Football pitches

An orderly and safe game of football requires a pitch surface that is level and even and provides sufficient support without being too hard, so that the risk of injury is minimised. The most cost-effective grass sports field, however, is one that needs no mowing, fertilising or watering, and allows football to be played all year round, whatever the weather conditions. This is why synthetic turf pitches have been in use since the mid-1970s and have been continuously developed and improved over the years.

Synthetic turf is similar to natural turf in terms of texture and appearance, but comprises interwoven synthetic yarns. It makes economic sense to use synthetic turf on football pitches that are subject to comparatively heavy use. This is particularly the case for training pitches and sports fields that are used by many teams. The elasticity of the overall system is crucial in ensuring that the properties of the synthetic turf are similar to those of natural turf. This depends essentially on the type of infill material used and, in particular, on the elastic layer beneath the turf.

A very dense structure and the use of fibres in different shades of green are key to ensuring a natural grass look. Optimised yarn technology ensures that the fibres right themselves again even after permanent loading. In addition to purely synthetic turf, there are now also hybrid turfs that combine synthetic yarns and natural grass.

An inexpensive and very durable alternative to natural and synthetic turf for sports is a mineral surface. A mineral surface can be played on all year round and requires much less maintenance than natural grass, which means lower maintenance costs. The surface of this water-bound sports surface consists of mineral materials such as weather-resistant reddish-brown hard quartz porphyry.