Playground Equipment Services

What Playground Equipment Services does

Playground Equipment Services (PES), founded in 2001 by Eric Schmidt and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, is a privately held turnkey installer specializing in inclusive playground and athletic/synthetic turf projects. The company's core product is end-to-end project delivery: consultative sales (via 'Fun Managers'), proprietary 3D rendering-based design, site development, equipment installation, safety surfacing, and ongoing maintenance/audits, all performed in-house. PES serves schools, municipal parks departments, religious and community organizations, sports leagues, and nonprofits, with marquee installs including the Ark Encounter inclusive playground (Kentucky, 2019) and multiple Miracle League accessible fields across the United States.

The technical backbone combines a proprietary 3D playground rendering tool used for client visualization with a patented turf process engineered for cool, durable, wheelchair- and walker-accessible athletic surfaces. The workforce holds National Certified Playground Safety Inspector (NIPCSI) credentials and the company adheres to CPSC, ASTM, NPSI, and manufacturer standards. Through its PES Field Systems sub-brand, the company has extended the same turnkey model into athletic fields, Miracle League accessible ball fields, and backyard putting greens. The sales motion is consultative and quote-based, with average deal structures varying by project scope; geographic reach is concentrated in the Cincinnati tri-state for recurring maintenance work and extends nationwide for larger Miracle League and landmark inclusive-play installations.

Operationally, PES operates as a family-led firm (Eric Schmidt as CEO/Founder, Eric Schmidt II as VP) supplemented by an Affiliated Friends partner ecosystem spanning 16+ manufacturers and procurement partners, including Miracle Recreation, Softplay, Synthetic Turf International, Sourcewell cooperative purchasing, Beacon Athletics, USA Shade, and others. There are no disclosed external investors, funding rounds, or M&A activity in the available data; the business has grown organically over more than two decades to a headcount of 11-50, with a documented pedigree in 14 of the top 30 inclusive playground builds worldwide.

Name

Playground Equipment Services

Legal name

Playground Equipment Services

Website

https://playgroundequipmentservices.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Playground Equipment Services is a Cincinnati-based turnkey installer that designs, builds, and maintains inclusive playgrounds and athletic/synthetic turf projects for schools, municipalities, nonprofits, and religious organizations, using proprietary 3D rendering software and a patented turf process.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Playground Installation & Athletic Surfacing Services

NAICS

Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Childhood & Playground Equipment (Play Structures, Soft Play, Safety Surfacing) (EDAEAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Groundskeeping, Landscaping & Athletic Field Maintenance (EDAEAAAC)

Keywords

• Playground installation services
• Athletic turf systems
• Safety surfacing
• Inclusive playground design
• Site development

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Playground Sales, Design & Installation: Complete turnkey playground services including sales, design, site development, and installation of playground equipment and safety surfaces.
2. Athletic Turf / Field Systems: Installation of synthetic turf for athletic fields, including Miracle League accessible fields, baseball fields, football fields, and golf greens.
3. Field Maintenance Services: Ongoing maintenance services for football, baseball, and softball fields during playable months, including field audits and inspections.
4. Site Amenities: Installation of site amenities including picnic tables, shelters, and benches to enhance outdoor spaces.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Playground Equipment Services is a complete, turnkey (in-house) playground, athletic turf, sales, design, site development, installation, safety surface, and site amenities company. The two core divisions are Playground Equipment & Installation Services (inclusive playgrounds designed to universal design principles) and PES Field Systems (athletic/synthetic turf for baseball, football, Miracle League accessible fields, and putting greens). Supporting services include playground surfacing, site amenities, field maintenance, and certified safety audits/inspections.

Product overview

Playground Equipment Services (PES) is a turnkey, in-house playground and athletic/synthetic turf sales, design, site development, installation, safety surface, and site amenities company. The core offerings consist of two main divisions: Playground Equipment & Installation Services and Field Systems. The Playground division handles inclusive playground design and installation with proprietary rendering software and universal design principles. The Field Systems division provides athletic surfacing including synthetic turf, baseball/football fields, Miracle League accessible fields, and putting greens. Additional service modules include playground surfacing, site amenities (picnic tables, shelters, benches), field maintenance, and maintenance/audits/inspections. All offerings are delivered through a professional installation team and multiple certified playground safety inspectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PES Field Systems: A division focused on athletic facility surfacing including turf, baseball fields, football fields, putting greens, and Miracle League fields installation and maintenance.

Products and services

• Playground Equipment & Installation Services Complete in-house playground sales, design, site development, installation, and safety surface services for inclusive playgrounds built to universal design principles. Customers include schools, municipalities, nonprofits, and community organizations.
• Field Systems (Athletic/Synthetic Turf) Athletic field installation services including synthetic turf, baseball fields, football fields, Miracle League accessible fields, and backyard putting greens. Targeted at schools, municipalities, sports organizations, and Miracle League nonprofits nationwide.
• Field Maintenance Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 14 of the top 30 inclusive playground builds worldwide
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Miracle League / Joe Nuxhall Miracle LeaguecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPES is a Miracle League Partner providing top-quality, inclusive surfacing for Miracle League fields that allow children of all ages and abilities to experience being on a team. They have installed fields in Pennsylvania and Fairfield, Ohio.
• Miracle RecreationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate Friend partner. Miracle Recreation is a leading international playground equipment manufacturer.
• SoftplayminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate Friend partner. Softplay provides commercial indoor play equipment.
• Percussion PlayminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate Friend partner. Percussion Play specializes in outdoor musical instruments for play spaces.
• Synthetic Turf International (STI)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate Friend partner. STI provides synthetic turf products.
• SourcewellminorOthersAffiliate Friend partner. Sourcewell is a government agency that provides procurement solutions.
• StayFitminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate Friend partner. StayFit provides outdoor fitness equipment.
• Beacon AthleticsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate Friend partner. Beacon Athletics provides sports equipment and field supplies.
• USA ShademinorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate Friend partner. USA Shade provides shade structures for outdoor spaces.
• RCP SheltersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate Friend partner. RCP Shelters provides outdoor shelter structures.
• Re-Tek ProductsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate Friend partner. Re-Tek provides site amenities and outdoor products.
• Doggie PlaysystemsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate Friend partner. Doggie Playsystems provides dog park equipment.
• AdvPolyTechminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate Friend partner. AdvPolyTech provides polymer-based products.
• Premier PolySteelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate Friend partner. Premier PolySteel provides site amenities and outdoor furniture.
• Accutech Sign ShopminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate Friend partner. Accutech provides signage for playgrounds and facilities.
• NORNA PlaygroundsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate Friend partner. NORNA Playgrounds is a Scandinavian playground equipment manufacturer.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• AstroTurf: AstroTurf is an established broad-incumbent manufacturer and installer of synthetic turf athletic surfaces for schools, municipalities, and stadiums, comparable to PES Field Systems' athletic-field offerings.
• Kompan: Kompan is a global commercial playground and outdoor fitness equipment manufacturer with turnkey installation capabilities; it is a broad incumbent in the same play-equipment category PES competes in, but with a much larger international footprint.

Direct peers

• FieldTurf: FieldTurf is one of the largest synthetic turf and athletic-field installation providers in North America and overlaps directly with PES's Field Systems division, which installs synthetic turf for baseball, football, and Miracle League fields.
• Miracle Recreation Equipment Company: Miracle Recreation is both a channel partner and the most direct peer: an international playground equipment manufacturer with turnkey design, installation, and inclusive-play capabilities, serving the same school, municipal, and Miracle League buyers as PES.
• Landscape Structures: Landscape Structures is a leading US playground manufacturer that offers in-house design, manufacturing, and installation services, including inclusive playground lines, directly overlapping PES's core offering for schools, parks, and municipalities.
• Cunningham Recreation: Cunningham Recreation is a regional playground and recreation equipment supplier that designs, sells, and installs commercial playground and site amenities for schools, municipalities, and parks, closely matching PES's services-led business model.
• Playworld Systems: Playworld designs and manufactures commercial playground and fitness equipment with installation partner networks serving schools, parks, and inclusive-play projects, comparable to PES's turnkey inclusive offerings.
• Parkitect: Parkitect provides turnkey playground design, manufacturing, and installation services for parks, schools, and developers, positioning it as a direct services-led peer to PES.
• GameTime: GameTime, part of PlayPower, designs and installs commercial playgrounds, fitness systems, and outdoor recreation equipment for schools and parks using direct sales and dealer networks, sharing PES's turnkey play-equipment model.

Regional players

• Beacon Athletics: Beacon Athletics is a US-based supplier and installer of sports-field equipment, maintenance, and accessories, listed as a PES affiliate partner, with overlapping field-services capabilities in PES Field Systems' territory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCK5DdU64NFckUilawkH1E_Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/PlaygroundEquipmentServices
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/playground-equipment-services
• Xx.com/EricSchmidtPES

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

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 Playground Equipment Services