More and more sports clubs, cities, communities and players are seeking environmentally friendly options for their sports spaces. This is not a trend but a mega transformation for the industry. Sport Group, as the world’s largest business dedicated to sport surfaces, and owner of Laykold is committed to leading with environmental innovation.
Green Technology is Sport Group’s platform to integrate and implement our future sustainability R&D, products, services and IP.
Our Green Technology products combine advanced expertise from the plastics industry with the climate-protecting benefits of renewable raw materials, alternative technologies and recycling.
Laykold Gel made from 60% renewable resources
The world’s most advanced court for player and environmental welfare.
Laykold Masters Gel is a step change in player and environmental performance. This system features a gel layer that is made from a proprietary blend of plant oils, which is converted using a natural enzyme process that uses very little energy.
This creates a liquid inside a solid matrix (the gel) which has exceptional force reduction properties that stay consistent over the full lifetime of the court.
Overall, Laykold Masters Gel (chosen by Serena Williams for her home training courts) is made from 60%+ renewable resources.
17% FORCE REDUCTION + 70% ENERGY RETURN = HAPPY KNEES & FAST FEET
Laykold Masters Gel is made in Australia, USA and Germany, and all around the world tennis facilities, such as the South Korean Olympic Training Center, are moving to this revolutionary surface:
Delivers 17% Force Reduction, a traditional hard court provides only 3% (hence the sore knees, hips and back)
Retains 95-98% of this Force Reduction over 10+ years, old technology cushion courts become hard with 3 years
Delivers 70% energy return, which is comparable to the responsiveness that players like about a traditional hard court
Finished with Laykold’s US Open quality topcoats, the Gel system is undoubtedly the world’s most advanced tennis court.
ISO CERTIFIED QUALITY: LAYKOLD IS MADE WITH THE MOST ADVANCED PROCESSES IN THE WORLD
Laykold was chosen by the US Open because we were able to go beyond playing performance and demonstrate levels of environmental performance unmatched in the industry, which aligned with the USTA’s own sustainability commitments and values.
In the USA and Australia, Laykold is manufactured by APT, in ISO-certified factories. APT is certified for ISO 9001 Quality Management and ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems.
In Germany, Laykold is manufactured by Polytex, which is ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 50001 (Energy Management) certified.
PROCESSES THAT YOU CAN TRUST
Our ISO certifications amount to a non-negotiable commitment to providing our agents and the final owner/user with the most reliable and effective products and best value every time, while promoting strong environmental practices. ISO quality gives value:
Financial value: The life-span of our products is greater, due to the highest quality standards, allowing us to offer the longest warranties in the industry
Environmental value: Our processes and products are the most sustainable in the court industry and lower the cost to the environment
Player Welfare Value: Greater operational and product consistency provide better court performance and improved player welfare and safety
Our certifications demonstrate a commitment to greater transparency, responsibility, safety and quality, which matches and amplifies the values and requirements of our customers and stakeholders, such as the US Open.
LAYKOLD IS THE ONLY COURT SURFACE TO FEATURE RECYCLED BALLS
Each year, 325 million tennis balls go into landfill around the world, and each tennis ball takes 400 years to decompose. This is a problem that tennis must address and Laykold is committed to helping tennis directly do this.
Laykold is proud to partner with Wilson and Recycle Balls in the USA, and with Tennis Point in Europe, to help address the problem by using recycled balls in our courts.
We are the only court brand with the technology to recycle balls into our systems. Laykold Masters 5 features over 3500 balls in the force reduction mats, and the Masters 8 system features over 7000 recycled tennis balls in the mats.
In 2021, we took recycled balls collected from the 2020 US Open and Western & Southern Open, and created the world’s first major event court surface (in Cincinnati) made with recycled balls. In 2022 we are working with the Canadian Open to collect balls which will then be resurfaced in the surface in Toronto in 2023.
We are delighted to help major events highlight the challenge to the wider public and we encourage all events, colleges and clubs to work positively on this.
APT Asia Pacific
Australia
WE COVER THE GLOBEAPT (Advanced Polymer Technology) is the leading global manufacturer of polyurethane-based materials, acrylic coatings and synthetic turf products for sporting and recreational applications.From the biggest international sporting stages to leading schools and Aussie backyards, APT has been providing world-class artificial surfaces since 1994. APT has:● TWO award-winning, ISO-certified manufacturing facilities located in Melbourne, Australia and Pittsburgh, USA.
● NINE leading artificial surface systems including Laykold, Rekortan, SYNLawn, Poligras and LigaTurf
● A GLOBAL network of distributors, partners and installers worldwide
● Over 150 EMPLOYEES worldwideAPT in Melbourne is the largest sports and recreational distribution facility in the southern hemisphere, consisting of three separate plants for each extrusion, tufting and acrylic coatings.TRANSFORMING THE BUSINESS OF SPORT AND SPACEOur vision is to transform the sports surface industry through exceptional innovation and a passion for excellence. In order to achieve this, we use these company pillars for guidance and a measurement of success:
Sustainability
By putting sustainability at the centre of our business, all our decisions around processes, policies and products, will be about striking a harmonious balance between the environment, people and economics. APT is determined to collaborate with suppliers and customers to put sustainability at the heart of our business which will act as one of the key levers for our continued success. Customer-centricity
By creating the industry’s only fully integrated global supply chain, APT has always strived to deliver 360° transparency, trust and reliability for its customers, end users and the industry overall. By having complete ownership over our manufacturing & supply process including significant investment in R&D, APT has the ability to deliver on the individual needs and wants of customers at every step of the journey.Quality
APT maintains an internationally recognised and accredited quality system to ensure that our products and services meet industry and customer expectations. We are proud to be the only synthetic turf manufacturer in Australia with quality certified by the International Standards Organisation (AS/NZS ISO 9001:2015), so you can be assured that you are getting the very best product on the market.Community
APT is committed to enriching the lives of the community, through the provision of superior sports, recreational and protective surfaces. We believe every community has the right to safe, reliable and high-quality products that strengthen and add value to every community.
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