Sprinturf entered the synthetic turf industry in 1998 when the third generation of synthetic turf was being introduced to the market. This third generation product included a longer fiber than the first and second generation systems and incorporated a resilient infill system. This solution was designed to reduce impact on falls as well as improve drainage capabilities of the system.
By the 1980s, Sprinturf had helped to pioneer a revolutionary new type of infill. The company began mixing granulated rubber with sand, which provided a safer, more consistent and less abrasive surface. While this was a vast improvement on the sand-only infill, Sprinturf's objective became to eliminate the use of sand altogether, due to the potential safety and surface hardness issues it created. Too much sand in an infill system can produce a hard, abrasive playing surface and potentially get into players' eyes and cause skin irritations.
Patent #5,976,645 was issued on 11/2/99 to Sprinturf for the first 100% rubber infill system which changed the entire industry by proving that safety could be maximized while not compromising the performance of the system. By providing a surface that significantly reduced impact attenuation over sand-based fields, Sprinturf was able to now offer additional safety benefits to younger athletes which pleased high school and municipal coaches, athletic directors and of course, parents.
All-rubber systems are widely used across the nation in many of the world's most high profile facilities. Sprinturf continues to reaffirm that the patented all-rubber system provides peak performance and maximum safety at all levels of play - from professional athletics to recreational activity.