Who We Are

Leading the Playground Surfacing Industry

The Fibar Group, LLC, has grown to be one of the leading suppliers of playground surfaces in the U.S., with over 75,000 installations in North America. Along the way, the company has continued to strengthen its professional staff and has established a formal set of Fibar Values, emphasizing Integrity, Respect, and Customer Loyalty.

Fibar offers a full line of playground surfaces and accessories to meet every design challenge and budget.  Our Poured-in-Place rubber surfacing allows for free-form seamless designs in a broad range of colors and meets government standards for impact protection and accessibility.

Outdoor Spaces horse footing

Our HistoryFibar Started with an Idea

Wouldn't shredded wood fibers be a better horse training surface than dirt or sand? The question occurred to company founder Robert Heath, because, as an avid horseman, he saw that conventional surfaces were hard on horses' legs. Wood fiber, on the other hand, was naturally springy, good to look at, and never turned to mud. The next step was development work that eventually resulted in Engineered Wood Fiber (EWF), which he called "Fibar." That was in 1979. Within five years, the company turned Heath's idea into a thriving business, which has supplied the surfacing for thousands of horse facilities across the United States and Canada.

Feels Good

Our History Soft Landings for Kids

In 1986 came a second idea: If Engineered Wood Fiber was good for the fragile legs of horses, why wouldn't it be the ideal safety surface for playgrounds to cushion and help attenuate falls. The hunch proved right. Tests conducted through the International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA) showed that Fibar® Engineered Wood Fiber absorbed shock not only better, but much better than sand, grass, dirt, or gravel. Fibar was now a proven safety surface for playground equipment.

The company immediately set about building a team of playground safety surface experts. The company developed the FibarSystem, which added a patented, built-in drainage system and heavy-duty wear mats to the Engineered Wood Fiber, so kids could play after it rains and installations would last longer. It added a 25-year Warranty and liability insurance. It built a nationwide network of over 100 sales representatives and was soon installing thousands of playground surfaces every year.

Ideas for your next project

Project Showcase

Apollo Park
Apollo Park, Alsip, Illinois

Beautiful top view of a poured rubber installation featuring functional play design for added value

Franklin ES Syracuse NY
Franklin Elementary School, Syracuse, New York

Engineered Wood Fibar helps create a natural look for this space.

Glen Acres
Glen Acres, Lafayette, Indiana

Poured Rubber Surfacing for playground built for ages 2-5 years

 

Heritage Victoria Park, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Heritage Victoria Park, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Heritage Victoria Park chose Engineered Wood Fiber, which is an accessible surface option, as their play space surface.

OMNIA Partners Logo Official

 

There's Power in Partnership

OMNIA Partners, Public Sector is the largest and most experienced cooperative purchasing organization dedicated to public sector procurement. Shaping the future of procurement through power, access and trust.

The Fibar Group, a PlayCore Company, has been approved as an authorized vendor by Region 4 Education Service Center and has named OMNIA Partners as the cooperative. Robertson Recreational Surfaces was awarded a cooperative contract, after a competitively solicited contracting process, and made available through OMNIA Partners. The Fibar Group, known for expert, compliant safety surfaces for recreational spaces, was approved by region 4 to be an authorized reseller of the Robertson Recreational Surfaces contract. The three year Playground and Recreational Surface Products and Services contract agreement will provide ease of selection, competitive pricing, and reduced administrative costs for participating government entities. The contract provides the full line of surfacing solutions, plus all related services to participating agencies within the OMNIA Partners cooperative purchasing organization. This includes state, county, city and municipal agencies, public and private educational institutions, special districts and nonprofit organizations.

Region 4 Education Service Center has awarded a cooperative purchasing agreement for Playground Systems, Installation, Service and Related Items. This competitively solicited and publicly awarded contract is available to agencies nationwide through OMNIA Partners, Public Sector.

CONTRACT HIGHLIGHTS:

Contract #R230202: July 1st, 2023 - June 30th, 2026 Playground and Recreational Surface Products and Services Find our page at www.omniapartners.com under the section K-12.

Includes Materials Only, Furnish and Installed, and Maintenance Services for the Following Products:

  • Poured in Place Rubber
  • Interlocking Tiles
  • Synthetic Turf
  • Bonded Rubber
  • Aquatic Surfacing
  • Trails & Sport Courts
  • Engineered Wood Fiber

Beyond Compliance in All We Do.

  • IPEMA Certified
  • ADA Compliant
  • ASTM Compliant
  • Environmentally Responsible

"KABOOM! is grateful for our longstanding partnership with Fibar! Fibar shares our values of ensuring that all kids have access to play. They are consistently supportive and responsive in making sure that the safety surfacing they provide arrives on time. Their support of our mission is appreciated and evident in the care they take to deliver quality surfacing and customer service."

Kathryn Lusk
KaBOOM!

"Rosalynn and I are grateful to Fibar Corporation for providing accessible ground cover for the playground in Plains..."

Former President Jimmy Carter

"...The delivery of the Fibar was flawless, and that I know in large part was due to you, your excellent organization and follow through..."

Sonia Blue, Walking Shield American Indian Society

"Congratulations! The Fibar System exceeds all of our stringent expectations. I’m convinced that this system gives us the optimum measure of playground surface safety."

Bob Burnett, Highlands School 
Edina, MN

"Moms with strollers can just zoom across [the Fibar surface], and it’s accessible to children in wheelchairs."

Christine Russell, Winner of United Cerebral Palsy’s Accessible Design Award/playground
Colorado Springs, CO