Action Play Systems
Action Play Systems is a private North Carolina manufacturer of commercial playground equipment — playground borders, ADA ramps, wear mats, GaGa ball pits, sandboxes, and TripleShoot — sold exclusively through a nationwide network of playground equipment dealers serving schools, municipalities, churches, and recreation facilities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersCornelius, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Action Play Systems does
Action Play Systems, LLC is a Cornelius, North Carolina-based manufacturer of commercial playground products, founded in March 2011 and operating as a privately held LLC with 11-50 employees. The company produces a focused catalog of seven product lines: playground borders (available in 8" and 12" heights), modular ADA-accessible ramp systems, rubber wear mats for high-traffic areas (swing, slide, and spinner applications), GaGa ball pits in standard, premium ADA-gated, and portable GaGa2Go configurations, GaGa pit rubber flooring kits, sandboxes in three sizes, and TripleShoot ball-game equipment. Core structural products are manufactured from 100% recycled plastic in the USA and carry a 10-year limited warranty; the company holds two US patents (utility Patent #716,113 and Design Patent D732,357) covering a built-in surfacing guide on its playground borders.
The business is exclusively wholesale: Action Play Systems sells only through a nationwide network of playground equipment dealers and distributors, who in turn supply schools, municipalities, churches, and recreation facilities. The company does not sell directly to end users and does not publicly disclose pricing, instead operating on a quote-based model through dealer relationships, several of which it states have persisted for over 25 years. Distribution is supported by two physical facilities — the Cornelius, NC headquarters and a secondary distribution center in Texas opened in 2025 — with the stated objective of maintaining stocked inventory for on-time delivery nationwide.
Operationally, the company positions itself as the largest independent supplier of playground borders, ADA ramps, and GaGa pits, differentiating on patented safety-surfacing features, modular design for faster installation, recycled material inputs, and inventory reliability rather than on software, AI, or direct-to-consumer channels. Leadership is concentrated under President & General Manager Steven Mull; no institutional funding, acquisitions, or parent company relationships are disclosed.
Action Play Systems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Action Play Systems
- Legal name
- Action Play Systems, LLC
- Website
- https://actionplaysystems.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Action Play Systems is a private North Carolina manufacturer of commercial playground equipment — playground borders, ADA ramps, wear mats, GaGa ball pits, sandboxes, and TripleShoot — sold exclusively through a nationwide network of playground equipment dealers serving schools, municipalities, churches, and recreation facilities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Action Play Systems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Playground Equipment
- NAICS
- Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (339930)
- SIC
- Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Early Childhood & Playground Equipment (Play Structures, Soft Play, Safety Surfacing) (EDAEAIAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Outdoor Play & Sports Toys Distribution (CRAOAMAG)
Keywords
Where Action Play Systems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cornelius
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Action Play Systems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Commercial Playground Equipment Sales: One-time hardware sales of commercial playground products including borders, ADA ramps, wear mats, GaGa ball pits, sandboxes, and TripleShoot equipment. Sold exclusively through distributors to schools, municipalities, churches, and recreation facilities.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Action Play Systems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Action Play Systems manufactures commercial playground products made primarily from 100% recycled plastic, including playground borders with a patented surfacing guide, modular ADA wheelchair-accessible ramps, rubber wear mats, GaGa ball pits (in-ground, premium, and portable GaGa2Go), GaGa pit flooring kits, sandboxes, and TripleShoot game equipment. The company sells exclusively through a nationwide network of distributors/dealers who supply schools, municipalities, churches, and recreation facilities.
Product overview
Action Play Systems is a premier manufacturer of commercial playground products sold exclusively through a nationwide network of distributors. The company offers a focused portfolio of seven core product lines: playground borders with patented surfacing guides and snap-in-spikes, ADA-compliant wheelchair-accessible ramp systems, wear mats for high-traffic areas including swing, slide, and spinner applications, GaGa Ball Pits in three configurations (standard in-ground, premium with ADA gate, and portable GaGa2Go), GaGa Pit Flooring Kits for in-ground installations, sandboxes in three sizes, and TripleShoot ball game equipment. The products are designed to make playground maintenance easier by reducing wear on high-traffic areas and helping maintain proper safety surfacing depths. All products are manufactured in the USA from recycled materials and carry a 10-year limited warranty.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- GaGa2Go: Portable GaGa Ball Pit - can be used indoors or outdoors, easy to install and dismantle, stores in 30 x 48 x 25 inches area
- APS
Products and services
- APS Playground Borders (APS-Border8, APS-Border12)
Companies that use Action Play Systems
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Action Play Systems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Action Play Systems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Action Play Systems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BCI Burke: Fond du Lac, WI-based commercial playground and recreation equipment manufacturer with a comparable dealer-channel GTM and overlapping K-12 / park customer base.
- Little Tikes Commercial: Commercial division of MGA Entertainment producing commercial-grade playground equipment for schools, childcares, and municipalities. Competes in the same B2B-buyer playground category.
- Robertson Industries: Manufacturer and installer of playground surfacing, borders, and accessibility/accessory products. The most directly comparable peer on the playground-borders and surfacing-adjacent categories where APS's patents reside.
- Landscape Structures: Delano, MN-based manufacturer of commercial playground equipment serving schools, parks, and municipalities. Most directly comparable to APS as a US commercial-playground vendor selling through dealer networks with overlapping end customers.
- GameTime (PlayCore): Commercial playground equipment manufacturer owned by PlayCore, selling through a dealer network to schools, parks, and municipalities. Closest head-to-head competitor on full commercial-playground bundles that include borders and accessibility solutions.
- UltraPlay: Manufacturer of commercial-grade playground, park, and outdoor recreation equipment sold through dealers to schools and municipalities. Comparable in product breadth and dealer-channel motion.
- Playworld Systems (PlayCore): Pennsylvania-based commercial playground manufacturer, also under PlayCore. Competes directly in the same dealer-driven, K-12 and municipal end markets and overlaps on accessibility and surfacing-related product categories.
Broad incumbents
- Kompan: Danish global manufacturer of commercial playgrounds and outdoor fitness equipment. Operates broadly in the same category with global reach; relevant incumbent competitor especially on larger municipal bids where bundling matters.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Action Play Systems social profiles
Digital presenceAction Play Systems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Action Play Systems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Action Play Systems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Action Play Systems M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Action Play Systems
What does Action Play Systems do?
Action Play Systems manufactures commercial playground products made primarily from 100% recycled plastic, including playground borders with a patented surfacing guide, modular ADA wheelchair-accessible ramps, rubber wear mats, GaGa ball pits (in-ground, premium, and portable GaGa2Go), GaGa pit flooring kits, sandboxes, and TripleShoot game equipment. The company sells exclusively through a nationwide network of distributors/dealers who supply schools, municipalities, churches, and recreation facilities.
Is Action Play Systems a public or private company?
Action Play Systems is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Action Play Systems founded?
Action Play Systems was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Action Play Systems based?
Action Play Systems is headquartered in Cornelius, United States, in the North America region.
How does Action Play Systems make money?
One revenue line is on record: commercial Playground Equipment Sales.
Who are Action Play Systems's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BCI Burke, Little Tikes Commercial, Robertson Industries, Landscape Structures, GameTime (PlayCore), UltraPlay and Playworld Systems (PlayCore). Kompan is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Action Play Systems have an API?
No public API is recorded for Action Play Systems.
What industry is Action Play Systems in?
Action Play Systems's product category is Commercial Playground Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAEAIAF, Early Childhood & Playground Equipment (Play Structures, Soft Play, Safety Surfacing), with a secondary code of CRAOAMAG, Outdoor Play & Sports Toys Distribution. Its NAICS code is 339930 and its SIC code is 3944.