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This is Fred Ball for Zions Bank, speaking on business.
Allen and James Jensen didn't know much about playground equipment back in 1984. But they believed it would sell well in Utah, particularly if it was durable. So they got in the business.
They purchased Swings and Things, which had entered into bankruptcy. The move to manufacture playground equipment was a complete change for the two brothers who had spent much of their young careers making candy. Though natives of Salt Lake, the brothers ran their candy company in Calgary, Canada.
But as their families grew, the Jensens decided to return to Utah. Allen moved first in 1983 and soon learned of Swings and Things, a playground equipment company that had filed for bankruptcy. Following James' return to Utah in 1984, the brothers bought the company and started manufacturing playground equipment.
They began producing stand-alone swing sets and slides but eventually discovered the practicality of component systems. Buyers, for example, could purchase a swing set and later add a slide or clubhouse. Or they could order their own customized playground set. With the move to component systems, Allen and James changed the company's name to Component Playgrounds.
Today, the Salt Lake-based company has become a profitable business, shipping equipment all over the country and even internationally. Sales have increased 750 percent since the first year in business as a result of quality products and excellent service.
All of the equipment is manufactured at the companyÕs headquarters on Beck Street. The pieces are built with galvanized steel pipe and welds are used instead of bolts, making everything durable and maintenance free. James told me that a set he installed 18 years ago in a former home of his is still in great shape and still in use.
Plus, with swing heights of 10 feet on some models, the equipment can be used by kids, teenagers and adults.
Component Playgrounds also sells outdoor furniture, recreational products and equipment for volleyball, tetherball and basketball.
For Zions Bank, I'm Fred Ball. I'm speaking on business.
