Product News Sports turf
Artificial turf surface requires no infill, mimics natural grass

TenCate, a manufacturer, distributor and installer of synthetic turf for sports and outdoor living applications, has introduced a synthetic turf that requires no performance infill, is able to be recycled and is bio-mechanically engineered to replicate the feel and playability of grass sports fields.

Named Pivot Performance Turf, it was tested by college and professional athletes wearing biosensors to record movement and surface interactions. The bio-metric feedback found that the product closely mirrors the qualities of natural grass, delivering the feedback, support, give and grip that athletes need to maximize their performance.

Pivot was developed by TenCate’s Center for Turf Innovation (CTI) after years of research. Using advanced technology and continuous testing, CTI unlocked a combination of traditional, durable sports fibres and new fibres that look and feel more like natural grass. The result: a new artificial grass that is strong and securely rooted, providing optimal traction and a stable, safe surface. Athletes can play on it every hour, every day in all kinds of weather.

“Everyone seems to really like it — the playability of it, the cushioning of it,” said Eric George, Assistant Vice President and Deputy Athletic Director for Rice University. “I think one of the really cool aspects is that you don’t have the rubber pellets. So our guys aren’t getting the turf burns like what they used to get, which actually comes from the pellets more so than the turf itself. From players to coaches, everyone involved has really loved it.”

Pivot is not just groundbreaking for athletes, it’s a leap forward for the environment as well. The revolutionary new turf:

•  Requires no performance infill, a first for turf systems. That means less materials and energy are needed to transport and install Pivot, resulting in lower carbon emissions.
•  Eliminates nearly 100 per cent of plastic shedding because there’s no conventional infill, which causes abrasion and shedding of the turf.
•  Lasts longer than other turf systems and can be recycled at the end of its lifespan.
•  Has no detectable PFAS, PAHs or lead. It is compliant with Proposition 65 requirements in California and meets testing criteria of the FIFA, NFL and NCAA.
•  Does not need to be watered, mowed or cared for like grass, conserving water, cutting emissions from lawn mowers and eliminating the use of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers.

Pivot features three times more total fibre than competitive turf systems, and 16 times as many individual fibre. It features flexible yarns to dissipate impact load and resists wear even where play is concentrated. Pivot has a 50 per cent longer lifespan than other synthetic turf.

“We’ve been using this for about 14 months now, and all of our outdoor sports teams are really appreciating the way it holds up under their feet,” said Tucker Barnard, athletic director and head football coach for Shiloh Christian School in Springdale, Ark.

tencategrass.com