SportGroup Holding Purchases AstroTurf, SYNLawn, and Associated Manufacturing Operations

SportGroup Holding® announced today that it has agreed to purchase AstroTurf® and SYNlawn®, along with their associated manufacturing facilities. By adding AstroTurf and SYNlawn to its existing portfolio of companies and brands (which includes Polytan®, APT®, Melos®, Rekortan®, Laykold® and Poligras®), SportGroup is building one of the largest and highest quality outdoor sports surfacing companies in the world.

SportGroup, founded in 1969, is a global leader in artificial turf systems and running tracks, with a >€340 million annual turnover (2015) and around 1,000 employees. The company maintains production plants in Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific region and operates in more than 70 countries. It has manufactured and installed more than 7,000 fields and 16,000 tracks. It is a supplier of both fields and tracks to the Olympic Games, including Rio (2016).

The purchase provides SportGroup® direct access to North American athletic turf customers through AstroTurf, a proven American brand with a 50 year history. SYNlawn® brings leadership and innovation to the rapidly expanding North American market for landscape and playground turf. AstroTurf® will play a leading role in SportGroup®’s go to market strategy for North America and beyond.

Frank Dittrich, Chief Executive Officer of SportGroup, elaborated, "AstroTurf is the missing puzzle piece that enables us to cater to North American athletic turf clients. SYNLawn will make SportGroup one of the strongest players in the landscape turf market. These brands add tremendous value to SportGroup and its future as one of the global leaders in outdoor sports surfacing."

"We are eager to join SportGroup. Together we are poised to continue our unprecedented growth," said Heard Smith, Chief Operating Officer of AstroTurf and SYNlawn. "The union of these brands ushers in the next era of sophisticated sports surfacing for today’s highly trained athletes."

The acquisition by the SportGroup® forges a team of sports surfacing brands that is focused on introducing the most cutting edge technologies. Together, the complementary brands offer more selections to clients, including:

- More FIFA, FIH, and World Rugby-certified systems and pitches than ever before

- Highly evolved American Football turf systems selections

- Top-tier Olympic and World Cup field hockey surfaces

- Industry-leading baseball and softball systems

- More RootZone® products and installations than any other provider on the market

- Legendary running track brands from APT Advanced Polymer Technology (APT), including Rekortan®

- Largest and most efficient installation force worldwide

- Leading EPDM rubber manufacturing from Melos

- Leading tennis court surface systems from APT, including Laykold®

- Most advanced "green" technologies from APT, including TuftGuard® and Qualipur® adhesives

- AstroTurf® and SYNlawn® products will continue to be manufactured in the United States in fully vertically integrated, advanced manufacturing facilities. In addition, all employees will remain with the organization, providing stability for clients and distributors.

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