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Introducing a new concept: Field in a box™

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The TenCate Field in a box™ system from TenCate Grass links sport with social, educational and economic aims. Sport brings people together and helps to promote participation and integration. The system offers teaching and educational facilities and can help to boost employment and to strengthen the local community. Development cooperation focuses on helping these countries to develop further and to achieve a higher standard of living for their inhabitants. Until several decades ago Western organisations involved in this work were still following a top-down approach. Now there is far more of a bottom-up approach: grassroots development.The aid or cooperation aims at both facilitating economic progress and improving education, health care, infrastructure and the emancipation of minorities and vulnerable groups. The input and involvement of the local population are at the heart of this cooperation.

Non-governmental organisations
TenCate Field in a box™ is a ready-made solution in a single container of 84 cubic metres. Inside the container are all the components for a sports pitch measuring 40 x 20 metres. The container itself can easily be converted into a sports canteen, a room for people to meet, a classroom or an office. Optional extras include GreenSource® for water filtration, outdoor fabrics for fencing and roofing, customised printing and LED lighting. In order to expand the functions of the sports pitch, TenCate is entering into partnerships with non-governmental organisations, such as WorldCoaches. A non-governmental organisation (NGO) is not dependent on government, and focuses on such goals and interests as the promotion of human rights, health, environmental protection and development work. An NGO often has an advisory, facilitating and supporting role in development projects. Through its WorldCoaches the KNVB has since 2009 been using football to help advance the local community in developing countries.

More affordable
The coordinator of WorldCoaches, Johan van Geijn, is enthusiastic about the TenCate Field in a box™ concept. ‘There is an enormous demand in developing countries for a better foundation to enable children to play football and to train them in the neighbourhoods. It is often the price of the base that means that the initiative comes to naught, due to the high costs. Thanks to further development of the groundwork at TenCate Field in a box™, the installation is now much more affordable. The container immediately provides the local community with additional space for training and mentoring. This makes a great contribution towards a more vibrant neighbourhood. The improved base with synthetic turf has also made it possible to start developing a business model for using and running the facility.’

For more information on field in a box, please visit: www.tencatefieldinabox.com.

GreenFields becomes Official Supplier to PSV Eindhoven

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GreenFields, the innovative market leader in synthetic turf systems, has undertaken to be the Official Supplier to PSV Eindhoven until 2018. GreenFields – part of materials technology company TenCate – will, under the terms of the agreement with PSV Eindhoven, install various new synthetic turf systems at De Herdgang sports complex in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. GreenFields and TenCate will use the PSV sports complex as the FieldLab for sports-related technical research and as a showcase for international customers.

De Herdgang in Eindhoven boasts numerous pitches produced by TenCate and installed by GreenFields, including the main pitch on the youth side, the synthetic turf pitch near the professionals and the innovative FieldLab. All the pitches are equipped with the latest technology related to synthetic turf systems. The mini-pitch, which has already been installed and on which youth teams can enjoy very specific training through the use of innovative techniques, has also been provided with a woven GreenFields® MX synthetic turf system.

More intensive training

Marcel Brands, technical manager of PSV Eindhoven, states that he is delighted with the installation of the new synthetic turf pitches at De Herdgang. “The GreenFields pitches enable all the youth teams to train more intensively and to make even better use of the pitches. And what is even more interesting is the fact that we together with GreenFields are going to look at the development of hybrid pitches.” A XtraGrass™ hybrid system is a combination of a natural grass pitch reinforced with a woven synthetic turf backing. This system is fully recyclable and in part biodegradable.

Innovation driven

Toon Gerbrands, general manager of PSV Eindhoven and Ton Raaphorst, director of TenCate Grass and GreenFields signed the contract earlier this month. Raaphorst is very enthusiastic: “PSV made the sealing of our collaboration an unexpectedly great moment. It was well deserved, as both parties are driven by innovation: on the one hand, sporting innovation and on the other, technological innovation. And don’t forget, GreenFields is the holder of credentials from countless professional sports organisations worldwide, including American Lacrosse, FIFA, World Rugby and the FIH – the International Hockey Federation. GreenFields has more than 3,000 sports pitch installations across the world.”

First Cruyff court in Liverpool installed with TenCate Ecocept™

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GreenFields and the Cruijff Foundation are proud to announce the official opening of the new court in Anfield-Liverpool. The new court is part of a £260 million regeneration of Anfield, courtesy of funding partners Liverpool City Council, Liverpool Football Club and Your Housing Group, working together to improve housing and sporting facilities in the area. There are currently only two existing Courts in the UK, both of which reside in London: Cruyff Court Dennis Bergkamp and Cruyff Court Tottenham Hotspur – the Anfield Sports and Community Centre Cruyff Court will be the first outside of the UK’s capital, and the first which GreenFields have installed.

This particular Cruyff court is very special as it is the first court where the new TenCate Ecocept™ performance sports base is used. TenCate Ecocept™ is a new innovative sports base specifically developed for synthetic turf athletic playing surfaces. Is integrates seamlessly with the synthetic turf product. This product is a new sports base which utilises a 50/50 mix of recycled rubber and plastic, and saves roughly 140 tonnes of materials from landfill for every full size pitch. This system gives an improved shock absorbency for players, due to the stability of the base, and provides several functions in a single layer.

In the meanwhile the Cruyff Foundation, founded in 2003, has installed more than worldwide – including Argentina, South Africa, and Brazil. The foundation supports various projects that encourage young people to exercise in a safe environment.

Hatko installs second FIFA two star artificial grass pitch with TenCate Grass fibres

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Early may 2015, Hatko installed a second FIFA** pitch in Cyprus using TenCate Grass artificial grass fibres as its base. The pitch is located in Gazimağusa, a town on the country’s east coast, and measures 106 by 76 meters. It is named after the Turkish-Cypriot politician, Rauf Denktaş, who passed away in 2012.

Hatko Dokuma Tekstil insaat Taahhut Ve Ticaret Ltd Sti. is TenCate Grass’ partner in Turkey. The customer opted for the Omega Turf – Hatko’s top of the range pitch. TenCate Grass Middle East Ltd. engineered and produced the synthetic turf fibres within the space of a single week. The entire installation process took just three weeks to complete.

According to Hatko, the Omega Turf is renowned for its unique, curved shape and three ‘spines’, which create a bouncy grass fibre offering excellent flexibility and durability. Testing and analysis performed by Hatko engineers showed that the system’s durability remained uncompromised after as many as 40,000 Lisport Test cycles.

Hatko Sports has been using TenCate synthetic grass yarns for a number of years. The company has successfully completed many sports and landscaping projects throughout Turkey and the Middle East using TenCate technology.

Johan Cruyff Foundation

Johan Cruyff and Fernando Ricksen open Cruyff Court in memory of Stefano Borgonovo

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Johan Cruyff opened together with Chantal Borgonovo, wife of Stefano Borgonovo, and Fernando Ricksen, former striker of Glasgow Rangers, the first Cruyff Court in Italy, which is dedicated to Stefano Borgonovo. The Cruyff Court Stefano Borgonovo in Como, Italy. This Cruyff Court is a joined initiative of the Cruyff Foundation and the Borgonovo Foundation and greatly supported by the UEFA.TenCate Grass supplies the Johan Cruyff Foundation with the synthetic turf for the Cruyff Courts, and is intensifying its cooperation in the Netherlands and internationally with the Johan Cruyff Foundation.

A year ago, former Milan and Fiorentina striker Borgonovo, who won the Champions League with Milan and earned three caps for the Italian national team, died aged 49 following an eight-year battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS).

If Stefano Borgonovo was still alive today he would describe himself as the happiest man on earth. Not just because he would finally come to know the man he admired when he was a kid, but also because the idol of his childhood has opened a Cruyff Court in the town where Stefano celebrated his first triumphs as a professional player.

“A dream comes true”, says his wife Chantal. “My husband went crazy for Johan Cruyff. He admired him so much that he dedicated him a chapter of his autobiography. Even Stefano’s football school has the orange colour in its emblem as a tribute to Cruyff. He would have loved to know Johan personally. I am extremely happy and grateful to Johan because, thanks to the opening of the Cruyff Court in Como, the spirit of Stefano will be even stronger with us.”

Cruyff said: “This is a very special day for me as well. I am happy to open the first Cruyff Court in Italy and it makes me particularly proud that this court is dedicated to Stefano. It might be that Stefano tried to copy me as a kid. Stefano was an outstanding personality – on and off the pitch. I hope that with this teamwork between both Foundations and through this Cruyff Court in Stefano’s name, we can generate attention to find a cure for this terrible disease.”

The Johan Cruyff Foundation was founded by the legendary Johan Cruyff. The Cruyff Foundation is regarded as a major authority on sports for children – including disabled children – and related community projects. A Cruyff Court is a modern alternative of the ancient green, which one could find in a lot of neighborhoods and districts, but has over the years been sacrificed due to urbanization and expansion. The local children get a good safe place where they can play sport and through the cooperation of the local council, corporations, schools, sport and football clubs and local businesses, the Cruyff Court also has an important social function in the neighborhood.

The Cruyff Courts are made of the durable TenCate XP Blade™. TenCate XP Blade™ does not split, making it the right choice for intensively used fields. In addition TenCate XP Blade™ is more resilient than regular tape yarns: instead of laying flat like other tape yarns do, TenCate XP Blade™ twists due to play forming an attractive and well playable turf surface.

Romeo Menti Stadium

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When on June 19, 2011, the Juve Stabia soccer team won in the playoffs against Atletico Roma they earned a promotion to the Serie B. Apart from the thousands of fans that invaded the streets of Castellammare di Stabia, the team’s hometown, many were also celebrating in Gallo d’Alba. For the Campania based team, this victory meant a return to the cadet series after 60 years in the waiting. Juve Stabia’s success was a veritable surprise because the club, which came from being promoted to the second division, had started the 2010/2011 season with other objectives. After the celebrations, Juve Stabia had to confront new challenges, including the renovation of the stadium while setting goals for the new season.

The synthetic pitch in Menti Stadium underwent a series of renovations during the summer in order to bring it up to date with the latest FIFA requirements. The excellent work done on this pitch was confirmed by the speed with which the Romeo Menti Stadium was granted the FIFA 2 Star certification.

In order to comply with the rules of the Serie B championship, the stadium, apart from having the synthetic turf replaced, was also subjected to other improvements. One of the changes concerned safety, the video surveillance system and external illumination was improved to ensure the best possible visibility especially during night matches. Nevertheless, the interior stadium fence, which had already been renovated still complied with Serie B standards therefore it remained unchanged along with the section for guest fans. The locker rooms underneath the stands were renovated and an anti-doping room was added. The seating capacity was increased to 10,000 people and the press stand was widened to increase the number of spots for journalists.

While many teams in Italy and as many in Europe train on synthetic turf, there remains a certain reservation about using it for football. Many say that a synthetic grass pitch can result in a higher number of injuries. 
“There have always been prejudices”, says Clemente Filippi. “Even when we installed the first synthetic pitch, there were concerns that it would cause a higher number of player injuries. I can say that with those first generation pitches, in the first years, the number of injuries was actually rather low. In the 2003/2004 season, when we were promoted from the Serie D division, the number of muscular injuries playing on an artificial pitch was very low. Over the years, the injuries we have seen were caused by other factors and certainly not from the synthetic pitch. Today, the main cause is the rhythm of the match, which is much higher than in the past, and the playing surface actually does not count for much”. Another often heard and read comment is that those who play on synthetic turf have an advantage over those who play on a natural grass pitch. “It is thought that to play on an artificial grass field is an enormous advantage. I would not be so quick to say this, seeing as this year, we have lost the first two matches played at home (against Verona and Brescia). It is likely that during the first ten minutes of the match there might be some adaptation issues, but we have to consider that today any club demanding respect has the opportunity to train on a synthetic surface, because the need to be able to train even in rain and freezing temperatures exists for everyone. I don’t think there are advantages; the only difference is the spectacle, because the plays and the pace are faster with respect to a natural pitch”, adds Filippi. 

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Silvio Piola Stadium in Novara, Italy

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In 1964 planning for a new stadium in Novara started and construction works began in 1971. On January 22 1976 the stadium with an initial capacity of 25,000 spectators has been opened. The first match to be played was Novara Calcio against Juventus Turin. In October 1997 the city of Novara decided to change the name of the stadia – formerly known as Viale Kennedy – towards Silvio Piola in order to honour the Football World Champion from 1938 who played in Novara between 1947 and 1954. In the season 2009/2010 the club got promoted to Serie B and now had to modernize the stadium in order to meet security requirements. In October 2010 the new field of ‘Silvio Piola’ with a synthetic surface has been presented. In close proximity to the stadia other sports facilities including a Baseball Field, Tennis Courts and a track and field arena have been installed.    

Synthetic turf in Italian Football

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There are 14653 registered football clubs in Italy, with 394 full size synthetic pitches. Player participation in males under 18 has seen a 17% increase since 2004.

The two major stadiums that have synthetic turf pitches in Italy are at the Stadio Dino Manuzzi & Stadio Silvio Piola, home of AC Cesena & Novara Calcio respectively. AS Cesena was the first club with an artificial pitch in Serie A and was in the Serie A until they got relegated at the end of 2011-12 season, both clubs currently play in the Serie B.

Some of the stadiums that have installed synthetic turf in Italy are, with the two Italian top clubs, AC and Inter Milan, playing their home matches on a natural grass pitch, but reinforced by artificial fibers.

When asked about synthetic football pitches in Italy, Antonio Armeni, President of Artificial Turf Sport Facilities Committee (C.I.S.E.A), F.A ITALY – L.N.D. said “We believe the provision of synthetic football pitches is critical to the development of football in Italy”. It is estimated that by 2014 there will be an additional 140 full size pitches and this number should rise up to 220 by 2019

Tessiture Pietro Radici Italian production site awarded UNI EN ISO 14001 and BS OHSAS 18001 certification

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RadiciGroup continues its commitment to the environment, human and individual rights, and attention to customers, products and communities. The Group is committed to sustainable economic growth, as reported in its Sustainability Report drawn up according to Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines.

Tessiture Pietro Radici SpA (TPR), RadiciGroup ancestral company engaged in the production of artificial grass yarn and nonwoven spunbond, has obtained UNI EN ISO 14001 environmental management system certification and BS OHSAS 18001 occupational health and safety management system certification.

TPR also received a renewal of its ISO 9001 certification from a new certification body, Certiquality.

During the past few weeks, Tessiture Pietro Radici SpA (TPR) – RadiciGroup ancestral production company and leader in the production of artificial grass yarn and nonwoven spunbond, sold under the brand names Radigreen® and Dylar®, respectively – celebrated a twofold achievement on the environmental and safety fronts. TPR was awarded two important certifications: UNI EN ISO 14001:2004 for environmental management systems and BS OHSAS 18001:2007 for occupational health and safety management systems. These two recognitions demonstrate RadiciGroup’s concrete commitment to developing, implementing and improving its group-wide policies on environmental and occupational health and safety management. The Group’s primary objectives include the sustainability of its industrial activities, safeguarding natural resources by reducing the environmental footprint of its products, and improving the health and safety of its workers.

“We set out to implement our management systems in accordance with the requirements of the two international certification standards at a fast pace,” Paola Panzeri, quality manager of Tessiture Pietro Radici, explained. “We started the projects for both the environmental and safety management systems in April of last year. During the months that followed, we performed internal audits for the purpose of monitoring the process, performance and progress status. In June of this year we completed step one of the certification, the feasibility audit, and in July, stage two, the actual certification audits, both with positive outcomes. Lastly, in August, the two important certifications were made official.”

Enrico Buriani, CEO of Tessiture Pietro Radici, expressed great satisfaction: “Today, customer loyalty may also be gained and built through the level of reliability we are able to provide. And the actions we have taken to improve the efficiency of our management systems are steps toward strengthening our position as a reliable supplier.“

“I am proud of our achievements,” Mr. Buriani continued. ”The two certification processes required great effort, resources and commitment on the part of all TPR staff at all levels. Our employees worked together as a team, showing their awareness of and strongly participating in all facets of the 14001 and 18001 certifications. I believe that making employees aware of the issues and developing a corporate culture are among the key aspects of certification processes like the ones we have undertaken. This way the work approach is guided by the recognition of the importance of health and safety issues.”

ESTO objects to statements on potential risk from granulate in-fills

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An open letter to the European Commission and the Italian State concerning the potential risk from certain granulate in-fills from synthetic turf:

The European Synthetic Turf Organisation (ESTO) is the European trade association for synthetic turf with a key focus on all consumer aspects regarding synthetic turf usage, benefits and applications.

The studies mentioned below have concluded that “PAHs [Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons] are not released or at most negligibly released from tyre abradate” (The University of Dortmund Institute for Environmental Research 1997). Epidemiological studies conducted by the Health Effects Institute, The World Health Organisation and other investigators do not implicate tyre wear particles in ambient air as contributing to human health effects (respiratory and cardiovascular diseases).

In general, tyre abradate is a much finer particulate than the granules used as infill materials in Football Turf. The research demonstrates that the finer the particles the greater the surface area and higher potential for chemicals to leach out of the rubber.

The majority of the studies have been on higher surface area particles and have concluded they are currently acceptable. Therefore the larger granules used in artificial turf will have even less potential for emissions. For example a study undertaken by the Danish Ministry of the Environment concluded that the health risk on children’s playgrounds that contained both worn tyres and granulate rubber was insignificant.

The available body of scientific research globally does not substantiate the submission by the Italian Government and ESTO find the submission by the Italian State extremely weak in reference to scientific research on the subject. For further information of the issue and the risk, please consult the references below.

Nigel Fletcher
Executive Chairman

EUROPEAN SYNTHETIC TURF ORGANISATION

References

European Commission Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment (CSTEE) ON Brussels, C7/GF/csteeop/PAHs/12‐131103 D(03)

European Union Commission Report IP/04/208 Brussels 16th February 2004

European Union Commission 27th amendment to the Council Directive 76/769/EEC

TÜV Produkt und Umwelt Information 08/2005

Department of the Environment Investigation Denmark 2004

Goodyear Tyres 2003 Environmental Health and Safety Report

Chelsea Center for recycling and Economic Development University of Massachusetts Technical Report

2 Environmental Impacts of Recycled Rubber in Light Fill Applications August 1998

BIOLOGI Rapport, provtagningsären 96/97, 97/98, 98/99 Environmental monitoring in Stockholm

Municipality Laboratory for Aquatic Ecotoxicology and Institute of applied Environmental research Stockholm University 2002

Perspect 110 Suppl 3 451‐489 2002 Cancer risk assessment, indicators, and guidelines for polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbons

Gas and Particle Emissions from automobile Tires in Laboratory and Field Studies Rubber Chemistry and Technology,52, 146‐158 1978

Rubber Dust from the normal wear of tires Rubber Chem. Technol. 47, 1011‐1037, 1974

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Center on Air Emissions 1997

Particulate air pollution with emphasis on traffic generated aerosols Riso R‐1053(EN), Riso National Laboratory

Roskilde, Denmark, 1999

IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of the Carcinogenic Risk of Chemicals to Humans. Polynuclear Aromatic Compounds Part 1, Chemical, Environmental and Experimental Data, Vol. 32, Lyon, France

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IPCS Environmental Health Criteria 202, World Health Organisation Geneva 1998

The effects of motorway runoff on freshwater ecosystems: 1 Field Study. Env Toxicol Chem 14, 1079 1092 1995a

The effects of motorway runoff on freshwater ecosystems: 2 Identifying major toxicants Env Toxicol Chem 14, 1101‐1092, 1995b

Tire wear as a source of PAH, Umweltbundesamt, Berlin CSTEE/2003/18/4

Source of fine organic aerosol 3. Road dust, tyre debris, and organometallic brake lining dust: Roads as sources and sinks. Environ Sci Technol 27, 1892‐1904, 1993

Biomarker responses and chemical analyses in fish indicate leakage of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other compounds from car tire rubber. Environ Toxicol Chem 22, 2926‐2931 2003

Fate and effect of Zinc from Tire Debris in Soil Environ. Sci. Technol. 2002, 36, 3706‐3710

Kazakova SV et al. A clone of methicilline‐resistant Staphylococus aureas among professional football players.

The New England Journal of Medicine 2005 352(5); 468‐475.

Health and Safety Executive. Cancer risk following exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs): a metaanalysis. Research Report 2003/068. Published by the HSE available on‐line at:http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr068.pdf

The Norwegian Pollution Control Authority (SFT), 23.01.06