FieldTurf Core will be installed as the new playing surface at Rugby Park stadium this summer, home of Scottish Premiership team, Kilmarnock FC. Following a rigorous selection process, Core was seen as the obvious choice, as the most advanced high-quality synthetic turf on the market. Kilmarnock joins FC Barcelona, Everton and Ajax in choosing Core – the industry’s most exciting fiber innovation in years which combines market-leading durability with superb performance characteristics.
As the pioneer in innovative synthetic turf technology, FieldTurf has more than 25 years’ experience and more than 20,000 installations worldwide. A member of FIFA’s quality programme, FieldTurf has more than 350 certified fields and nearly 900 certified systems which meet the stringent technical characteristics of top level football.
The system chosen by Kilmarnock is Vertex Core; an elite dual fiber system which has been engineered to deliver world-class performance, playability and aesthetic qualities. Featuring unrivalled technical properties such as optimum ball roll, reduced infill splash and enhanced infill encapsulation, Vertex Core meets the most stringent standards of FIFA’s Quality Pro programme for elite-level football. Rugby Park stadium will be the first such stadium field in Scotland and will undoubtedly raise the bar in terms of synthetic turf performance in the country.
FieldTurf partners, Allsports Construction & Maintenance Ltd, will deliver the project this summer. Allsports already have significant experience in the elite stadia market, having previously worked with Kilmarnock in addition to Falkirk, Airdrie, Stenhousemuir & Alloa football clubs amongst many others.
In addition to showcasing the synthetic turf industry’s most resilient and innovative fiber, the system will also feature Murfitts PRO-gran infill. PRO-gran combines the exceptional dynamic properties of rubber, which is then coated in polyurethane resulting in a less abrasive & cooler playing surface. Not only is PRO-gran guaranteed to remain in perfect condition for a minimum of 10 years, but it has also been thoroughly tested and approved for use by the Dutch Soil Decree, and exceeds Europe’s toughest toxicology standards for consumer products (REACH 1272/2013 as an article).
Kilmarnock’s stadium will also benefit from FieldTurf’s Genius pitch monitoring system. This game-changing technology is designed to help maximize the longevity, playability and safety of a sports field; as well as allow facility owners to track maintenance, plan more efficiently and monitor usage. Genius is the latest in FieldTurf’s innovations that help change the game for facility owners. Driven to continuously evolve the world of sports surfacing, Genius is a monumental advancement helping shape the future of field management.