Global Synthetic Turf Manufacturer – TigerTurf – Bringing State-of-the-Art Manufacturing Facility to Americas

Auckland, New Zealand, March 21, 2007 --(PR.com)-- World leading synthetic turf manufacturer TigerTurf -- with customers in more than 80 countries – is facing rapidly growing demand in its latest markets: the Americas. In response, the 27-year old company is building a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Austin, Texas.

“By establishing a facility in the Americas we can bring our manufacturing technology and our focus on research and development -- the latest in conversion technologies, backings, yarns -- that much closer to our customers,” said Graham Vivian, owner and founder of TigerTurf International.

Harry Salomons, a director of TigerTurf Americas, said having a plant in the Americas will also help enhance customer service and logistics. “Because we’ve chosen a plant location near major shipping and trucking routes, we can deliver our products more quickly, efficiently – and we can easily access the specialty yarns and other superior raw materials we rely on to produce them.”

The new plant is scheduled to begin production this year, according to Salomons. “It will manufacture all types of synthetic turf surfaces, using a range of fibers from the latest monofilaments to slit film and everything in between, for our sport field and landscape solutions.”

Salomons said TigerTurf’s solutions include both commercial and residential landscape products and three tiers of field systems: custom, those meeting stringent governing body standards (FIFA, FIH, IRB, ITF, etc) and more commonly used fields.

“Our products are distributed through a network of representatives throughout the Americas,” said Salomons. He noted that TigerTurf field systems have already been adopted at West Virginia’s Concord University, Connecticut’s Waveny Park and Ohio’s Hamilton Township.

Further south, in Monterey, Mexico, a TigerTurf baseball surface was recently installed by RIDESA, one of the company’s Latin American dealers. “Interest in TigerTurf is high throughout the region – we’re installing two soccer fields now, and we expect dozens to follow,” said RIDESA owner Jaime Llaguno Farias.

Jim Savoca, Executive Vice President for Sports Construction Group, sport field contractor and one of TigerTurf’s U.S. representatives, said he believes the plant will be a great asset to his customers. “Having a manufacturing facility in market that can deliver the quality of manufacturing and technical expertise TigerTurf represents is ideal for me to meet – and exceed -- my customers’ needs,” said Savoca.

As for Vivian, he is confident in the company’s opportunity to grow in the Americas markets, both in market share and in technological and manufacturing expertise. “We anticipate TigerTurf will become an industry leader in the Americas markets in the next few years. This plant represents a great step in that direction,” he stated.

About TigerTurf International
TigerTurf International is one of the largest synthetic turf manufacturers in the world, with headquarters in Auckland, New Zealand, and wholly-owned subsidiaries in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The company owns several manufacturing facilities throughout the world, all with ISO 9001 Certification. In areas where the company has not yet established manufacturing plants, TigerTurf contracts with select partners that meet stringent quality control standards.

TigerTurf develops customized and standard turf solutions for soccer, American football, field hockey, lacrosse and numerous other sport and landscaping surfaces. Many of the company’s products have passed the stringent testing requirements of FIH, ITF, IRB, and World Bowls.

TigerTurf is a FIFA Quality Concept Licensee and provider of FIFA tested systems.

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