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TenCate Introduces Warranty on Synthetic Turf Pitches

During the 2009 FSB trade fair in Cologne (Germany) TenCate, as the first company in the international synthetic turf industry, will introduce a warranty on the performance and durability of synthetic turf pitches made with TenCate components. These warranties will be offered in cooperation with selected business partners and the insurer ALLIANZ. The first warranty certificate concerning the Dutch soccer club FC Breukelen will be presented to the local municipality at 2 pm this afternoon, Friday 23 October.

TenCate as market leader in the synthetic turf market aims to effect a constant improvement in the qualitative aspects which determine the lifespan of sports pitches. This can only be achieved by means of optimum cooperation in the value chain. TenCate makes the main components of synthetic turf pitches: the grass fibre and the backing of the grass carpet. However, the quality of a synthetic turf pitch is also determined by the way in which these components are assembled and installed on a pitch. TenCate also has comprehensive knowledge and experience in house relating to the construction of the carpet and installation of the synthetic turf surface.

TenCate is introducing two warranty concepts. One concept that focuses on pitches for premier league football and another for pitches that are subjected to exceptionally intensive use.

FIFA 2 Star warranty FIFA 2 Star is the level of performance that the football federation FIFA has defined for premier league football. In recent years many pitches have been installed that at any rate initially met this standard, but some time after installation the playing characteristics of some of the pitches turned out to have changed and to fall below this level.

New grass fibres with TenCate XQ™ Technology - that will be introduced at the FSB - now make it possible to produce pitches that will satisfy the FIFA 2 Star requirements for a long time. In close cooperation with insurance company ALLIANZ and under certain quality conditions TenCate will offer a five-year FIFA 2 STAR performance warranty, called TenCate Performance Warranty Concept™. The first pilot project has recently been completed at soccer club FC Breukelen (NL). This synthetic turf pitch was installed in close cooperation with the Dutch companies Edel Grass and Oranjewoud Realisatie. The certificate for performance warranty will be presented this afternoon.

Guido Vliegen, group commercial director of TenCate Grass explains: “We are convinced that this new FIFA 2 Star warranty concept will enable TenCate to meet an important market need. After all, this concept gives soccer clubs the assurance that a new pitch will continue to meet important performance requirements during its expected lifespan”.

Durability warranty An expectation that is understandably very often held about synthetic turf is that it can always be played on without any limitations. Internationally it is not unusual for pitches to be played on for 3,000 or even more hours a year. For these “high-use” pitches TenCate produces a perfect grass fibre: TenCate Tapeslide XP™. The company now has more than six years of experience with pitches that are made with this grass fibre. In practice it has been proved that the durability and wear resistance of pitches made with this product are exceptionally high.

For this reason TenCate will introduce at the FSB a five-year durability warranty on pitches made with TenCate Tapeslide XP™ fibres. TenCate lays down several conditions, but the number of playing hours is unlimited.

Such a wear warranty is unique in the world of synthetic turf and it will supplement the existing warranty. This warranty too will be offered through selected business partners. “This unique warranty program is the way TenCate expresses its confidence in the exceptional durability of our TenCate Tapeslide XP™ products“, says Guido Vliegen.

Concept G4™ Under the provisional name Concept G4™ TenCate shows at the FSB how the future of synthetic turf for sports pitches might look: a synthetic turf system in which all the characteristics - including shock absorption - have been integrated. Thanks to innovative production techniques, TenCate sees the possibility of making a carpet in which all the necessary components have been assembled. Installation will then consist merely of rolling out and anchoring the carpet to a stable surface.

This innovative concept is based on a number of TenCate patents. The concept combines numerous new ideas for better playing characteristics, stability, rapid installation and recyclability. Next to this, for this concept TenCate will use weaving techniques that are based on the expertise of TenCate in the field of high quality textile materials. Guido Vliegen of TenCate Grass explains: “As the name Concept G4™ indicates, we are showing here a concept in development. However, we want to start actually using the principles demonstrated. The first trial pitches will be completed in the coming year”.

TenCate Grass Almelo, The Netherlands, Friday 23 October 2009

For further information:

TenCate Grass will be present at the FSB trade fair in Cologne (Germany) in Hall 11.3 on stand number G1 from Wednesday 28 to Friday 30 October inclusive.

Posted on October 26, 2009
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