Sekisui Alveo, European manufacturer of high-quality polymeric foams, has resumed deliveries of Alveosport, their high-performance underlay for artificial turf. After recovering from a factory fire in late 2016, the company is now delivering its highly regarded shock pad once again.
The factory has now been rebuilt, the damaged machinery replaced, and commissioning successfully conducted. At the heart of the Alveosport production process is a very special machine built exclusively for Sekisui Alveo. This machine represents unique technology – there is none other like it available anywhere in the world. It precisely cuts the patented groove pattern into the foam rolls.
The recovery project involved a lot of people, and many hours were worked in order to expedite the rebuilding of the factory and replacement of the machinery. The successful commissioning was not only about assembling equipment parts, but also sophisticated programming of equipment controls. In addition, intensive training for operators is needed to achieve the expected high quality of the well-known Alveosport products.
Customers have been placing orders for Alveosport again since Sekisui Alveo announced last October that production would be resumed in March 2018 – and now the first rolls have left the plant in Roermond. The equipment is new, but Alveosport remains the same proven product, with the same quality and the same performance that customers value and expect. One key to the consistent high quality is the material and the design. Only pure virgin base materials are used, so that the mechanical properties can be precisely controlled and matched to the type of artificial turf and the sport. The physically cross-linked closed-cell polyolefin foam material has very low water absorption. This, in conjunction with the drainage design, keeps the performance of the field constant as temperature and moisture conditions vary. This can extend the outdoor playing season by months when temperatures are low.
Alveosport excels in terms of installation, technical performance, and environmental impact. Installing the shock pad is fast and easy. It can be done in one day under almost any weather conditions and requires neither special machinery nor skilled personnel. Sports performance is optimised. The shock pad provides excellent shock absorption, energy restitution, and ball rebound uniformly across the entire field. The cushioning significantly reduces the risk of injuries. And in terms of environmental performance, Alveosport releases no harmful chemicals or gases known to pollute soil, water, or air – and at the end of a long service life of the artificial grass component, the Alveosport shock pad can be reused.
Assurance that a field with a shock pad will still deliver the required performance after many years of use is decisive for clubs or municipalities that want to choose a high-quality field with the best life-cycle cost. Considering maintenance, replacement cost, and service life, an artificial turf field with good strong fibres and with a shock pad turns out to be the best long-term investment. Alveosport shock pad can be reused when a field is renovated. When the artificial turf wears out after a number of years, the only investment required is for a new carpet. This saves significant costs. It also saves time, energy, and material – and minimises the interruption so the players can quickly return to playing on a comfortable, healthy, high-performance field.
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