1960
tp manufacture their first garden swing using plastic covered steel tubing . In the late 60s the first Giant Swing –a Single- is added to the swing range. The Double Swing doesn’t appear until 1978
1961
tp attend their first UK Toy Fair held in the Mount Royal Hotel, Oxford Street. The products are put on display for the buyers in the hotel bedrooms! At this event, tp receive their first order from Harrods of Knightsbridge- for a steel climbing frame. A new climbing frame design is developed for Harrods- the Action Play Climber- comprising a tower at one end, a ladder across the top and two splayed ladders at the other end where a swing could be fitted. The new steel climbing frame design requires welding but experimentation with thick plastic coatings and the welding process prove disappointing. Another solution is found - hot dip galvanising. Up until now, there were painted steel climbing frames on the market but the paint soon chipped, allowing rust to develop. tp want to supply Harrods with a climbing frame that will last from one generation into the next, and hot dip galvanising proves the answer. The Action Play Climber becomes the first galvanised steel climbing frame to be manufactured in the UK and, because its welded, requires no nuts and bolts to assemble.
1963
The first tp designed product is patented-the Single Tower Climbing Set. This initial innovatory design is developed to offer multi tower options and a big range of accessories. It’s the start of the modularity that will become the hallmark of tp outdoor playsets
In the same year the UK's first mini trampolines are designed and manufactured by tp and shown at the BTHA Toy Fair, this time held in Brighton.
1965
tp produce their first printed brochure and introduce the Giant Scrambler- an up and over commando frame made for years of use, lots of children and hours of fun! Just like the steel climbing frames, it's made from heavy duty hot dipped galvanised tubing for all year round use
1969
Tube Plastics become the first UK manufacturer to make slides out of fibreglass. Before this innovation, tp slides had been made of wood by a coffin maker in Cradley Heath, H Cope & Sons. Quality inspections occurred amidst the coffins! Fibreglass proves a far better material than wood due its smooth finish. Also, fibreglass slides could be played on quickly after rain-unlike wood equivalents