Company Creates Custom Playsets

Company Creates Custom Playsets Kinzer Woodworking in Kinzers, Pa., is the leading maker of US-made specialty play sets. Reuben Beiler’s dad, Amos, started his business focused on outdoor furniture. He wanted to earn extra income and keep his five boys busy. Beiler eventually partnered with his dad before taking over as the owner. Over time, they acquired the Kinzerbilt playset line from a friend and later purchased the Backyard Playstations swing sets line. Eventually, they moved the business from the farm to its current location. “The fire trucks and bulldozers are the most popular, but anything farm-related is popular with the agri-tourism guys,” says Beiler. The playsets are even more popular with children because they promote climbing, sliding, crawling and pretending. The realistic equipment helps stimulate their minds while allowing them to enjoy fresh air. “There’s nothing like seeing the reaction of children (or their parents) when they see one of our Kinzerbilt items,” Beiler says. “They stop, their eyes get big, and they quickly climb into the driver’s seat to pretend they are driving.” They use only the highest quality American-made materials for each playset. These include #1 or better pressure-treated southern yellow pine, milled on all four sides with rounded corners to reduce the risk of splinters. Kinzer offers a variety of color options for its products. “That seems to go really well; it sets us apart from our competition,” Beiler says. All structures are guaranteed for five years against manufacturing and workmanship defects. With proper care and maintenance, the structures should last between 15 and 20 years. For traditional wood structures, the company offers a wide selection of stain colors. Each comes with a 25-year siding warranty and a 10-year deck warranty. Alternatively, the company’s Poly Lumber won’t splinter or fade. It’s easy to clean and requires no maintenance. One challenge Kinzer faces is marketing. “The playsets have a limited audience, mostly limited to agri-tourism, campgrounds, HOA and apartment complexes,” Beiler says, sharing that most sales come through a dealer network. “Pivoting online and going to shows that target the industries that buy these items is also working.” Interested readers can order either through the Kinzer dealer network or directly from the company. “Typically, customers order out of our catalog, but we’ve done a lot of custom work over the years,” Beiler says. “We have a 6 to 8 week lead time or longer in the summer since we don’t build until we have the orders.” Shipping is available across the lower 48 states and occasionally for international orders. “All of our products can be made with maintenance-free poly with an aluminum frame,” Beiler says. “If you have a corn maze, pumpkin patch, ice cream shop or any other venue, we’d love to help add value to your business.” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Kinzer Woodworking Brands, Kinzerbilt and Backyard Playstations, 3531 Lincoln Hwy. E., Kinzers, Pa. 17535 (ph 717-442-3317; www.kinzerwoodworking.com).

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