AstroTurf

This article is about the artificial grass. For the marketing and political campaigning practice, see astroturfing.
AstroTurf
LLC
Founded 1964
Headquarters Dalton, Georgia, United States
Key people
 Bryan Peeples – President
Website astroturfusa.com

AstroTurf is a brand of artificial turf. The original AstroTurf product was a short-pile synthetic turf.[1] The prime reason to incorporate AstroTurf on game fields was to avoid the cost of laying natural turf, especially indoors.

History

An outdoor application for an AstroTurf field.

The original AstroTurf brand product was co-invented in 1965 by Donald L. Elbert, James M. Faria and Robert T. Wright. It was patented in 1965 and originally sold under the name "ChemGrass." It was re-branded as AstroTurf by a company employee named John A. Wortmann after its first well-publicized use at the Houston Astrodome stadium in 1966.[2]

Early iterations of the short pile turf swept the major stadia, but the product did need improvement. Concerns over directionality and traction led Monsanto's R&D department to implement a texturized nylon system. By imparting a crimped texture to the nylon after it was extruded, the product became highly uniform.

In 1987, Monsanto consolidated its AstroTurf management, marketing, and technical activities in Dalton, Georgia, as AstroTurf Industries, Inc. In 1988, Balsam AG purchased all the capital stock of AstroTurf Industries, Inc. In 1994, Southwest Recreational Industries, Inc. (SRI) acquired the AstroTurf brand. In 1996, SRI was acquired by American Sports Products Group Inc. (ASPG).

While AstroTurf was the industry leader throughout the late 20th century, other companies emerged in the early 2000s. FieldTurf, AstroTurf's chief competitor in the early 2000s and today, marketed a product of tall pile polyethylene turf with infill. This third generation turf, as it became known, changed the landscape of the marketplace. Although SRI successfully marketed AstroPlay, a third generation turf product, increased competition gave way to lawsuits. In 2000, SRI was awarded $1.5 million in a lawsuit after FieldTurf was deemed to have lied to the public by making false statements regarding its own product and making false claims about AstroTurf and AstroPlay products.[3]

Despite their legal victory, increased competition took its toll. In 2004, SRI declared bankruptcy.[4] Out of the bankruptcy proceedings, Textile Management Associates, Inc. (TMA) of Dalton, Georgia, acquired the AstroTurf brand and other assets. TMA began marketing the AstroTurf brand under the company AstroTurf, LLC. In 2006, General Sports Venue (GSV) became TMA’s marketing partner for the AstroTurf brand for the American market. AstroTurf, LLC handled the marketing of AstroTurf in the rest of the world.[5]

In 2009, TMA acquired GSV in order to enter the marketplace as a direct seller. Despite baggage associated with the bankruptcy of the former brand owners, AstroTurf, LLC focused its efforts on research and development, which has promoted rapid growth since the acquisition. AstroTurf introduced new product features and installation methods, including AstroFlect (a heat reduction technology)[6] and field prefabrication (indoor, climate-controlled inlaying).[7] AstroTurf also introduced a product called "RootZone" consisting of crimped fibers designed to encapsulate infill.[8] This product has been adopted by some professional organizations and colleges in the United States.[9]

Product and installation timeline

1960s

1964

1966

1967

1968

1970s

1970

1973

1974

1975

1980s

1980

1984

1989

1990s

1993

1999

2000s

2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013

See also

References

External links

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