British Columbia’s International Play Co. (Iplayco) is all about safe, fun entertainment for kids ages three to 14, but you won’t find Iplayco products under a Christmas tree — unless that tree is at least 20 feet tall.

Headquartered in Langley, B.C., Iplayco is a global leader in the design and supply of premium-quality indoor playgrounds for kids. Those colourful play structures kids can’t wait to climb up and slide down are often an Iplayco original, built to suit each customer’s space, budget and unique needs. The playgrounds are found pretty much anywhere, in malls, restaurants, daycares, even zoos and theme parks.

Iplayco is a B.C. export success story, selling more than 2,700 playgrounds in 16 years to over 50 countries worldwide, including: China, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, India, Egypt, Turkey, New Zealand and Australia. One of Iplayco’s strengths is its ability to adapt to international business practices and because of this, their play structures can be found in some of the hardest-to-reach markets in the world.

For example, Iplayco is proud to have built the world’s largest children’s indoor soft-play park for Billy Beez, a family entertainment centre of nearly 25,000 square feet in Dhahran Mall in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia.

Careers vary at Iplayco, from designers to welders to sales and marketing personnel. From three employees in 1999, Iplayco now has a staff of 80 based out of Langley who apply their creative and tactical skills to design, create and build play structures, market the products and build the company brand in a growing market.

While its high season is during the summer months, Iplayco is busy year-round, filling orders for the fall when schools open or for the holiday season when customers are frequenting malls with kids in tow. When asked what advice he would give to a business wanting to grow across borders, Iplayco’s chief financial officer Max Liszkowski said success is in the details. Certain markets can be tough, with high tariffs or different customs than we’re used to in B.C. He urges B.C. businesses to listen, learn and adapt to clients. He also urges businesses to go to trade shows and partner with those who know export development, like Export Development Canada and B.C.’s Trade and Investment Offices.

In Iplayco’s case, those lessons have helped a small business in Langley supply safe, fun and entertaining place for kids to be kids, in far reaching corners of the world.

Quotes:

Teresa Wat, Minister of International Trade and Minister Responsible for Asia Pacific Strategy and Multiculturalism –

“Iplayco is an inspiring example of a business that applied creativity and ingenuity to succeed, resulting in more than 2,700 indoor play structures for kids all over the world and 80 local jobs here in B.C. Exporters like Iplayco provide a vital source of economic growth and job creation for our province. If you’re in Langley, drop by Iplayco’s ‘Great Escape’, a family entertainment centre that doubles as their greatest showcase tool.”

Max Liszkowski, chief financial officer, Iplayco –

“When asked what sets Iplayco apart from our competitors, I joke that we are the most fun and creative people in the business. But really, what we offer is a complete product from design to installation, in minimal time.

“We’ve also been fortunate to have the support of Export Development Canada and the B.C. Trade and Investment office – we have global demand for our playgrounds, and we need help to understand and connect with our priority markets. That’s where government, both federal and provincial, has really helped us grow our business and succeed.”

Quick Facts:

• The B.C. government recognized Iplayco with the BC Export Award for Manufactured Products in 2014. This award is presented to the company that has built an innovative system or value-added components, machinery or equipment for industrial and commercial use.
• Iplayco customer, Billy Beez, holds the Guinness World Record for the “Largest Softplay Centre in the World”, which Iplayco designed, manufactured and installed the indoor playground structures for.
• In 2014, Iplayco ranked among the top 10 best performing companies in the diversified industries sector on the TSX Venture Exchange.
• Exports provide a vital source of economic growth and job creation — right now, one in five jobs and 60% of B.C.’s GDP are generated through exports.

Learn More:

To learn more about Iplayco, see: http://www.internationalplayco.com/

To read about the B.C. Export Awards, go to: http://www.bcexportawards.com/

To learn more about B.C. Trade and Investment, and how government helps businesses looking to expand their reach, see: http://www.britishcolumbia.ca/

To read about how the BC Jobs Plan is keeping B.C.’s economy strong, go to: http://engage.gov.bc.ca/bcjobsplan/