Our History

A lot has happened since 1971—read up on Playworld’s history
and see how our company has grown over the years.

1952

QE Manufacturing Company Opens Its Doors

Bob Miller (1st generation) starts a precision machine part manufacturing company in central PA.

1959

Our Passion for Play Is Born

We begin supplying products for other playground companies.

1971

Dale Miller Establishes Playworld Brand

Dale Miller (2nd generation) establishes his own commercial play equipment product line and begins to build a distributor network.

1977

We Begin Producing Wooden Play Structures

1985

We Reinvent the “Traditional” Play System

Q-Series (now Playmakers) becomes a safer, more durable, value-engineered post-and-platform playground system.

1985

Early Childhood Brand is Established

PlayDesigns (now PlayExplorers) is created to meet the developmental needs of children five and under, using details like texture, bright colors, lower steps and smaller handholds.

1987

Challengers Product Line is Introduced

A post-and-platform system is created specifically for smaller footprint playgrounds and modest budgets.

1993

New Plant Opens in New Berlin, PA

This facility later becomes the Playworld Rotomold plant.

1999

KaBOOM!
Partnership Begins

KaBOOM! is the national non-profit dedicated to giving all kids the childhood they deserve,
filled with balanced and active play, so they can thrive.

1999

Lewisburg Corporate

Headquarters is Established

2004

LifeTrail Brand is Introduced

A low-impact, functional fitness, outdoor wellness system is created to help older adults stay fit, prevent injury, and maintain an independent lifestyle.

2008

NEOS Brand is Established

An outdoor electronic playground is created to combine the appeal of video games with the explosive movement of aerobic exercise.

2009

Nature Play Products are Introduced

Super durable PolyFiberCrete material offers a lifelike look and feel for dino bones and boulders.

2010

ENERGI Total Body Fitness System Introduced

Determined to join the country in the fight against obesity, we design ENERGI to provide playful, progressively challenging exercises that support cardiovascular and muscular health.

2010

Let Kids Play! Partnership Begins

Playworld partners with Mara Kaplan, founder of Let Kids Play!, to optimize equipment for children with disabilities and increase efforts to create more inclusive playgrounds.

2011

PlaySimple Brand is Created

When budgets across many markets got tighter, we designed PlaySimple: an affordable line of professional-grade playground products.

2012

Playworld Introduces Proprietary Inclusive Play Design Guide

The guide was created by a cross-functional committee of child development, inclusive advocacy, landscape architecture and playground industry experts to offer inspiration and guidance in designing inclusive, outdoor playgrounds.

Download Your Copy

2014

Unity Collection is Introduced

The collection continues with twists on the classics of freestanding play—reimagined to promote even more interaction and cooperation.

2015

Play Sculpture is Invented

In an effort to rethink playground design and reunite communities in outdoor play, Playworld combined public art and play equipment to create its first play sculpture: PlayForm 7.

2016

Branch Out Gives New Life to Post-and-Platform

Branch Out offers the appealing scale and features of nature play in an efficient, open layout that creates endless new possibilities for post and platform playgrounds.

2016

PlayCubes are REintroduced by Playworld

Originally introduced in the 1960s by Architect Richard Dattner, an exclusive partnership between Dattner and Playworld gave new life to the once popular playground equipment.

2016

PlayPower® Acquires Playworld

PlayPower, Inc. is the world’s largest, fully integrated manufacturer of commercial playground equipment, shade structures, and floating dock systems and lifts for boats and personal water craft.

2018

infiNET Makes Its Debut

Our hybrid “netform” solution with dynamic climbing challenges and barrier-free platform nets welcomes kids of all ages and skill levels to explore and conquer new territories together.

2019

ModPods

ModPods are designed to be more challenging than a flat plane climber, bringing kids together in an imaginative play space that invites exploration. Branch Out Anchors connect to Branch Out via rope or flex tread. Constructed of mixed materials that inspire imaginative play, Branch Out Anchors features complex rung and rope patterns providing climbing path variety.

2020

PlayCubes® Extensions & Sky Towers®

PlayCubes extensions are exciting elements that add challenge and varied climbing paths to any PlayCubes structure. Sky Towers provide an exhilarating play experience that engages the senses while giving children the thrill of height with the comfort of the enclosure.

2021

Playworld Introduces New Components

Our new components bring a unique aesthetic and unmatched play value to the Challengers and Playmakers product lines. Choose from exciting climbers, incredible slides, stunning sensory shades, and even an a-maze-ing cozy space to add distinctive flare to your next project!

Learn More

2022

Playworld Introduces Ropescapes

Inspired by locations around the globe, Ropescapes use dynamic rope structures such as Quito and Naica to unite communities through challenging, worldly adventures.

Today

Our team is constantly seeking new ways to break the mold, using quality, innovative equipment to strengthen the bonds of your community through play.

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