Founded in 2020, Jetraco Oy, a company better known as Pihapelikentät, specializes in designing and manufacturing exercise and game platforms that are suitable for both backyards and public venues. The main goal of the company is to create attractive and safe environments for movement and to offer alternatives to the time spent with digital devices. His wife I don't working as an entrepreneur with Joonas Peuran his passion for exercise stems from his own childhood yard games.
Joonas Peura has played various ball games all his life. When the idea of gaming platforms was born, Joonas and Eija started to investigate the matter in more detail and noticed that no similar product was manufactured in Finland. That was the beginning of the familiarization and investigation work, whether making game platforms would be profitable and reasonable.
- When the company was planned, the starting point was to make a responsible product designed and manufactured in Finland. Work has been done for it and progress has been made, says Joonas.
- The idea for the product didn't just come from the idea of creating more attractive conditions, so that children and adults wouldn't spend too much time on phones and around other digital things, but it would be a genuinely moving game platform and an environment where you can spend time together and do exercise.
A lot of effort was put into design and product development, and the company hired an industrial designer to help design its own product. Currently, Pihapelikentä has a contract manufacturer in Vimpel, which enables production nearby.
The company's main product is the Pelix multisport tile made of recycled plastic. The tile is almost maintenance-free and lasts even in the most demanding conditions - from playgrounds in backyards to public sports fields. The platform can be used, for example, in exercise areas, street basketball, outdoor indoor bandy, and roller hockey courts, as well as multi-game arenas. The tile is designed to withstand both hard play and Finland's changing weather conditions, while providing a safer surface that reduces the risk of falling injuries. Quality is indicated by the fact that the product has been awarded both the Design From Finland mark and the Key Flag mark by the Finnish Labor Union.
The Pelix multisport platform is a responsible choice, as the raw material is mostly already recycled plastic, which is collected from the by-streams of industry in the nearby area. The recycled raw material is processed with precise specifications into materials that bring the necessary properties to the product and guarantee a long life cycle. In this way, a product can be made that is responsible, non-toxic, odorless, durable and still 100 % as a recyclable material.
The multi-purpose platform is suitable for basketball games, for example. Photos: Pihapelikenttä.fi
Researched high-quality product
In public tenders, municipalities and cities want to ensure the quality and long-term durability of the products and therefore request test results in their tenders. With the support of Liiver, the indoor court commissioned Kiwa Isa Sport in the Netherlands to conduct a test set on synthetic basketball surfaces of the official international basketball federation FIBA. Measurement figures for the test unit in question are requested in most public tenders, both in Finland and in other European countries.
At the same time, laboratory tests were carried out, which verified and ensured that the product achieves the performance characteristics required by sports and the behavioral characteristics of the playing surface, and that the products are made of materials whose quality is at an acceptable level. In tests, e.g. aged the gaming platform for 10 years, and the results showed that the product suffered no significant wear or damage. The test results are important to the company, and they are used in marketing and communication to strengthen customer trust.
- Getting the support of Liiver's established business hastened the decision to go ahead and do the test. We realized that it is important to us and that it has to be done at some point, and the support in a certain way gave an impetus to that work.
Liiver's operation and assistance has been considered a good and functional thing in the company.
- Applying for support has been smooth and easy. The work has worked and it has been nice to cooperate with Liiver.
Joonas looks at the future optimistically. The installation period is coming to an end this year, and after that the focus will be on development and research work. New tenders are also underway. The goal is to continue selling and developing high-quality and responsible exercise and game platforms.
Want to see more about what it's all about? The nearest implementation of public space can be found in the Seinäjoki traffic park. The Pelix multisport platform on the Liikennepuisto's basketball court has been in use for several years.
Get to know the products and the company in more detail on the company's website.