160 Years of History
In 2025, Berliner is celebrating three special anniversaries: 160 years of company history, along with 70 years of rope play equipment and 30 years as a family-owned business under the Koehler family. These three impressive milestones not only attest to our experience and innovative strength but also reflect a deep-rooted passion for what Berliner has been doing for generations – creating playgrounds that make hearts beat faster.
160 Years of Company History
Berliner was founded in 1865 at Neukirchstraße 62 in Berlin-Heinersdorf. Initially, hemp and wire ropes were produced for state authorities. Later, the focus shifted to manufacturing ropes for the elevator industry. Despite two world wars, the factory remained virtually undamaged and operated until the 1970s. 160 years later, it is not a factory that stands at Berliner’s birthplace, but one of our Cosmos – true to the motto: Back to the roots.
70 Years of Rope play Equipment
70 years ago, American boxer and sculptor Joe Brown developed the first rope play equipment, laying the foundation for our success story.
As a pioneer of rope play equipment, Brown created the first ‘Play Communities’ that were both artistic and functional – shaping modern play culture.
30 Years Family run Business
Since 1995, our family-run business has been successfully operated by the Koehler family in Berlin. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the parent company originally planned to close the business, but Managing Director Karl Koehler seized the opportunity and took over Berliner in a management buyout. With the entry of David Koehler, our family business is now in its second generation. Since 1995, we have exclusively developed and produced play equipment, earning a worldwide reputation. We are proud to put smiles on children’s faces in 56 countries with our high-quality, unique, and modern play equipment – ‘Made in Berlin.’
