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Hybrid system XtraGrass™ at the Ricoh Arena is a success

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The hybrid system from TenCate, called XtraGrass™ is proven to be a success at different stadiums in the Netherlands and the UK where the pitch is used for soccer and/or rugby. After its first season at The Ricoh Arena,  XtraGrass™ has proved a hit with both players and staff at Wasps RFC and is more than ready for another exhilarating season of sports.

We visited The Ricoh for the last match of the season and filmed Wasps V London Irish to see for ourselves how the pitch had held up with dual sports plus a number of events that have taken place on it. We were very pleased with how it looked! Due to the strength and increased durability of -XtraGrass™ it can withstand dual sports play as well as single sports providing a 100% natural grass feeling and a green looking pitch all year round!Curious to see the hybrid pitch after a rugby match? Click here to watch the video

The XtraGrass™ pitch received some fantastic comments from Wasps:

“The pitch is very durable and very flexible, it’s a good, hard playing surface” David Armstrong, Wasps Group CEO

“Its always a nice surface to play on, we can play good attacking rugby on it” Jake Cooper-Woolley, Wasps Prop

“It suits our style of play, it’s a beautiful pitch” Dan Baugh, Head of Strength & Conditioning

With – XtraGrass™ already installed at a number of high profile venues including The Ricoh Arena, The Kassam Stadium and Vitesse (Netherlands) and installations taking place currently at The Lensbury Hotel and PSV, the hybrid pitch is proving itself to be an optimum playing surface in the world of professional sports.

 

 

 

 

 

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Cruyff court installed at the UN head office in New York

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Together with former Dutch soccer legends the UN ambassadors have played a tournament in June on the temporarily installed Cruyff Court. Even Dutch Minister Bert Koenders was there and participated during the soccer tournament.

“Sport, and especially football, brings people and communities together by emphasizing similarities and building bridges between different views, cultures and people. Football opens doors and makes things negotiable,” according to Minister Bert Koenders. The aim of the event was to raise awareness for the important role of sport in promoting peace, development, health and education. “On this day the unifying power of football symbolizes that the Netherlands is a partner for peace and development,” said Mr Koenders. The Cruyff Foundation and the KNVB WorldCoaches are joining forces to provide children from all over the world with opportunities to exercise. “That fits perfectly with the commitment of the UN to make sport part of programs for development and peace.”

TenCate Grass has been a longstanding partner of the Cruyff Foundation and produces the artificial grass fibers for the Cruyff Courts. There are now more than 200 courts worldwide constructed and this number will continue to rise in the coming months. Sport connects people and the Cruyff Foundation is aimed at inspiring young people so they can exercise together and develop themselves.

Continued Partnership for TenCate Grass and KNHB

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The Royal Dutch Hockey Association and turf producer TenCate Grass will continue their successful partnership, which began a few years ago at the World Cup Hockey in The Hague. As part of the collaboration, the artificial turf hockey pitch for the new Wagener stadium by TenCate Grass will be equipped with the latest GreenFields® TX surface. This pitch will be built in time for the 2017 European Field Hockey Championships.

The state-of-the-art GreenFields® TX artificial turf pitch, is being developed in close collaboration with elite hockey players and will focus on the optimum properties for player performanceat top international hockey level.

Leading hockey System

Ton Raaphorst, Managing Director of TenCate Grass EMEA, is enthusiastic about the ongoing collaboration: “We are delighted that our excellent relationship will be continued with the KNHB. Along with the KNHB we strive for further sustainable development of our GreenFields hockey systems , aimed at optimum playability opportunities for both elite athletes and grassroots hockey in theNetherlands.”

A renewed partnership

Erik Gerritsen, Director of the KNHB, also welcomed the continued collaboration with TenCate Grass: “The KNHB strives to build long-term relationships with its partners, sponsors and suppliers. We are proud that TenCate Grass in the coming years will remain with us. The extended collaboration also assures us a good playing field for the European Championships in 2017 in Amstelveen.”

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.

re-bounce® @ Turf & Grass Expo Geneva 2014

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We are pleased to announce that re-bounce® will be present at the Turf & Grass Expo during the International Sports Convention 2014 at Palexpo Geneva, Switzerland.
You can meet up with us in Hall 1, stand #100 on Wednesday, December 10th and Thursday, December 11th, 2014.

Hope to see you in Geneva!

www.geneva2014.com

Synthetic turf stadia in Switzerland

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In January 2012, Switzerland had 1472 registered Football clubs, with 113 full size synthetic pitches as of 2012. Player participation among men and women has seen a 17% increase since 2004

On July 14 2006, the field at the Stade de Suisse in Bern, Switzerland was awarded the FIFA recommended 2 star Football turf. The stadium is home to BSC Young Boys who participate in the Swiss Premier League. The surface was also used for home matches for BSC Young Boys for the 2006-2007 UEFA Cup season.

Installing a Synthetic Turf pitch proved to be a successful solution for all, allowing much more frequent use of the stadium infrastructure. Sports, business events and concerts could all take place and more importantly on a frequent basis. Therefore more spectators due to increased frequency of events such as concerts and business seminars. The strategic goal of “non-traditional football fans” coming into the football stadium with the hope that they may come back and see FSC Young Boys. A good long term strategy of increasing the fan base.

With the Swiss national team finishing top of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification Group E and one of the first teams to qualify, The growth of Football with more synthetic surfaces and pitches should continue.

H.B. Fuller introduces TEC brand in Europe

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Zurich – 24 April 2013 — H.B. Fuller, leading provider of adhesives to the building and construction industry, has announced the transition of a key brand of flooring installation products.

Following the acquisition of Forbo Industrial Adhesives last year, H.B. Fuller has taken on part of the Eurocol adhesives line. Those products that now come under H.B.Fuller’s portfolio will be transitioned to become part of the TEC™ product range. With more than 55 years in the industry, the TEC™ brand is one of the most trusted and respected brands in the United States for delivering innovative adhesive solutions.

The extensive TEC™ product line supports the installation of many flooring systems including linoleum, parquet and PVC. The product range brings many benefits including excellent grab, strong initial tack and strong resilience combined with low VOC (volatile organic compound).

Alain Redé, business manager for Building & Construction at H.B. Fuller, explains: “The Eurocol and TEC™ brands’ values are aligned in terms of bringing efficient, high quality and sustainable adhesive solutions suited to our customers’ needs. Our products are supported by a team of experts who have more than 40 years’ experience in the European market working with distributors, contractors, architects and designers and this helps us to deliver the best solution possible for our customers. “While rebranding the Eurocol products under the TEC™ brand, the existing products
are backed by global specification, global endorsements and investment into innovation through our R&D centers in Europe and the USA.”

Customers can be assured that, despite the change in product brand, they will continue to receive market leading technology, high performance products and quality service that they have come to trust from the Eurocol brand. All product numbers will remain the same, while packaging will be transitioned from the Eurocol mark to the TEC™ brand look and feel over the coming weeks, with new brochures and a newly designed website.

Alain Redé concludes: “We are confident that the transition of the Eurocol mark to the TEC™ brand will bring benefit to our customers. We are committed to providing innovation, premium quality and superior support to our partners in the industry and transitioning the Eurocol products to our TEC™ portfolio will strengthen our offering. Customers will continue to receive H.B. Fuller’s commitment to helping them turn vision into reality through collaborative partnership.”

For more information about TEC™ products, visit http://www.tecspecialty.com/europe.

 

The TEC trademark is owned by H.B. Fuller Construction Products Inc. and is registered in the U.S.A. and other countries.

The EUROCOL trademark is owned by Forbo Financial Services AG and is registered in Switzerland and other countries.

2nd ESTO Congress Lausanne

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The 2nd ESTO Congress took place in Lausanne, Switzerland – the Olympic City capital and home to many European and International Sports Governing bodies.

A well attended Congress took part in an action-packed day full of diverse presentations from a variety of industry respected speakers. For example Mr Simon van de Vrande from ECRA who spoke knowledgeably on the opportunities for CE marking within the synthetic turf industry, and Mr David Morris, from CIRFS who presented on Anti-Dumping legislation. Other very important presentations came from Alastair Cox, Eric Faivre d’Arcier regarding TC217 and the conclusion of the Lisport testing. Other important subject matters included an update from the International Rugby Board (Steve Griffiths), Opportunities with the European Union (Timme Bertolt Dossing, Cabinet DB) and John Nash from AMI Consulting on why regulation and compliance are essential for the synthetic turf market

After a hearty welcome to the city by Chief Sports Technology officer, Philippe Rupp, Congress listened with interest to a detailed account of ESTO activities over the past 12 months, supported by an informative powerpoint presentation by the Executive Chairman, Nigel Fletcher. The first ESTO Annual Report was well received and provided an essential reference tool to members and also underlined the fact that the organisation continues to be actively engaged in the promotion of synthetic turf.

The first ESTO bespoke Landscape Brochure was also give to the members at this point, offering a mainly pictorial presentation on how the use of synthetic turf can expand into this market sector.Furthermore the official announcement of the launch of the ESTO University and Research Cente, which will be an important development medium term.

The decision was announced to concentrate the future efforts of the ESTO into marketing and research. Decisions were made concerning future ESTO Committees and Working Groups and the strong focus on membership input was once again emphasised. Executive Chairman, Nigel Fletcher presented the ESTO guide for public procurement for EU public bodies to assist these organisations in making the right decisions. This will be a major development and communication in the immediate future

The event was ably compered once again by Robin Russell, and the day closed with an evening dinner at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne. The next ESTO congress will take place in Brussels, Belgium with Congress now being compulsory attendance for all members.

Raising Standards in Zurich

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Over 70 delegates from our member companies came together in Zurich recently to discuss the concept of raising standards within the synthetic turf industry and also improvements in the general maintenance of the product.

Ably hosted once again by Robin Russell, the event took place in glorious spring sunshine and involved the presentation of the ESTO ‘Gold Standard’ concept and focussed on working towards a European Quality Mark and regulation and compliance issues.

After group work and a short break members then listened to a most interesting talk from Steve Griffiths from the International Rugby Board on the latest industry development and then the group moved to work together on various activities concerning quality maintenance.

Nigel Fletcher, the ESTO Chairman, then detailed ESTO plans and activities for the remainder of 2011 which amongst many things will include the ESTO Congress in September in the Olympic City, Lausanne, Switzerland and the ESTO Gala Dinner and Awards evening in Cologne, Germany.
An ESTO dinner was held in the evening which offered a valuable opportunity for networking and socialising – an excellent meal in very pleasant surroundings.

The following day saw Geoff Webb, CEO from the Institute of Groundsmanship present an informative talk on introducing new concepts to membership, and the event was brought to conclusion by a well-attended and stimulating discussion, lead by Jon Nash from AMI Plastics, on the business of industry regulation – a topic which generated much interest and at times heated discussion from the membership as the full implication and importance of ESTO’s development plans hit home.

Nigel then brought the event to a close shortly before lunch and the delegates were asked to carefully consider the proposals, and the way forward in time for our upcoming Congress in Lausanne in September. All in all a most enjoyable and informative event.