This year, we’re celebrating a huge anniversary here at Sutcliffe Play – it’s 20 years since we arrived in our brand new, purpose-built factory and head office in Upton, West Yorkshire!
Leaving our previous home, down the road in Ossett, and relocating to the former mining centre of Upton was an easy decision for us, as the village’s colliery heritage reflected our origins as a manufacturer of coal mining equipment, way back in 1874. The down-to-earth, hard-working local community, meanwhile, recalled the kinds of people who were instrumental in building our business, quite literally from the ground up, all those years ago.
Since then, Sutcliffe Play has continued to grow, moving first to the production of rubber swing seats, before developing into today’s renowned designers and manufacturers of dynamic, inclusive children’s play equipment. The move to Upton has delivered a huge number of jobs, providing a vital boost to the local economy, and in 2010 we were proud to become the UK’s first fully employee-owned play provider, giving every one of those employees a real stake in the business. As of 2024, we’ve carried out thousands of installations across the UK and worldwide - wherever you are in the country, we’ve almost certainly completed a play project near you.
Since 2004, we’ve changed the landscape of Upton in more ways than one. Soon after our arrival, we were delighted to participate in the Upton Play Appraisal, partnering with local government, the third sector and local schools to deliver much-needed regeneration to play spaces across the village. Later, in the early 2010s, the space beside our factory was transformed into a bright, colourful playground, continually refreshed with our latest and greatest inventions, for local children to enjoy – working in such close proximity to a bustling play space keeps us perfectly in touch with our end user, and means we don’t have far to travel for instant feedback!
Coming to Upton was a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with our past – but every day it also helps us to forge a brighter future, too. We’re committed to sustainability (for the benefit of the same young people we make our products for), and our energy-efficient factory, manufacturing durable equipment from responsibly sourced materials, allows us to play our part in securing a cleaner, greener world for all.
We’re exceptionally proud to have become a part of the wonderful, warm Upton community, and have been humbled by the way they’ve taken us into their hearts since our arrival. Here’s to the next 20, and beyond!
https://www.sutcliffeplay.co.uk/
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Member-created content 7 months ago | From members