Company History

Believe it or not, our company didn’t always make playgrounds. Our family first opened its doors in 1952 as QE Manufacturing Company, producing precision machine parts. Seven years later, we began supplying products to other playground companies. As our reputation as a quality supplier grew, so did our passion for play. We realized that play was simply too important a cause to ignore.

Playworld Systems is born

So in 1971, we introduced our own brand of commercial playground products and became Playworld Systems. We’ve spent the last 40 years refining the world’s best play experiences, one playground at a time. Today we’re able to provide play opportunities for people of all ages and abilities, with products like PlayDesigns early childhood equipment and the LifeTrail Advanced Wellness System for older, active adults.

A history of industry-leading work

From making the most durable, environmentally safe materials possible to training our authorized representatives to deliver the very best local support, we lead the industry. We’re proud recipients of countless awards and certifications including:

• The International Industrial Awards Gold Medal
• The Early Childhood Directors’ Choice Award
• The International Design Magazine Gold Medal
• The Recreation Resources Editors' Choice Awards for Safety Excellence
• The Pennsylvania Governor’s Award for Safety Excellence
• 100 Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania six times since 2001

Taking play around the world

Believing that play is a fundamental right of all people, we’ve set out to bring play to communities around the world. We opened our first international offices in Herefordshire, England and Paris, France in 1996 and 2001 respectively. Through these offices, we manage a network of global representatives throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and South America. We’ve also joined forces with partners like KaBOOM!, the non-profit leader in community-built playgrounds, to bring play to the communities that need it most.

Three generations of local pride

Though Playworld Systems is global in size, we remain loyal to our roots. Now in our third generation of family ownership, we’re still headquartered in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, and 95% of our suppliers are within driving distance of our facilities. In this way, we can continue to give back, with rewarding jobs and economic opportunities for the communities and families that have always supported us.