Having fun is serious business for home-grown playground designer and seller Playpoint.
The company is into its 13th year, seen as an unlucky number by some, but not for Playpoint, as business continues to blossom here and bloom in new places.
“Being featured in The Straits Times has raised our profile and has given us more credibility,” said managing director Jason Sim, whose company was featured in this section in January 2010.
“It differentiates us from the rest of the competition. We’ve won more projects and have since undertaken much bigger projects. More overseas customers have also approached us,” he added.
Sales have more than doubled since – to $13 million from $6 million.
From delivering more than 1,000 playgrounds to clients here and overseas as of 2010, it has now already exceeded the 3,000 mark. Staff strength has also surged from 15 in 2010 to 26 currently, spread across Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Playpoint has also expanded its overseas presence by setting up an office in Kuala Lumpur in mid-2010, adding to those in Manila and Ho Chi Minh City.
The company, founded by Mr Sim and his buddies Wayne Chua and Charles Tay in 2001, has turned the fun and games of slides, swings and see-saws into a thriving business.
Their firm supplies products from Danish playground developer and manufacturer Kompan, and other global names such as Bigtoys, Watertoys and Rhino Skatepark Systems.
“Our biggest project is probably Gardens by the Bay. Everybody knows Gardens by the Bay. We’ve also done a lot of projects for malls and condos,” said Mr Sim.
Among its slew of current projects is a customised playground with a treehouse concept for the children’s gardens at Gardens by the Bay, which will be ready later this year.
Singapore forms the backbone of the business, accounting for about 80 per cent of all revenue. The country’s thriving construction and property scene in recent years has resulted in healthy growth for Playpoint.
Mr Chua, the operations director, said: “It’s because of the property boom, which has resulted in the developers coming up with all these new developments.”
Mr Tay, the projects director, added: “There’s also HDB’s upgrading and neighbourhood renewal programmes.”
Recent projects include a children’s club at Sentosa’s Palawan beach and the Wallhola – Asia’s first “vertical” playground at Block 158 Bishan Street 13.
Soon-to-be-completed jobs comprise playgrounds in Sembawang Park, which features a 36m-long battleship, and The Interlace condominium.
Mr Sim said: “We’re going more into customised playground equipment. Our clients are asking us to create something special for their developments.”
For instance, Mr Chua noted on The Interlace project: “The design of the place is like a container stack. So the playground will have a similar design concept.”
Playpoint has also made it a point to give back to society by setting aside $30,000 to $50,000 yearly for charity projects.
This included donating $28,000 of playground equipment to a malnutrition rehabilitation centre for children in Timor Leste in June 2010.
Partners and clients have been impressed by the firm’s customer service and creative designs.
Ms Chang Huai Yan, principal designer of landscape consultant firm Salad Dressing, said: “We are impressed with their products that embody the spirit of play and creativity in our designs.”
Mr Sim said: “We’re trying to marry art and play together. Whether be it the playground equipment or park furnishing, we’re leaning more towards design rather than standard park benches that we sell.”
