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Bonding artificial grass, come rain or shine

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Bonding artificial grass, come rain or shine: With the temperamental British weather we have, attempting to bond in damp conditions is the bane of many artificial grass installers lives.  Wasted days, hours and even weeks waiting for the optimum conditions to bond the carpet are costing the industry time, money and even penalty clauses as the job gets delayed and pushed back.

One of the most common adhesive systems used for bonding artificial grass to seam tape is a two-component polyurethane adhesive.  These systems give an excellent bond and there are many products, from well known brands, which are available.

Bonding artificial grass, come rain or shine

Bonding artificial grass, come rain or shine

But there is a universal problem with these commonly available products.  They can’t cope with bonding in damp conditions.

This issue has been apparent for many years but now there is a solution to this problem – Henko R300

Henko R300 is a two-component polyurethane adhesive which has been developed by Dutch company, Henko A&T, which specifically overcomes this issue.

This unique formulation allows the adhesive to be bonded in damp conditions, so when the day is wet you can continue doing what you are best at doing – getting the job done

One new client of Ureka said “My colleague told me that Henko R300 would bond in we conditions unlike your competition.  I didn’t believe him and told him to prove it by bonding some grass which was in a puddle fully submerged.  So he did and it cured – I couldn’t believe it!”

Bonding artificial grass, come rain or shine

Bonding artificial grass, come rain or shine

Packed in either a 6.85kg or 13.7kg kit, R300 is easy to mix, easy to spread and gives an excellent strength when fully cured.

Used widely in high performance applications like football and rugby fields, R300 is rapidly becoming the preferred choice for grass bonding adhesive.  Equally, R300 performs well in domestic, leisure and other sports field applications

Henko products are available in UK through their dedicated stockist and distributor Ureka Global Ltd, who also have the full range of adhesives, tools and maintenance equipment in stock

For further details, please contact Ureka Global Ltd on 0117 971 1364, email sales@thenamethatsticks.com, or visit our website, www.thenamethatsticks.com

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Thieves Rip Out Artificial Turf

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Thieves Rip Out Artificial Turf: Thieves have ripped out specialist artificial turf from a £33,000 training centre used by young cricketers.

The nets were set up at Porthill Park Cricket Club around a month ago following a fund-raising drive.

Thieves Rip Out Artificial Turf

But yobs cut up one of the lanes used to help build youngsters’ confidence in the sport.

Since news of the theft broke, former England captain Michael Vaughan has even Tweeted his support saying: “This is disgusting…please someone let the club know who’s done this.”

Chairman Craig Chorlton was left baffled after discovering a piece of artificial turf measuring 20ft by 6ft was missing.

Craig, of Wolstanton, who has been involved with the club for 15 years, said: “It is specialist flooring and the part they targeted is used by the young cricketers. I don’t know what they will do with it.

“The gates for the nets were locked and I think whoever has done it must have come to have a look before doing it.

“It’s very bizarre how they have cut out one section – but for us we need to have the whole thing re-done. There must have been at least two thieves due to the weight.

“It is used to get young cricketers used to hard ball. This type of artificial turf can’t be bought in the shops and it is specialist.”

The club raised around £5,000 for the nets by holding events and applying for grants from Red Industries and local councillors.

While the nets cost around £33,000 a further £4,000 was spent to make them secure.

Craig says the club has worked hard to support the community and Porthill now boasts 30 junior sides, five senior, a women’s, three for girls and a softball side.

He said: “We also put on sport sessions on the car park as there was some anti-social behaviour in the area over the winter and we wanted to help with that and we are a real part of the community.”

Fellow clubs across North Staffordshire have been quick to back Porthill.

Craig said: “The support we have received has been amazing and I have been told how our Tweet has been shared hundreds of times. The other clubs around the area have been fantastic too.”

Groundsman Ian Plant has also been left disappointed by the theft, which happened overnight on Sunday (May 19).

Ian, mayor of Cheadle, said: “I feel disappointed for the people at the club who worked to get this set up and for the children who use it.

“The nets are a really good stepping stone for young players and now because of this they can’t practice.”

A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: “Officers were called to a report of theft at Porthill Park Cricket Club at 10.45am on Monday, May 20.

“It is believed approximately 20ft of turf had been cut off and stolen. Inquiries are on-going.”

Anyone with information should call Staffordshire Police on 101 and quote incident 205 of May 20.

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GKB Ideal For Artificial Maintenance

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GKB Ideal For Artificial Maintenance: Launching his dedicated artificial sports turf maintenance business this month, Sports and Courts Maintenance Ltd, Jon Lawson was looking for something that would decompact and assist in the deep cleaning and rejuvenating of artificial sports turf and was impressed with the robustness of GKB’s Renovator and the size of the double heads of the Rotobrush.

Owner and Managing Director at Sports and Courts Line Marking Ltd, Jon Lawson explains, “GKB is known for reliability and from Tom’s demo, I was so impressed with the rotary brush. I needed something that was going to do the job and that was robust and reliable.”

GKB Ideal For Artificial Maintenance

“We have a lot of tennis clubs complain that they’ve got very compacted baselines and the Renovator and Rotobrush tick all the boxes. For us it was the answer to going forwards with the new business, offering this additional service on top of the deep cleans and everything else we already do” Jon adds.

The GKB Rotobrush enables you to brush deeper and more effectively as the rotating brush disc is provided with extra rigid bristles which are pressed into the synthetic turf. Where the functioning of normal brushing and cleaning stops, the Rotobrush will continue.

The GKB Renovator’s five rotating brushes form the foundation of the machine and because the brushes interlock into each other, you will not miss a single inch when you are operating on your pitch.

For more on GKB Machines and their reliable and robust range of machinery for natural, hybrid and synthetic turf, please visit www.gkbmachines.com or contact Tom Shinkins on 07495 883617.

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GKB Ticks Boxes For Artificial Turf

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GKB Ticks Boxes For Artificial Turf: Launching his dedicated artificial sports turf maintenance business this month, Sports and Courts Maintenance Ltd, Jon Lawson was looking for something that would decompact and assist in the deep cleaning and rejuvenating of artificial sports turf and was impressed with the robustness of GKB’s Renovator and the size of the double heads of the Rotobrush.

Owner and Managing Director at Sports and Courts Line Marking Ltd, Jon Lawson explains, “GKB is known for reliability and from Tom’s demo, I was so impressed with the rotary brush. I needed something that was going to do the job and that was robust and reliable. We have a lot of tennis clubs complain that they’ve got very compacted baselines and the Renovator and Rotobrush tick all the boxes. For us it was the answer to going forwards with the new business, offering this additional service on top of the deep cleans and everything else we already do”.

GKB Ticks Boxes For Artificial Turf

On the GKB Renovator’s first job rejuvenating a bespoke short pile sand filled artificial sports turf it far exceeded expectation for Jon, he adds, “We feel it increased the amount of contaminated sand infill removed by 15 – 20% working in conjunction with our existing system. It also reduced the overall job by one day which means the client gets the sports surface back in to use a day early. This has given me complete reassurance it was worth the investment, outstanding!”

The GKB Renovator’s five rotating brushes form the foundation of the machine and because the brushes interlock into each other, you will not miss a single inch when you are operating on your pitch. Whilst the GKB Rotobrush enables you to brush deeper and more effectively as the rotating brush disc is provided with extra rigid bristles which are pressed into the synthetic turf. Where the functioning of normal brushing and cleaning stops, the Rotobrush will continue.

GKB Ticks Boxes For Artificial Turf

For more on GKB Machines and their reliable and robust range of machinery for natural, hybrid and synthetic turf, please visit www.gkbmachines.com or contact Tom Shinkins on 07495 883617.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

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You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Players Seek Artificial Surface Ban

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Players Seek Artificial Surface Ban: Players in the Scottish Premiership are pushing for a ban on artificial surfaces in the top flight, according to players’ union PFA Scotland.

Hamilton Academical, Kilmarnock and Livingston play on artificial surfaces.

Players Seek Artificial Surface Ban

PFA Scotland surveyed players at the other nine clubs and says it received a 100% response against their use.

Chairman Liam Craig, the St Johnstone midfielder, said they believe that removing them “will have a positive impact on our game in Scotland”.

He says the surfaces adversely impact player movement, performance and recovery – and potentially their livelihoods.

A petition with players’ signatures will be delivered to the Scottish Professional Football League calling for action over artificial pitches – and the general standard of all pitches in senior football.

The union did not ask players at Hamilton, Kilmarnock and Livingston to participate as it thought it “unfair” to put them in a compromising position.

But Craig believes all players and managers would welcome a ban because of the “inconsistency of artificial surfaces at the top level”.

“The ball rolls and bounces differently, which effects a player’s decision making,” he said.

“Movements such as running, turning and tackling on the pitch also have a negative impact on the body, which inevitably effects a player’s performance.

“Players often say it takes longer to recover after playing on an artificial pitch. This can not only effect future performances – but also team selection.”

Hearts striker Steven MacLean, when he was at St Johnstone, is an example of a player who was usually left out the side when playing on artificial surfaces because of fears over his injury record.

“If a player takes longer to recover, a manager may not select them for games on these surfaces or for a game after playing on them,” Craig said.

“A decision based on this sees a player suffer financially – the player could not only miss out on bonuses and appearance money but could find themselves out of the team for a longer period purely down to a game being played on an artificial surface.”

The PFA Scotland petition also urges the SPFL to introduce a rating system designed to improve and monitor the quality of grass and artificial pitches.

“Players in the Championship, League One and League Two want the SPFL to introduce a blanket policy to ensure all surfaces – artificial or grass – are maintained to the highest standards possible,” it states.

PFA Scotland chief executive Fraser Wishart said: “This is a strong, powerful message from our members, those that actually play the game.

“Our members do not enjoy playing on artificial surfaces in particular.

“Our members in all divisions feel artificial surfaces are often over-used and the priority seems to be community use, not first team matches, therefore these surfaces drop in standard very quickly.

“Players in the Championship, League One and League Two ask for a quicker turn around when replacing the artificial surfaces they play on.”

Click here to read the original article

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Artificial Pitch Burnt By Vandals

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Artificial Pitch Burnt By Vandals: Kelty Hearts’ artificial pitch has been burned, seats have been vandalised days after being installed, and youngsters have been seen on the roof of the club’s new stand.

The damage to the community facilities could see the club, which turned senior last year, lose its SFA licence because of regular pitch testing.

Artificial Pitch Burnt By Vandals

Police are now patrolling the area around New Central Park in a bid to stamp out the problem.

Meanwhile, the club is going to be footing the bill for CCTV, something it says it can ill afford.

Treasurer George McTrusty said the spate of vandalism had been wrecking improvements almost as soon as they were completed.

“We’re building a new stadium and they are trying to destroy the seats as they are getting installed, and they’ve been burning the pitch.”

The park with a 3G pitch, a community asset that is open to the paying public, is witnessing trespassing and vandalism on almost a daily basis.

This week has seen burn marks left across the main and children’s pitches.

Council community use team manager for Cowdenbeath Sarah Roxburgh said: “It’s incredibly disappointing that this enjoyment is being spoiled by a thoughtless minority who are determined to cause costly damage.

“We will be working with the club and police to help tackle this issue and make sure the park is a safe place for all to enjoy.”

Fife Council has invested £665,000 in the park for the whole community.

Local councillor Alex Campbell expressed his disgust at the behaviour of a minority of youths.

He said the club serves the community, from five-year-olds to 75s, and it was sad that so many local people worked really hard to deliver facilities for the community and “these vandals come along and destroy such a fantastic project”.

He added: “It is totally and utterly unacceptable that some youths are causing this mayhem.”

Police Scotland inspector Gavin Cameron said: “The abuse of these facilities is hugely disappointing for the community, and we are working closely with Kelty Hearts FC to tackle this issue.

“We are carrying out patrols in this area and I would urge people to please report any anti-social behaviour or damage being caused while it is happening so we can respond quickly and appropriately.

“We want local children and young people to enjoy their summer holidays and to make use of facilities like this sensibly and responsibly.

“Parents and guardians have a vital role to play by ensuring they know where their children are, and reminding them that such behaviour as we have seen here is not acceptable.”

Click here to read the original article

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