Our histoy
We look back on over 50 years of company history. Founded in 1967 by Hilde Richter, the company is today managed by her grandson, Julian Richter Jr.
Playground equipment allows the child to play a role.
Hilde RichterOver 50 years ago, when Hilde Richter from Hamburg came up with the idea of building wooden play equipment for children’s playgrounds, which until then had been dominated by steel poles, nobody could have imagined that she would achieve something so successful.
Julian Richter Sr., who studied at the Holzfachschule Rosenheim (Rosenheim University of Applied Sciences), Upper Bavaria, built the first prototypes according to his mother’s sketches in a small forge near Frasdorf, where the company is still at home. The play equipment from this period still characterises the company’s product catalogue, which now contains almost 1,000 items.
Hilde Richter was not only successful in changing the way communities think – above all, she was able to pass on her vision of making the world a little bit better for children to her son and her grandson, who today runs the company. The Richters don’t simply build playgrounds, they create play worlds. A deep awareness of social and educational issues forms the basis for the family’s heartfelt understanding of children.
Our
Richter snail
Hilde Richter’s initial design for the play figure with the name “Dorothea Snail” originated as early as 1964. Dorothea Richter later used it as an inspiration for drawing the company logo of Hilde Richter Spielgeräte.
The Richter snail has been protected by copyright since 1981 and has a high recognition value.
The snail not only stands for the like-named play character but, with its slow pace, friendly character and down-to-earth approach, it also symbolises the Richter company philosophy.
Historical milestones
Sponsor of the World Child Forum in Davos, Switzerland
Quality seal "Bavaria's strongest medium-sized companies 2024" SZ Institute
As far as possible renouncement of wood impregnation
Climbing structures are offered CO²-friendly with concrete-free assembly
Start of cooperation with Oy J-Trading, our export partner for Finland
Main sponsor of the IPA 2023 in Glasgow
Quality seal "Bavaria's strongest medium-sized companies" SZ Institute
Publication of our new main catalog and the new project book
Extension of the company premises by a new office building
Re-design of the Frasdorf playground
Beginning of the cooperation with Cornelia Duckert of freiRaum4life commercial agency
Death of Günter Beltzig
80th birthday of Julian Richter Sr.
Survival of the Corona pandemic without major economic losses and layoffs of employees
Death of Alexandr Frontov
Beginning of cooperation with Seilerei Voigt from Bad Düben
Start of cooperation with Marcus Construction, our export partner for Australia
Birth Rosalie Richter
Major project “Gathering Place” in Tulsa/USA, largest playground in the USA
Julian Richter jun. becomes sole managing director
Andreas Opperer becomes technical manager
Start of cooperation with ELO & NITZAN, our export partner for Israel and Japan
Birth Clara Richter
More than 100 employees for the first time
50th company anniversary
Project "Tulsa Riverfront Park" in Oklahoma, USA
Project "Port of Melbourne" in Australia
Project "Governor’s Island" in New York City, USA
Award ‘Australia’s Best Playground’ for the playground at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne
Start of cooperation with Ute Sauer & Thomas Macholl of TMH Handelsvertretung
André Ofner becomes sales manager
“Maggie Daley Park” project, Chicago/USA
Publication of the projects book “Welcome aboard"
Start of cooperation with 3K Insaat., our export partner for Turkey
Stephan Hellthaler becomes workshop foreman
Project "Sochi Olympic Park", Russia
Beginning of cooperation with Australian export partner Baron Forge
Birth Julian Richter junior
“Malesický Park” project, Prague
Start of cooperation with LLC AFAGROUP, our export partner for Russia
Start of cooperation with PUCZYŃSKI - mała architektura, our export partner for Poland
70th birthday of Julian Richter Sr.
Foundation of Timberplay Scotland Ltd. by Harry Harbottle
Peter Heuken returns to the management team
ERP introduction
Start of cooperation with APE Studio, Inc. our export partner for USA
Start of cooperation with HŘIŠTĚ REJ HER, s.r.o. our export partner for the Czech Republic
Start of cooperation with Stiliom AB our export partner for Sweden and Norway
Regional garden show in Rosenheim
Purchase of Buchauer House Frasdorf
Cooperation of a pellet heating together with the municipality Frasdorf
Julian Richter jun. becomes managing director
Completion of the conference rooms in the Alpenhof
Start of cooperation with Nature Play Ireland Ltd. our export partner for Ireland
Start of cooperation with Demetra Società Cooperativa Sociale ONLUS our export partner for Italy
Transfer of Ströbl GmbH to the son Fritz Ströbl
Project "Dorado Beach East" in Puerto Rico
Birth Anna Richter
Start of cooperation with Ingrid Horn and Eckhart Herrmann, the H + H commercial agency and Martin Stangneth
“Hall of Science” project in New York
Richter acquires the rights to Graubner equipment
“Spielstationen zur Entfaltung der Sinne” (play stations for developing the senses)
"Zoo Barcelona" project in Spain
Transfer of the company from Hermann Burlafinger to his sons Bernd and Jochen
Start of cooperation with Heidi Schönherr and Dirk Löding for German areas
Start of cooperation with LudoCrea.ch GmbH, our export partner for Switzerland
Start of cooperation with KOMPAN Hellas Ltd., our export partner for Greece
Birth Lea Richter
“Ouwehands Dierenpark” project, Netherlands
Start of cooperation with Caracol, S.A.R.L., our export partner for France
First internet website of Richter Spielgeräte GmbH
Major project “Princess Diana Memorial Playground” in Kensington Gardens
Start of export to Great Britain
Start of cooperation with Timberplay Ltd., our export partner for England
Harry Harbottle becomes export manager
First ship for "Playmobil Funpark" in Zirndorf, Germany
Start of cooperation with Soveral Consultadoria e Gestão Lda., our export partner for Portugal
Death of Hilde Richter
EXPO Lisbon
First business relationships with Slovenia
Completion of the European Standard
Succession of the commercial agency Liane Weise by her niece Gabi Palme
IGA (garden festival) in Stuttgart
Start of the cooperation with Thomas Lampa
Development of the distribution network for the area of Eastern Germany
Beginning of collaboration with Peter Heuken;
Intensification of European exports
Dorband and Thiele Academy Competition
Start of cooperation with the Graubner company
Extension of the office building next to the engine shed
Beginning of cooperation with Corocord
Richter’s “Sturdy children’s house”
Festive inauguration of the playground in Frasdorf
Start of cooperation with Liane Weise and Jakob Ley
First customer event “Frasdorfer Fachgespräche”
First contacts with Arabia
1980 Beginning of collaboration with Alfons Lachauer
Beginning of cooperation with the Callwey Publishers
First Richter catalogue
Birth of Julian Richter
Construction of the assembly shop
35 employees
Incorporation as a “GmbH” company (managing director: Hilde Richter, Julian Richter, Hella Richter, Norbert Rechler)
Beginning of cooperation with Günter Beltzig
Richter designs the first playground adapted to the needs of the disabled in Hamburg (Borgweg playground for the blind)
Purchase of the company premises
30 employees
Start of Julian Richter’s work on the Standards Committee
Start of cooperation with WEBER Baustoffe & Fliesen GmbH
Relocation of the sales office from Hamburg to Frasdorf
Richter products win Hamburg SAGA competition
Norbert Rechler joins the company
IGA Hamburg (garden festival)
License agreement with Hugo Kükelhaus
Completion of Julian Richter’s engineering degree
First business relationships in the Benelux-Union
Relocation of operations to Frasdorf into the Buchauer sawmill
Julian Richter begins his studies at the Holztechnikum Rosenheim (Rosenheim University of Applied Sciences)
Julian Richter sets up a workshop in Bavaria
Start of own production
Actual company launch
Foundation of the company Hilde Richter Spielgeräte
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