soccer players.

Their shared passion for the sport led them to explore the potential of inflatable water attractions, which they later transformed into floating waterparks.

Located in 100 countries world-wide, Wibit first began in 1997, with its main facility in Bocholt.

The headquarters features a large and meticulous creating room, a VIP lounge, a trophy case which displays all of the business’s awards, an oversized swimming pool for testing products and a pictorial timeline of the company throughout the years.

The timeline reflects the company’s core values: Innovative thinking, doing it right, being a reasonable business partner and, perhaps most importantly, making people happy.

“This was big-time corporate research to bring back to Jefferson County,” Cable said of the learning experience.

He stated while there, he was able to learn specialized proper maintenance techniques and had an opportunity to view the company’s upcoming projects.

Austin found great value in the educational aspect of the trip, saying how exciting it was to learn about premier product innovation firsthand.

His opportunity to discover the history behind the company, tour the offices, see how new products are created, learn safety aspects and find out the construction’s quality, made the trip well worth it, he said.

Austin explained there were various networking sessions, including participating in creative workshops where they were broken into smaller teams, given art supplies and tasked with designing the ultimate inflatable piece within a set time limit.

This collaborative spirit allowed the company to gather vital feedback on construction quality and why customers choose their brand.

The trip wasn’t all boardroom discussions, however.

There was plenty of “research” to be done in the water as well, according to Cable, who said he found himself at the corporate aquatic center testing out new pieces in a massive indoor pool built specifically for testing and innovation.

Despite the professional setting, Cable took to the equipment with the enthusiasm of a teenager, jumping, sliding and climbing as officials captured video of the fun, Whalen commented.

Whalen remarked how everyone was amazed by his energy, noting he tackled the course as if he were 16 years old.

But the five-day journey wasn’t all about business. It provided a bit of personal celebration, as well.

The Cables were able to visit the International Boat and Yacht Show in Düsseldorf. In a small-world twist, they even ran into a few acquaintances while overseas.

The trip took on a festive tone as they celebrated Austin’s 47th birthday with German friends.

To Pat Whalen, the relationship between the Cables and his company transcends just simple transactions. He remarked how they have become true friends who feel more like family.

Whalen called Austin Lake the “epitome of what business is about.”

He praised the family’s constant feedback, along with their sweet nature.

As Bill and Austin returned home to Toronto, they brought back more than just memories.

They two brought with them a global perspective and “big-time corporate research” to make their guests visit to Austin Lake a better one,

The experience proved that even a local 1,300-acre park and campground can have a significant influence on the international stage.