The Playing Game

The future for Wicksteed, the UK’s leading playscape designer and manufacturer, is continuing to look very rosy, thanks, in part, to the change in direction and re-branding driven forward by Stuart Wetherell, Sales Director.

Stuart Whetherall - Sales Director

“When I joined the company in 2004 the wheels of change had already begun. It was just a simple case of a fresh pair of eyes really”, said Stuart, “Wicksteed is, and has been, a very successful brand.

We have always listened to our customers to understand their needs and expectations, but we recently went one huge step further and commissioned independent researchers to acquire unbiased feedback on the playground industry as a whole, and Wicksteed in particular.”

The re-branding has resulted in the new modern image, innovative new products new style product book and website, amazing graphical playscape presentations and lifelike playground animations.  In-depth staff training on subjects such as children’s psychology and landscaping techniques has had an extraordinary effect on the skill bases the company is now able to draw upon for each playscape that is designed.

“As soon as plans for change were made mid 2006, the whole team has been motivated by the challenge”, says Stuart.

The company’s approach to design has changed with the unique formation of Play Teams in pro-active schools. Wicksteed is now able to talk directly to the children to get their input into design and producer development.  The success of the Play Teams is particularly evident in the new Monsta multi-play range, as they played an active part in its design. Many of the colour schemes of other Wicksteed product ranges were also chosen by the members of the Play Teams.

As well as overseeing the Play Teams nationwide, Stuart is responsible for 12 field sales people based across the UK and 22 internal sales staff, who include sales advisors, quotation administrators and playscape designers.
 
“We are about to expand further into Europe and build upon our success in both France and Spain where we have installed equipment in several hundred sites.  Our current annual export turnover stands at just over one million”, says Stuart.

To learn more about Wicksteed Leisure visit  www.wicksteed.co.uk

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