A Letter to Our Installation Crew: Go Out Safe, Come Back Safe
Yesterday, an Indian client threw a birthday party for our installation foreman. And it took me straight back to last year, when the same guy was on a project in Africa. Forty-something degrees. He got heatstroke mid-shift. His face went white. The client was terrified. We were terrified. Lucky for us, the team knew what to do—poured some cooling medicine down him, and he came around.
That's why I wanted to record this message for you.
Hello, I'm Katie. To every Pokiddo installer out there, wherever you're working today—this one's for you.
Guys, going abroad to install parks is honest, hard-earned money. But safety comes first. Always.
So me and the senior installers who've been doing overseas work for years put together a guide. How to pick a factory that's worth sticking with long-term. What medicine to pack. Which apps to have on your phone before you land. Save it, read it before you fly, and pass it on to other installers who need it.
How to Pick a Factory Worth Sticking With
Installers ask me all the time: Katie, there are so many factories out there. How do I tell which one's worth my years?
My honest answer is, look at four things.
First, look at the hardware itself. Standards are the floor.
Does the equipment carry international certification? EN1176 for Europe, ASTM for the US—that's the baseline. Without those, you could be mid-installation when local safety inspection shuts the site down. Project dies. Your pay dies with it.
Is it packed properly? Sea freight takes a month minimum. If the packing is careless, the equipment arrives rusted, damp, dented. Then what are you supposed to install on site?
How thick is the board? We had a client break through a ball pit step once—the board inside was like paper. Don't take work from factories like that. They save on materials, and the cost comes out of someone's life.
Second, look at how the team handles responsibility. People matter more than anything.
When problems come up, do they point fingers? Installation always throws surprises. Client changes the plan mid-build. Local materials don't arrive. Weather. Site power issues. A decent factory works through it with you. A bad one blames you.
What's their reputation? Ask around the old installers. Is this factory busy? Do they drag their feet on pay? Is management arrogant? Word gets around, and word is usually right.
Third, look at how seriously they take safety. Did they insure you?
Overseas insurance is not optional. Pokiddo insures every installer who goes abroad—accident, medical, emergency rescue. If you get sick or hurt, you're covered.
Do they train you before you go? Not just installation. The local weather. The customs. Which medicines to carry. A company that treats you like one of their own thinks about the details of your life out there.
Fourth, look at how fast they pay.
You're out there to feed your family. A solid factory settles up the moment a project passes acceptance. Pokiddo has an iron rule: anyone who withholds your wages, I go after them myself.
First Time Going Abroad? Prepare These Before You Fly
Documents—check them three times the week before you leave.
Passport with more than six months validity. Many countries require it. Visa—know if it's e-visa or sticker, and print it. Round-trip flight itinerary, printed. Hotel and project addresses in both Chinese and English, for the entry forms.
Medicine—this stuff saves lives, don't skimp.
That Africa heatstroke guy? He survived because he had cooling medicine on him.
Pack these: cold medicine—temperature swings will get you. Stomach medicine—local food will disagree with you. Heatstroke medicine—essential for tropical countries. Plus band-aids, iodine swabs, allergy meds, painkillers.
Better to have it and not need it. But if you need it and don't have it, that's how people die out there.
Use AI to prep before you go.
Ask ChatGPT or any decent AI about your destination. Weather. Customs. Taboos. Voltage and plugs. Tipping habits. Then check real people's experiences on social platforms—search the country name plus "work guide" or "pitfalls." And watch some local life videos. You'll land with a much clearer head.
Practical apps—bookmark these.
Translation: a travel English app with live voice translation, works offline. Plus Google Translate for menus.
Ride-hailing: local apps or whatever's standard where you're landing. Set up accounts before you fly.
Food: Google Maps reviews are your friend.
Maps: Google Maps, plus an offline map app so you can navigate without signal.
The technical stuff—you know what I mean.
Lots of overseas sites need you to look things up, use Google, watch installation tutorials on YouTube. Set up your access tools before you leave, use them with the local network, and follow local law. The details, we talk privately.
Small stuff that matters.
Plug adapters—every country is different. A little local cash for water and tips when you land. Instant noodles for the first few days when your stomach hasn't adjusted. A printed list of family contact numbers, in case your phone dies.
One Last Thing, Brothers
Going abroad to install is tiring. Ten-hour days. Back-to-back schedules. Nights where you miss home so much you can't sleep.
But—
When you see the equipment you installed with your own hands turning into kids' laughter.
When a client shakes your hand and says "you Chinese guys are so reliable."
When the project's done and you stand in the park, take a photo, send it home, and say "I built this."
That feeling is worth it.
At Pokiddo, we don't treat you as "workers." You're partners.
We insure you. We handle your visas. We train you. We pay you on time.
We want you to go out safe and come back safe—with money in your pocket and skills in your hands.
If you know another solid installer, send this to them. Together, we're building Pokiddo parks all over the world.
And For the Investors Reading This
I know some of you reading this aren't installers. You're the ones hiring us. So let me connect it to your side.
When you compare trampoline park cost across factories, add the installation quality to the math, not just the equipment price. Because the cheapest quote usually means the least experienced crew, and you pay for that difference in delays and rework.
The same logic applies if you're weighing trampoline park franchise cost against going independent. What you're really buying is a standard—certified trampoline park equipment, trained installers, insurance. That standard is exactly what our crew guide is about.
A good indoor trampoline park design is only as good as the hands that build it. And if you're figuring out how to start a trampoline park, remember the installers are the ones who turn your indoor trampoline park design into a real building.
As a trampoline park manufacturer, we've sent crews to six continents. The ones who come back and stay with us long-term are the ones who take care of their people.
Safety first, always. That's the rule that runs through everything we do.