On 1 March, Schmitz introduced a new central department: Quality & Development, led by CTO Ron Moors. Now the company will be able to anticipate even better the ever-changing artifical turf market. Over the years, Schmitz has developed into a well-known and respected shock pad producer for the global synthetic turf market. This market, which is the biggest sales market for Schmitz, is constantly evolving. Moors: “Every day we hear of new systems, like non-infill and alternative infills, and with the current microplastics discussion these new systems will evolve at an even faster pace. Therefore, it is only logical for us as a leading shock pad producer to anticipate these changes.”

In addition to these changes, there are also new demands from sport associations on the national and international levels. Whether it’s the new standard of the Dutch Football Association (KNVB) or World Rugby that now allows artificial turf with a fibre length of just 50mm, the demands of the industry are always increasing. With these changing standards from customers, it is important for producers to anticipate and meet these expectations. The market simply expects to receive a system that meets these ever-changing demands. Of growing importance in the artificial turf market is recycling. “This is a development that we at Schmitz applaud loudly, since recycling is in our DNA and plays a role in all our developments. It is with good reason that we at Schmitz, with years of knowledge and experience, are at the forefront of this trend.” Schmitz opened a second production facility in 2017 in Coldwater, Michigan, US, and since the end of 2019 the company has also been producing a ‘hybrid’ shock pad, which combines recycled and virgin foam. Moors calls this “The best of both worlds”. In line with these developments, Schmitz will also launch its own foam production in the ­Netherlands in 2021.