In this first season of Swing Forward, co-hosts James Siegal and Jen DeMelo of KABOOM! speak with leading playground manufacturers in the US and around the world about the playground industry and advancing playspace equity. In this episode, we talk with Lukas Steinke of Berliner about everything from building playgrounds that magically light up to meeting the playspace needs of refugee families in Europe.
BIO:
Lukas Steinke was born in Poland in 1975. He moved to Germany later in his life where he earned his MBA from Humboldt University in Berlin. Steinke got into the playground industry early on in his career. After big success in European countries, Steinke moved to Greenville, SC in 2009 to establish Berliner’s North American Headquarters. As the subsidiary’s CEO, Lukas oversees all aspects of the company’s operations in the U.S. Now after 20 years of experience in rope-based playground equipment Lukas is considered ‘your local cable expert!’
Berliner Seilfabrik:
Play equipment for life, something that is not only Berliner Seilfabrik’s motto, but something that the company lives by. Berliner Seilfabrik is committed to developing products that bring out the child in all of us. Its playgrounds are made for the generations to come, built for decades of enjoyment. With over 50 years of experience in the playground equipment industry, Berliner continues to create unique playground landscapes while setting the standard for safety and innovation. At Berliner, you are guaranteed high-quality equipment for the landscape and for the Earth. Berliner is proud to use 85 percent of recycled aluminum pre- and post-consumer materials in its designs. Along with using 70 percent post-consumer recycled steel and solvent-free powder coating process. Berliner is here to create better structures for our kids and the environment.
LINKS:
https://berliner-playequipment.com/us/
About Swing Forward
Swing Forward is a podcast series from KABOOM! on the future of playgrounds and playspace equity, co-hosted by James Siegal and Jen DeMelo.
About KABOOM!
KABOOM! is the national nonprofit committed to ending playspace inequity – the reality that quality places to play are not available to every child, especially in communities of color. Since 1996, KABOOM! has partnered with kids and communities to create or transform 17,000+ playspaces and ensure that nearly 12 million kids have equitable access to the critical benefits and opportunities that playspaces offer. In 2022, KABOOM! launched the 25 in 5 Initiative to End Playspace Inequity to accelerate its mission in 25 high-priority locations over five years. Learn more at kaboom.org or join the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
