Sustainable ProPlay shock pad now certified as subbase for field hockey fields in the Netherlands

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ProPlay, the sustainable shock pad produced by Schmitz Foam Products, has been officially certified by the Dutch Hockey Association (KNHB) as a subbase for field hockey fields. 

When the Dutch hockey club RHC Concordia was forced to replace all their fields due to extreme flooding in July 2021, they wanted to invest in a durable and sustainable solution. ProPlay is produced of recycled foam, and meets all performance criteria, but it was not yet certified. The club requested approval to use ProPlay as a subbase for their new artificial turf fields, and the KNHB responded positively to this request by certifying ProPlay.

Shock pad made of residual foam
ProPlay shock pads are produced out of collected residual foam sourced from high-end industries such as the automotive industry. The used residual materials have passed all quality tests and are therefore suitable for processing into high-quality products. Without Schmitz Foam Products giving these surplus foams a second life, they would likely end up in landfills or in incinerators.

ProPlay is recyclable at end of life
ProPlay can be recycled. When it is no longer used for its original application, the shock pads can be collected by Schmitz Foam Products after which they are processed into new materials. Not only is this sustainable, it also provides clubs like RHC Concordia with a potential significant cost saving, as having subbases disposed of often is an expensive process.

Easy installation saves time
Because ProPlay shock pads are supplied in their characteristic jigsaw puzzle shape, installing the subbase takes little time.  It doesn’t require special skills or equipment and is independent of weather conditions. As a result, the entire project of replacing RHC Concordia’s three field hockey fields could be accomplished from start to finish in just five months. Since the club no longer had any officially approved field to play on, this quick installation was much needed.

Shock pad resistant to heavy equipment
Because clubs want to thoroughly clean their fields on a regular basis, it is important that these fields can withstand heavy equipment. ProPlay is on average thicker than other subbase surfaces for sports fields. This provides extra strength and a longer lifespan. ProPlay is guaranteed to last at least 25 years and the pads serve as a suitable subbase, even after the artificial turf is replaced.

Schmitz Foam Products & the week of the Circular Economy

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February 7th to the 12th  was the Dutch week of the circular economy. The purpose of this week is to show how the circular economy works in practice. With a rising demand for resources worldwide, there is also a demand, if not a necessity, to handle these resources more responsibly. With this in mind, the Dutch government has set the goal to make the Dutch economy completely circular by 2050.

At Schmitz Foam Products, circular entrepreneurship is part of our DNA.  Have a look and see how we achieve this at Schmitz Foam Products.

What is circular economy?

In short, it means that existing resources will be reused, repaired or recycled. The intent is to extend  the life cycle of resources and realize optimal waste reduction. At the end of the life cycle the resources will be brought back into the economy, to ensure that the cycle will continue.

Who is Schmitz Foam Products?

Schmitz Foam Products B.V. is the global supplier of ProPlay®, the perfect shock pad with drainage properties for high-quality artificial grass systems in sports and playgrounds.

  • Meets quality standards of International Sport federations
  • Excellent vertical and horizontal drainage capacity
  • 25 year warranty for the owner of the field
  • Circularity is key:
    – Produced from post-industrial recycled foam
    – Can be reused or recycled at the end of life of the field

How Schmitz Foam Products conducts circular business

At Schmitz Foam Products circular entrepreneurship is high on the agenda. We work in according to the ‘3 R’s of Sustainability’:

Reduce:

Most ProPlay products are made of quality foams that no longer have a meaningful purpose in their particular industries. These foams come from industries such as the automotive, packaging, medical, sports and leisure and construction industries. These foams have passed all quality tests, but are seen as “obsolete”. This can be, for example, because of an excess in stock, cutting residues or products that have not been sold and taken out of stock. If Schmitz Foam Products did not offer these products a second chance, they would probably end up being incinerated or being transported to waste disposal. The demand for our products makes Schmitz Foam Products one of the world’s largest recyclers of XPE Foams.

Fun fact; We work together with many partners across many industries to  convert these foams, sometimes even installing shredders at their facility to make transport more efficient.

Re-use

Schmitz Foam Products constantly gives foam a new chance, our own ProPlay shock pads included. ‘Thanks to the use of quality foam, the performance degradation is very limited. That is why we are comfortable claiming that even once ProPlay is no longer delivering what is needed for sports, it can still have a useful purpose in other applications.’ Much of the ability to extend the lifespan of the foam can be attributed to Schmitz Foam’s long-time experience and extensive knowledge of polyethylene foams.

Fun fact; When replacing an artificial grass carpet at its end of life, the ProPlay shock pads underneath may appear as if they were installed yesterday. Our shock pad will outlast the turf for 2 or even 3 cycles, enforcing our commitment to sustainability and our 25 year warranty. At Schmitz Foam Products we are proud that our products are being re-used, especially as its performance in terms of shock absorption and water permeability are still up to par.

Recycle:

The Schmitz Foam Products’ recycling philosophy aims to reuse whatever possible before recycling is considered as an alternative. The company will go to great lengths to find a second use for ProPlay sheets that have been reclaimed  if they can still serve a purpose elsewhere.

This philosophy aims to find a new long-term application for a used shock pad(reuse). Only once it is established that this is not the case will the ProPlay be recycled. When recycling, it is important that the shock pads are clean; free of sand, stones or any other contamination. Clean pads can then be reintroduced in our production process.

Fun fact; In 2022 we will install our in-house shock pad washing device. By having this we can better serve the market for end-of-use shockpads. We can then further clean, shred and dry shockpads in order to recycle them. Another step forward in our circular strategy!

 

#WeekoftheCE

ProPlay-MP12 delivers a more economical and ecological solution

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The ProPlay-MP12 shock pad for play areas, small-sided game areas and multi-game areas facilitates children experiencing the best and safest possible playing moments in the early stages of their lives. It also helps facility owners to improve their sustainability score and facilitates the establishment of more of these early-childhood development areas.

Playing sports and games are essential for early childhood development as they will help to instil essentials playing and exercising, teamwork and dealing with winning and losing. Knowing that budget for these types of areas are always short, Schmitz Foam Products went on a quest to develop a new shock pad. ProPlay-MP12 delivers the required comfort but is more affordably priced and, in line with the Schmitz Foam Products philosophy, is produced with respect for the environment. “Schmitz Foam Products has always valued the various multi-game areas one can find in most urban developments around the world. These are essential to facilitate sports development and instil an enthusiasm to play sports. With more requirements being implemented for these multi games areas, we saw an opportunity to develop a shock pad specifically for these areas, meeting criteria from affordability to comfort and safety,” International Sales Manager Rob Moors explains. “Best of all is that its distinctive puzzle-shape allows for easy installation while the fact that it is made from remnant, high-quality foam material, makes that it also contributes to the environment.”

Sustainable solution

The shock pad is advised for grounds that are smaller than 2500m2 in size. “In the past, we often had customers opting for the ProPlay that we actually advise for use in larger sized sports fields. However, multi-game areas, small-sided sports grounds and play areas don’t require the level of engineering as shock pads for larger sports fields require do.” With this in mind, Schmitz Foam Products engineered the new ProPlay-MP12. “It delivers a comfortable shock absorption while being less demanding on the budget too.”

Closes the gap

The ProPlay-MP12 closes the gap between ProPlay-Sport20 for sports and ProPlay for playgrounds, two main products of the Schmitz Foam Products portfolio. “The requirements for multi-game areas in terms of impact attenuation are less demanding than those set for sports while our playgrounds products aren’t designed for use in this type of grounds. ProPlay-MP12 is certainly more robust, particularly in comparison to other products that are being offered on the market,” Rob Moors continues. The density of ProPlay-MP12 is four times higher,” Chief Technical Officer, Ron Moors points out. “This robustness allows for easy installation but also delivers a comfortable shock absorption. We know from our experience that this is sufficient to facilitate children playing sports like football or hockey.” The new ProPlay-MP12 offers the highest vertical drainage capacity among shock pads available in the market  The pad consists of foam flakes that are thermally bonded on a permeable non-woven. As Schmitz Foam Products only uses foam with a closed cell-structure, the small voids between the various flakes contribute towards the water flow capacity of a panel,“ Ron Moors continues. The water infiltration rate of ProPlay-MP12 still exceeds what FIFA or World Rugby dictate for their artificial turf grounds. “As soon as the rain stops, children will be able to come out again and to continue where they stopped when the rain started.” The speed with which the top-layer dries out, also serves the interest of the artificial turf carpet. “A carpet backing that stays dry will contribute to the lifespan of the artificial turf carpet.”

Facilitating new opportunities

Rob Moors points out that, another group of people who can benefit from the ProPlay-MP12, are the entrepreneurs that convert old industrial buildings into indoor multi-game areas and small-sided sports grounds. “At present they just draw the field markings on the ground which might be convenient but delivers a hazardous field to play on and can see them become liable for injuries. The concrete floor delivers no comfort to the joints or protection to falling or diving players. An investment in the ProPlay-MP12 and an artificial turf surface is relatively small but will deliver a much more safe and attractive multi-game ground.”

With the introduction of ProPlay-MP12, Schmitz Foam Products answers the need for establishing multi-game areas, small-sided sports fields and play areas at an affordable price. ProPlay-MP12 unites the best of multiple worlds: an affordable and sustainable shock and drainage pad. “Multi-game areas all over the world should strive to achieve the 3 Es: an economical, ecological and easy to install multi-game area that delivers the best comfort and cushioning possible,” Rob Moors concludes. The Schmitz Foam Products ProPlay-MP12 is doing just this.

How Schmitz stays ahead of a changing synthetic turf market

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Chief Technical Officer Ron Moors heads new Quality & Development department

As of the 1st of March we have a new central department: Quality & Development, led by our CTO Ron Moors. With this new department, we will be able to anticipate even better the everchanging synthetic turf market

Over the years, Schmitz has developed itself as a well-known and respected shock pad producer for the global synthetic turf market. This market, which is the biggest sales market for Schmitz, is everchanging. Ron Moors: “Every day we hear of new systems, like non-infill and alternative infills, and with the current microplastics discussion these new systems will  evolve at an even faster pace. Therefore, it is only logical for us as a leading shock pads producer to anticipate these changes.

In addition to these changes, there are also new demands from sport associations on national and international levels. Whether it’s the new norm of the Dutch Football Association (KNVB) or World Rugby that now allows synthetic turf with a fiber length of just 50 mm, the demands of the industry are always increasing. With these changing norms from the customer side, it is important for us as a producer to anticipate and meet these expectations.  The market simply expects to receive a system that meets these ever changing demands. Of growing importance in the synthetic turf market is recycling. “This is a development that we at Schmitz applaud loudly, since recycling is in our DNA and plays a role in all our developments. It is with reason why we at Schmitz, with years of knowledge and experience, are at the forefront of this trend.”

Growing Company
With the growing demand for ProPlay worldwide, we opened a second production facility in 2017 in Coldwater (United States). In opening this second production location, we are able to better meet the demand of the US market, and ensure shorter delivery times as well as reduced freight charges. Since the end of 2019 we also deliver a ‘hybrid’ shock pad, which combines recycled and virgin foam. Moors calls this “The best of both worlds”. In line with these developments, we also will start with our own foam production in the Netherlands in 2021. This process, currently in the startup phase, will enable our company to grow further and create possibilities for new products for the synthetic turf market. “Everything is moving and our organization cannot stay behind”, according to Moors.

Anticipating New Developments
With all these changes in mind, we made the commitment to create a Central Quality and Development department, situated at our Dutch headquarters. Moors explains: “This department is best seen as a combination of all capabilities we have both in Roermond and Coldwater. Here, we anticipate the latest market development and ensure that our quality is up to the highest standard, which is important in a constantly evolving market . After all, quality is the basis of our process. Additionally, this new department will build on the synergy we currently have between our two production facilities”. Moors will be the head of this new department leading a multi-disciplinary team, consisting of quality assurance, equipment and process engineering, application engineering and product development.

Accepting the challenge
Of course, the big question is: Will customers notice this change? According to Moors it will be mostly noticeable in our technical capabilities and ability to innovate. “The market expects a certain innovative mindset of us. After all, we are a leading global shock pad producer, which means we should stay ahead of trends and be the ones that set the trend.  Be it on sport technical segment or on subjects such as circularity. We see meeting these challenges head-on as a fun experience that we will take with the utmost confidence.”

Evolution of high quality shock pad is ahead of its time

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The new ProPlay-Sport20 passes all tests

The start of the new decade saw the ProPlay-Sport20 undergoing a update, this to ensure the world’s most popular shock pad is future-proof. 2020 turned out to be a year that was demanding in many ways, but the renewed ProPlay-Sport20 passed with distinction.

ProPlay-Sport20 is widely praised for its sports technical performance and high drainage capacity. As the shock pad is made of remnant foam and it can be fully recycled after end-of-use, this shock pad also scores well when the environmental impact of an artificial turf system is considered. This is one of the reasons why the demand for ProPlay-Sport20 has grown exponentially in recent years. In order to continue guaranteeing high quality and availability in the future, Schmitz Foam Products decided to revise the composition of the ProPlay-Sport20. The well-known and trusted 12mm thick layer of foam flakes is now combined with an 8mm thick foam layer. “This year we started laminating the ProPlay-Sport20 with a polyethylene foam that is specifically produced for Schmitz Foam Products. From 2021, the production of this foam layer is brought inhouse. By continuing to invest in our processes and products, we maintain control of the supply chain and anticipate the continuously increasing demand for ProPlay,” explains Ron Lokhorst, Export Manager at Schmitz Foam Products.

The adjustment is in line with the aim of governments and industries to produce smarter and more efficiently in the coming years in order to make optimal use of scarce raw materials. “Schmitz Foam Products had already introduced this approach in the 1980s. That is why we give cut-offs from the world’s largest foam producers a second chance by using them as the base material for our ProPlay. As our suppliers now start producing more efficiently, we have the obligation as a market leader to take the next step. This to ensure we stay ahead and can continue guaranteeing our deliveries.”

Sustainable field

The new ProPlay-Sport20 hit the market for the first time this year. One of the first Dutch artificial turf football fields to benefit is the renovated main field at Be Quick’28 in Zwolle. The field is filled in with TPE infill and sand that has been reclaimed from the previous top-layer. “The municipality has a clear policy on sustainable construction, and strives to reuse good materials as much as possible,” says Jos Florax of the municipality of Zwolle, when explaining the decision. The renovated top-layer was installed on the ProPlay-Sport20. “The contractor was asked to deliver a pitch that would pass the tests the Dutch FA, KNVB, has set for artificial turf pitches. Because we did not want to replace the existing subbase of sand and steagran, it was decided to use the ProPlay-Sport20 sheets. It turned out to be the only way for the field to meet those stringent KNVB requirements. If we had had to excavate that subbase and replace it, we would have violated our sustainability principles,” Florax adds.

The main field of Be Quick’28 is now the second synthetic turf pitch at the sports facility that is installed on ProPlay-Sport20 shock pads. Field number six, which had been transferred to neighbouring club PEC Zwolle, was renovated by the stadium club. The club will use this renovated field for its own youth academy. PEC Zwolle used the artificial turf carpet with TPE infill that had been removed from the stadium as the stadium field was converted to a natural grass surface. As the existing ProPlay on field six was still in good condition, it was decided to maintain it. According to contractor, CSC Sport, this decision allowed the field to deliver all the intended sport- and technical playing values, despite it being installed on a subbase that is different from what it was built on inside the stadium. However, the big gain lies in the fact that this decision allowed for adhering to the principles of sustainable construction, as set by the municipality.

Easy to handle for builders

The very first to notice the change in the ProPlay-Sport20 were the builders of the field. The new ProPlay-Sport20 is 25% lighter than its predecessor. “The summer period means show-time for us. That is when we are expected to deliver, irrespectively. Our builders are expected to build an artificial turf pitch under great time pressure and in hot summer conditions. The lighter the work is for them, the better the end result will be,” observes Arjan Emaus of De Sallandse United, the company responsible for the renovation of the main pitch. Thanks to the characteristic puzzle-shape pieces, and the lower weight, it is pleasant to work with the ProPlay-Sport20. “It requires fewer of our employees and it helps us to finish an artificial turf pitch faster.”

Futureproof shock pad

ProPlay shock pads come with a 25-year warranty, but the expected lifespan is a multiple of that. Since the manufacturer of the artificial turf has warranted the carpet for at least 12 years, ProPlay-Sport20 will help the municipality of Zwolle to respect its sustainability standards once again when the time comes to renovate the field again. “We can guarantee those 25 years because ProPlay has already proven itself in practice for this period,” says Ron Lokhorst. AFC IJburg near Amsterdam is an example of a club that decided to leave the existing ProPlay-Sport20 in place when its artificial turf pitch was renovated. “ProPlay has been installed since the early 1990s, and we are hearing more and more stories from clubs who are still satisfied with the sustained performance of the shock pad.” The fact that the new ProPlay-Sport20 now consists of two layers does not affect the lifespan. “Both layers consist of the same basic material and are thermally bonded together. We have been using this method for years to produce sheets from these remnant foam flakes and it has proven itself. Schmitz Foam Products is fully committed to producing shock pads, and we master that process in detail because we have invested a lot in the development of the method.”

The developments of the past year have, unexpectedly, shown the importance of continuous innovation when you have the ambition to maintain quality and quantity. COVID-19 also had its impact on Schmitz Foam Products, but due to their experience, preparations and cooperation with suppliers the company was able to proceed with their 24/7 production process and could rely on their stock to fulfil the worldwide demand for shock pads. “Based on, among other things, the forecasts of our partners, we build up stocks in the low season to ensure that we are structurally able to deliver with short delivery times,” says Lokhorst.

https://www.schmitzfoam.com/sustainability-and-recycling

The continuous ProPlay loop of giving foam a purpose

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ProPlay shock pads distinguish themselves in many ways, but one aspect that truly makes ProPlay stand out is its respect for the environment. ProPlay is made from redundant foams. Once these foams have been accepted for the production of this shock pad, they will remain in the system and will continuously be used to produce high-quality foam products. ProPlay reduces the need for virgin materials and helps prevent the unnecessary growth of landfills.

Click here to watch a short video on the Schmitz Foam website

Schmitz Foam Products places the environment firmly at the top of all its lists. By taking remnant foams and using them for products that have a meaningful purpose, Schmitz Foam Products prevents tonnes of foam going to waste annually. The plants in Roermond (the Netherlands) and Coldwater (USA) use the latest technologies and skilled employees to separate quality foams and prepare these foams for use in shock pads for different purposes. It has been doing so since the late 80s. The various quality monitoring and guiding principles for this process have been adequately documented. Internal processes to adhere to these principles are verified regularly, most importantly by auditors tasked with verifying the compliance with ISO 9001 and the CE principles.

Likewise, the Schmitz Foam Products protocol for accepting ProPlay sheets that are no longer used for their intended purpose is well-defined and documented. These ProPlay sheets can be handed back to Schmitz Foam Products to grant these sheets a purpose again in other applications. ‘It is a responsibility we take as the manufacturer but it is also something we can and like to do without even worrying too much about its condition,’ says Ron Moors, Plant Manager at Schmitz Foam Products. ProPlay sheets that have been handed in will be cleaned and either reused for other applications or recycled for the production of new high-quality foam products.

Reuse prevails over recycle

The Schmitz Foam Products’ recycling philosophy aims to reuse whatever possible before recycling is considered as an alternative. The company will go to great lengths to see whether ProPlay sheets that have been reclaimed can still serve a purpose elsewhere. Tests are conducted to establish the performance and quality of the sheets and to determine whether they could serve another purpose in a sports field or, perhaps, should be used in multi-game areas or for other drainage or shock absorbing purposes. Only once it is established that this is not the case will the ProPlay sheets be recycled.

‘Recycling the foam is really a last resort as, generally speaking, the foam is still in good condition. However, sports governing bodies are very strict regarding the constant technical performance they expect the material to deliver for a particular sport. We do not want to put that at risk. Nevertheless, they are still good enough for other purposes like drainage mats for roof gardens, horse riding arenas or as cow mats, as the drainage capacity of the material is still very good,’ Moors explains.

Proper thing to do

Sending the sheets back to Schmitz Foam Products will be the responsibility of the company that possesses the sheets. Schmitz Foam Products can provide pallets to enable smooth shipping. ‘Schmitz Foam Products accepts the sheets at no cost. We believe it is the right thing to do in a time where the environment is carefully considered,’ Moors points out.

With the protocol in place since 2012, the option of returning ProPlay sheets to Schmitz Foam Products has, thus far, been used sparsely. ‘In light of the lasting performance of ProPlay sheets that can go up to 25 years, it is understandable that we have only been offered a few sheets for recycling. Most of the sheets we have produced up till now are still being used in artificial turf systems. Once they cross their 25th anniversary, I wouldn’t be surprised if they still perform according to the needs.’ As the recyclability of artificial turf is increasingly becoming an issue, Schmitz Foam Products have decided to actively pursue the ambition of giving foams a second opportunity by also accepting shock pads from other producers for recycling purposes. Provided the shock pad is made from cross-linked polyethylene it can be offered to Schmitz Foam Products to have it recycled for another purpose. ‘These shock pads are made of the same raw material that we use for the production of ProPlay, hence we can easily process them in our production,’ Moors adds.

Endless cycle

Giving used ProPlay sheets a new lease of life is something that can be done multiple times. ‘The performance degradation is very limited. That is why we are comfortable claiming that even once ProPlay is no longer delivering what is needed for sports, it can still have a useful purpose in other applications.’ Much of the ability to extend the lifespan of the foam can be attributed to Schmitz Foam’s long-time experience and extensive knowledge of polyethylene foams.

The quality of ProPlay sheets is unrivaled and well-documented. Don’t be surprised when it outlives the artificial turf carpet that has been used for the field. Even when it is decided to replace a sheet or the shock absorbing layer of an entire field, ProPlay can still have a meaningful purpose. By shipping those sheets back to Schmitz Foam Products you will lay the foundation of another period of unrivaled shock absorbing and drainage qualities.

Check out the short video on the website to get the full story in less than 2 minutes via https://www.schmitzfoam.com/sustainability-and-recycling

Schmitz Foam Products replaces its popular ProPlay-Sport20

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As of January 2020, Schmitz Foam Products will replace its popular ProPlay-Sport20 shock pad by a renewed version. The change is necessary to answer the demand for the product and to remain on par with the latest trends and developments.

Schmitz Foam Products introduced ProPlay-Sport20 in the early 2000s, when shock pads were still considered a luxury. Thanks to its robustness and the excellent performance it delivers, ProPlay-Sport20 has since become the most used shock pad for artificial grass sport systems globally. The industry has progressed, and the time had come to rethink the product’s concept, says Jens Ulb, Chief Commercial Officer at Schmitz Foam Products. “ProPlay-Sport20 is produced from foams that the foam industry consider redundant. In the last few years Schmitz Foam Products has experienced an above average growth which exceeded the growth of the foam industry. As we foresaw that this could lead to challenges in sourcing our raw materials in the run-up to our peak-season, we decided to review the design of this front runner.”

The renewed ProPlay-Sport20 provides similar or even better sport technical performance, is equally robust and offers a drainage capacity that matches that of the original ProPlay-Sport20. “What differs is that the future edition will consist of an 8mm foam layer that has exclusively been produced for Schmitz Foam Products, combined with 12mm foam flakes sourced from foams which were deemed redundant. It simply combines the best of both worlds”. No additives are involved in bonding the polyethylene foam layer and polyethylene foam flakes to a single sheet. It is done with thermal bonding, similar to the way Schmitz Foam Products produced the ProPlay-Sport20. “As this heat-bonding is done by a state-of-the-art laminator, it is impossible for the foam layers to separate spontaneously. The only time they will come apart is when Schmitz Foam Products recycles these pads by the time they no longer have any meaningful purpose.”

Renewed product, known performance

Over the past few months, the renewed ProPlay-Sport20 has been tested by international testing institutes. Since the shock pad comes with similar or even better sport technical characteristics, system test efforts if desired can be kept to a minimum. This ensures a smooth industry transition from the original ProPlay-Sport20 to the renewed version. Jens Ulb continues; “Due to its look you can differ between the two ProPlay-Sport20 pads, but an installer or athlete will not experience any difference with our renewed shock and drainage pads.
​
The shift to the new version also means that Schmitz Foam Products will cease producing the ProPlay-MP. “The ProPlay-MP was mainly used for multi-sports courts. As the sports experience on multi-sports courts has also evolved over the years, it is our recommendation to also use the ProPlay-Sport20 for this type of surface. The pad delivers a superior performance and experience for these fields at a competitive price,” says Ulb.

Schmitz Foam Products has already started producing the new ProPlay-Sport20. Jens Ulb is convinced that they will have sufficient stock from 2020 onwards. “With this evolution we combine the best of both worlds with which we are ready to secure the delivery of a robust shock and drainage pad to any future-proof artificial grass system.”

Visit
http://schmitzfoam.com/newppsport20 for more information or to order a sample and technical datasheet.

ProPlay® prolongs sports field and stadium pitch safety

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Shockpad outlasts lifespan of two synthetic turf carpets

Early adopters of the ProPlay® shock absorbing layer are currently reaping the fruits. A growing number of installations are proving that the lifespan of ProPlay® meets expectations, thereby enabling clubs and stadium owners to offer a safe and durable surface over a longer period of time and achieve significant savings when renewing their synthetic turf surfaces.  

Engineered systems like synthetic turf fields enable field owners to control the quality and safety of their fields. However, they often fail to recognise the importance of a shockpad. ‘I have had clients and architects in the past considering various pads to reduce the Gmax results of their field,’ Craig Shonk of Midwest Synthetic Turf says. ‘The price of adding a pad was just simply out of their budget. As an alternative, they requested for a taller pile height turf, which allowed for more rubber to be added to the infill system. That helped lower the Gmax but it also makes the field so soft under foot that you increase the fatigue in your lower body. The experience is similar to running in dry sand on a beach vs running on the wet sand.’ Shonk has become a strong advocate of using shockpads. ‘A pad gives you the reduction in Gmax results but maintains a firm and fast surface under foot because of the higher sand content in the sand/rubber infill mix. Putting a pad under the turf is always the best option, if you can afford it.’

A lasting investment

An investment in a shockpad is a lasting investment. Harding University in Arkansas, United States, can attest to this claim. The Harding University field was replaced in 2012. At the time Craig Shonk was the director of operations for Prograss, the company that held the contract on the replacement of the field. ‘Once we removed the existing turf from the field, we performed an inspection and we concluded that the ProPlay® shockpad that was used when the field was installed in 2005, was still in excellent shape.’ All Shonk had to do was replace the synthetic turf carpet and its infill.

Rigid performance

‘Throughout the turf removal and rollup process we punctured or tore a handful of panels. We ordered two pallets of new pad to replace the damaged pieces,’ Shonk admits. The new panels blended in easily with those that had been used for eight years already. ‘We noticed that existing ProPlay® panels had not changed in size, shape or thickness over the length of time that the pad had been installed. The original pad pieces matched up perfectly with the new pieces that we had ordered. .’

 

 

Best of two worlds

‘ProPlay® shock- and drainage pads are produced from foam products that, for one or another reason, ended up not being used,’ Jens Ulb, Sales Director of Schmitz Foam Products explains. ‘These products already passed the quality tests at their respective producers and provide us with the perfect raw material to enable us producing a superior shock absorbing panel.’ As a result, the company’s CO2 footprint is limited. ‘Best of all is that we prevent quality products that were not used for their intended purpose, from ending up in the waste-stream.’

Craig Shonk is convinced that synthetic turf fields can’t do without a shockpad. ‘As more people learn about concussion in sports and the potential impact that synthetic turf fields have on concussions, the overall awareness to find better solutions in turf systems is leading to more clients purchasing or budgeting for pads.’ ‘Because budgets are typically a huge factor in the decision-making process, I believe that many clients will lean towards ProPlay® because of their overall value.’

Another round for top performance ProPlay® shock pad at soccer field replacement

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After eight years, the turf of a soccer field in IJburg (The Netherlands) had to be replaced. The ProPlay® shock pad underneath, which was installed in 2010, was still fully functional.

When the turf was taken off recently, installers discovered a flawless ProPlay®-Sport20 field which looked like it was installed yesterday. Moreover, the performance still was on the same level. As good as new, not a single sheet needed to be replaced.

Of course, this was good news for the investor who could now see with his own eyes the return of an investment done eight years ago. In general, the warranty of all ProPlay® shock pads is 25 years. So this underlayment will be good for at least another 17 years.