Fibar

What Fibar does

Fibar is a privately-held North American playground safety surfacing supplier headquartered in Armonk, New York, and operated as a subsidiary of PlayCore Wisconsin, Inc. The company manufactures and distributes Engineered Wood Fiber (EWF) systems, sold under tiered SKUs FibarSystem 100, 200, and 300, that meet ASTM F2075 particle-size and metal-content standards and ASTM F1292 impact-attenuation criteria. The premium System 300 tier incorporates a patented drainage system backed by a 25-year performance guarantee and contributes up to 14 LEED points when combined with qualifying site features.

The company has expanded beyond its original EWF franchise into poured-in-place (PIP) rubber surfacing under the FlexGround by Fibar brand, offering two-layer systems using EPDM and TPV rubber granules with UV stabilizers and EN-71, EPA 1633, and ASTM F3496 compliance for heavy metals, PFAS, and PAHs. Both product lines carry IPEMA third-party certification and ASTM F1951 wheelchair-accessibility compliance (passing at 7.1% work values or less). Fibar sells through a quote-based direct sales motion targeting municipalities, K-12 schools, and nonprofit partners, supplemented by CADdetails specifications for design professionals, an EWF project calculator, and a PIP color-mixer design tool. Over 40 years of operation the company has completed more than 100,000 playground installations across the US and Canada.

The revenue model is one-time product sale plus recurring professional services: large-truck delivery and installation of EWF systems, PIP installation projects, FibarQuick blower-truck top-off services typically engaged after three years of use, and PIP repair kit sales. Distribution is asset-heavy, utilizing 70-foot delivery trucks with automatic live-floor unloading. Strategic partnerships include a longstanding collaboration with KaBOOM! for community-build projects, IPEMA membership, and ownership integration with PlayCore Wisconsin, Inc., a Chattanooga-based recreation industry consolidator. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and varies by tier, warranty length, and project scope.

Name

Fibar

Legal name

PlayCore Wisconsin, Inc.

Website

https://fibar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fibar is a privately-held playground safety surfacing supplier headquartered in Armonk, NY, and operated by PlayCore Wisconsin, Inc. It manufactures engineered wood fiber and poured-in-place rubber surfacing systems serving municipalities, schools, and nonprofit partners across North America, with 100,000+ installations over 40 years.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Armonk

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Engineered Wood Fiber Sales: Sale of Fibar Engineered Wood Fiber products, including FibarSystem 100, 200, and 300 packages with varying warranty terms. Products are delivered via large trucks with automatic live-floor system or blower trucks.
2. Poured-in-Place Rubber Surfacing: Sale of FlexGround poured rubber surfacing systems including EPDM and TPV options. Includes professional installation with customizable color designs.
3. Maintenance and Top-Off Services: FibarQuick blower truck service for top-off deliveries and maintenance. Installations typically require top-offs after three years of use.
4. Repair Kit Sales: Poured-in-Place repair kits sold for wear course repairs, including pre-selected color rubber granules, urethane binder, tools, and gloves.
5. Surfacing Accessories: Sales of FibarMat Wear Mats, FibarGuard Playground Borders, and Access Ramps for playground installations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Fibar manufactures and distributes playground safety surfacing systems built primarily on Engineered Wood Fiber (EWF) and Poured-in-Place (PIP) rubber. The company sells tiered surfacing systems — FibarSystem 100, 200, and 300 — plus the FlexGround PIP line, alongside matching accessories (wear mats, borders, wheelchair access ramps) and maintenance services such as the FibarQuick Top-Off and Blower Truck installation. Offerings are targeted at schools, municipalities, parks and recreation departments, and design/construction professionals who specify, purchase, and install recreational surfacing under U.S. safety standards.

Product overview

Fibar is a playground safety surfacing company offering two primary product lines: Engineered Wood Fiber (EWF) surfacing systems and Poured-In-Place (PIP) rubber surfacing. The EWF line includes three tiers—FibarSystem 100, 200, and 300—each offering different levels of drainage and warranty coverage, with System 300 as the premium option featuring a patented drainage system and 25-year warranty. The PIP line is branded as FlexGround, offering EPDM and TPV rubber options in a two-layer system. The portfolio is complemented by accessories including wear mats, playground borders, access ramps, repair kits, and digital tools such as a project calculator and color mixer. Fibar also provides maintenance services including the FibarQuick blower truck top-off service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FlexGround by Fibar: Poured-in-place rubber surfacing brand offering EPDM and TPV rubber granules for playground safety surfaces.

Products and services

• FibarSystem 100 — Engineered Wood Fiber (EWF) The base tier of Fibar's proprietary Engineered Wood Fiber (EWF) playground safety surfacing system, designed to meet ASTM, IPEMA, and CPSC standards for fall attenuation and accessibility. Sold to municipalities, schools, and contractors for use under public and institutional playground equipment.
• FibarSystem 200 — Engineered Wood Fiber (EWF) Mid-tier Engineered Wood Fiber playground surfacing system positioned above FibarSystem 100, delivering enhanced performance characteristics for fall attenuation and accessibility. Targeted at the same municipal, school, and commercial playground buyers seeking a step up from the base system.
• FibarSystem 300 — Engineered Wood Fiber (EWF) with Patented Drainage Premium Engineered Wood Fiber surfacing system that integrates Fibar's patented drainage / filter cloth system for sub-surface water management, supporting compliance with ASTM F1292 and ASTM F1951 standards. Specified for high-performance public, school, and inclusive playgrounds where long service life and drainage are priorities.
• FlexGround Poured-In-Place (PIP) Rubber Surfacing Two-layer Poured-In-Place rubber playground surfacing system offered in EnduraFlex TPV and Standard EPDM formulations, installed over a prepared sub-base. Sold to municipalities, schools, and contractors as an alternative to Engineered Wood Fiber where a unitary rubber surface is specified.
• Poured-In-Place (PIP) Repair Kit A packaged repair kit for Fibar FlexGround Poured-In-Place rubber surfacing, used to patch worn or damaged areas and extend the service life of installed PIP systems. Sold to existing owners/operators of Fibar PIP installations for on-site maintenance.
• FibarMat Wear Mats Heavy-duty wear mats designed to be installed beneath high-traffic playground equipment (such as swings and slide exits) to reduce displacement and wear of surrounding Engineered Wood Fiber surfacing. Sold as a complementary accessory to Fibar EWF systems.
• FibarGuard Playground Borders Borders engineered to retain Engineered Wood Fiber playground surfacing within the play area and provide a clean, finished edge. Sold as an accessory paired with FibarSystem EWF installations to contain loose-fill material.
• Fibar Wheelchair Access Ramp ADA-oriented access ramp designed to provide wheelchair and mobility-device access onto Fibar playground surfacing systems, supporting compliance with ASTM F1951 accessibility standards. Sold to playground owners and contractors as part of inclusive playground build-outs.
• FibarQuick Top-Off Service Recurring maintenance and replenishment service that adds fresh Engineered Wood Fiber to existing Fibar playgrounds to restore surface depth and fall-attenuation performance after years of use. Sold to owners of existing Fibar EWF installations as a scheduled service.
• FibarQuick Blower Truck Installation Service On-site pneumatic installation of Engineered Wood Fiber via Fibar's dedicated blower truck fleet, delivering and blowing EWF directly into playground areas. Sold as a turnkey installation service to new construction and renovation projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 14 LEED points achievable with FibarSystem 300 (8 points independently, up to 14 combined with building/landscape features)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KaBOOM!coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partnership with KaBOOM!, a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring all children have access to play. Fibar provides playground safety surfacing while KaBOOM! focuses on playground construction and community engagement. Fibar is consistently supportive and responsive in delivering quality surfacing and customer service.
• IPEMAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProud member of IPEMA (International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association). IPEMA provides third-party certification to ensure product conformance to specific ASTM and/or CSA standards.
• CAD DetailsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCAD Details Design Hub partnership provides design professionals with CAD drawings, specifications, brochures, and related documents for Fibar products.
• PlayCorecoreOthersFibar is owned by PlayCore Wisconsin, Inc., headquartered in Chattanooga, TN. PlayCore is a major recreation industry company.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Robertson Industries: Direct peer in poured-in-place rubber playground surfacing with IPEMA-certified systems for parks and schools. Comparable in product technology, safety compliance, and institutional buyer relationships.
• Zeager Bros. Direct peer manufacturing engineered wood fiber playground surfacing and related recreational surfacing products. Competes head-to-head in the same loose-fill EWF category with similar IPEMA certification and school/municipal GTM.
• No Fault Sport Group: Direct peer providing poured-in-place rubber playground and athletic surfacing, including running tracks and sport courts. Comparable PIP technology, IPEMA certification, and municipal/school customer base.
• SofSurfaces: Direct peer in poured-in-place rubber playground surfacing, offering two-layer PIP systems with EPDM/TPV wear courses. Competes most directly with Fibar's FlexGround line on price, color options, and IPEMA certification.
• Surface America: Direct competitor offering engineered wood fiber and poured-in-place playground safety surfacing to municipalities, schools, and parks. Directly comparable product lines, IPEMA-certified systems, and quote-based sales motion targeting the same buyers.
• GT Impax: Direct peer manufacturing playground safety surfacing including engineered wood fiber, poured-in-place rubber, and bonded rubber systems. Competes across both of Fibar's core product lines with similar ASTM/IPEMA compliance positioning.

Broad incumbents

• PlayCore: Parent company of Fibar and a broad incumbent in the recreation and playground equipment industry. Comparable because it shares customer base (municipalities, schools) and bundles surfacing with broader playground solutions, though it operates at a portfolio level rather than specializing in surfacing.
• GameTime: Broad incumbent in commercial playground equipment with deep municipal and school relationships. Comparable customer overlap; while GameTime focuses on play structures rather than surfacing, it competes in turnkey playground proposals where surfacing is a co-specified component.
• Kompan: Broad incumbent in commercial playground and fitness equipment serving municipalities and schools globally. Comparable end-customers, though Kompan's primary focus is play structures and outdoor fitness rather than safety surfacing.

Regional players

• PlaygroundEquipment.com (PEPCO): Emerging/regional player in playground equipment and surfacing distribution across the U.S. Comparable in targeting municipalities and schools with combined equipment and surfacing packages, though distribution-led rather than manufacturing-led like Fibar.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fibar