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Nucleus Contest grand prize headed to a good home in New Ulm, Minnesota
Lucky folks from throughout the United States are enjoying their new iPod Touches and prepaid VISA cards as winners in BCI Burke's Nucleus Contest. And in New Ulm, Minn., kids will soon be playing on the grand prize -- a new $20,000 Burke Nucleus playground.
That prize went to Cheryl Kormann, assistant director of the New Ulm, Minnesota Parks & Recreation Department. And Kormann says the playground -- with more than 10 play events and a capacity of 57 kids age five to 12 -- couldn't have come at a better time.
“New Ulm Parks & Rec has suffered nearly $380,000 in cutbacks since 2008, and this news is a tremendous blessing to our community. When I saw the Nucleus play system, I was really attracted to its innovative design – which is why I entered the contest. We’ve been trying for about five years now to replace old and outdated playgrounds in our community, and I can’t express how much we’ll benefit from this new system. ” Kormann said.
Other contest winners so far are:
2009:
- September: Jim Haemker, Nampa, Idaho, VISA Card
- October: May Reyes, Midland, Texas, iPod Touch
- November: Roberta Fullbright, Gracemont, Oklahoma, VISA Card
- December: Jim Topitzhofer, Richmond, Minnesota, VISA Card
2010
- January: Sue Johnson, Oxford, Michigan, iPod Touch
- February: Pat Long, Blair, Nebraska, VISA Card
- March: Keith Reagan, Garland, Texas, iPod Touch
- May: Ramiro Gardea, Las Vegas, Nevada, iPod Touch
- June: Tammy Whiting, Mesa, Arizona, iPod Touch
- July: Connie Edmonston, Fayetville, Arkansas, VISA Card
Rough economy? No complaints here!
By Tim Ahern
Owner and Chief Executive Officer
 There's no getting around it. The economy has been pretty rough for a couple of years now, and I can't think of any sector that's been spared.
But when people ask me how we're doing at BCI Burke, I can honestly answer, "I can't complain." Sure, we've had to work a little harder on sales and watch our expenses, but hard work and frugality never hurt anybody.
The recession has certainly slowed things in some of our market segments. Tax receipts are down, and this limits funds for construction of new playgrounds for schools, public parks & recreation departments.
Private schools and day care centers are affected too, as high unemployment forces some families to withdraw their children from private institutions, limiting demand in that sector. But we've been able to counter these challenges by helping organizations raise money through our Funds for Fun program and our Grant Resource Center.
The reality is that BCI Burke has weathered the storms better than most. Our factory here in Wisconsin continues to hum and produce high-quality products, and orders continue to come in.
When I reflect on why we've enjoyed such stability, it comes down to three things:
First, when things are tight, people focus more on quality. When funds are hard to come by, the last thing a customer wants is a playground that becomes a maintenance chore or fails to perform as promised. I can honestly say we haven't cut a single corner on quality or service, because that's just not the way we do business. Recessions come and go, but the reputation you build for quality outlasts the marketplace's ups and downs.
Second, we have the products people are talking about. Enthusiasm continues to be high for our Intensity fitness play complex. And when we rolled out our new Nucleus play system last year, customers immediately saw the advantages of our KoreKonnect system, which enables customers to combine our fitness-oriented Intensity play events with our wide range of traditional components.
Third, our commitment to the "Made in the USA" label has served us well during the downturn. When jobs are being lost across the board, many schools and park boards seek more than ever to spend their money on products that benefit American workers. And with some playground manufacturers outsourcing their manufacturing to other countries, we think it’s important to make our products right here in America’s heartland.
Obviously, we're not immune to the recession, but we believe the best way to work through it is to keep doing what we do best. We've successfully navigated every type of marketplace, including the Great Depression, and we think the future is brighter than ever.
More than ever, it's the Total Cost of Ownership that matters
Everywhere you look these days people are looking beyond price and focusing on the total cost of owning things they buy. And what they find is the sticker price is just one of many factors.
One of the most visible signs of this trend is the demand for Energy Star qualified appliances, which cost less to run because they use less energy. And even as automobile dealers struggle to sell many models, they're seeing heavy demand for hybrids, which alternate between gasoline and electricity. Since hybrids typically cost more than equivalent cars that run on gasoline, it's obvious that buyers are focused on the total cost of owning their cars, and that includes fuel!
In short, people are more concerned than ever with the Total Cost of Ownership.
BCI Burke's playgrounds don't run on gasoline or electricity of course. (For the most part, it's the kids who provide the energy!) But they certainly cost less to own than those of our competitors, especially when you take into account that:
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You'll spend less on maintenance. We use the best metals and plastics available, with the most durable finishes you'll find anywhere, so you won't spend time and money fixing things that shouldn't need attention in the first place.
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You'll be covered by Burke's Generations Warranty. The longest and strongest in the industry, covering most key parts and materials for up to 100 years. And unlike some playground warranties, Burke's Generations Warranty isn't prorated. So if something needs to be replaced, you won't pay a dime.
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You'll get valuable extras. Free with every Burke playground, a NPPS Playground Supervision Kit and a Customized Maintenance Kit. And if you purchase an Intensity playground, you'll get our Free Intensity Curriculum to help you organize activities around your playground for the maximum fitness benefits.
One-stop shopping for all your recreation needs – Burke’s new Arkansas/Mississippi Rep does it all
As one of BCI Burke’s newest representatives, Mike Wright, principal of Evaluated Recreation and Sports Construction, Inc. (ERSCI), has hit the ground running with a commitment to provide the customer's full range of recreational needs.
ERSCI, which represents BCI Burke in Arkansas and Mississippi, began representing Burke because the company's products completed his full lineup of products and services.
“We needed a playground supplier that would allow us the flexibility to do what we do,” Wright said. “Burke understood right off the bat that we both sell and install. They’ve given us nothing but support, which has translated into a lot of sales, a lot of construction, and a lot of happy customers.”
“We’ve definitely got our niche here at ERSCI,” said Wright. “We are quite literally a complete recreation and sports contractor, licensed in multiple states. We do site work, we design structures, we purchase equipment, we add on equipment, we relocate entire parks and playgrounds – you name it, we do it.”
“And we can do this,” he adds, “because we work as a team with our suppliers. We find the best equipment on the front end so we can provide any and all services our clients need in one complete package. We’re not a one stop shop if our clients are shopping around for their own play equipment.”
ERSCI is off to a fast start, with new Burke playgrounds going in for numerous Little Rock elementary schools, a new private community park, several Head Start Centers, and even a multi-million dollar recreation area in Benton, Ark., that calls for full site work, five ball fields, a picnic area and two playgrounds.
“We’ve seen a huge response,” says Wright, “because our clients know that we’ll do it all. They don’t have to deal with one contractor for the surface and one for the playground and another for the bleachers. We’ve completely simplified the process of recreational construction.”
He adds that without BCI Burke, ERSCI would be incomplete.
“Burke has been everything we have looked for in a playground supplier, and we couldn’t be happier with them,” Wright said. “The scope of our contracting services along with the superiority of Burke’s product has really put us on the map, and I anticipate having a great relationship with Burke for a very long time to come.”
If you’re in Arkansas or Mississippi, call 800.266.1250 to talk with ERSCI and find out how they can help you with all of your playground and recreational needs.
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