TenCate, based in the Netherlands, has signed a letter of intent with GreenFields to develop a new artificial grass system. This “4th generation of synthetic turf” is based on an integrated synthetic turf system that no longer will be composed of individual components (fiber, backing, infill, sub-base), it reported in a news release Sept. 20.

The development of the 4th generation of synthetic turf is aimed at lowering the cost of a total system. By cooperation with TenCate in the field of research & development the “time to market” of this new concept will be substantially shortened. This future integrated artificial grass system does not need an infill to make it sufficiently shock absorbent. The system will in due course provide an alternative to football pitches with infill and offers TenCate an expansion of its product portfolio. For the current installation of pitches using infill, TenCate recently announced that it would be considerably expanding its production capacity of environment-friendly, safe infill (Thiolon Infill Pro).

"It is good for our competitive position that TenCate’s knowledge domain will be strengthened by valuable patents," says TenCate CEO L. de Vries. "TenCate components, which are combined in systems, should be marketed through top quality partners. This cooperation represents a major step in the implementation of our strategic concept.”

TenCate will enter into a strategic cooperation with GreenFields, which will include:

• TenCate selling its majority interest (80%) in Landscape Solutions to GreenFields (artificial grass for landscaping under the brand name of Royal Grass),
• Continuing to deliver the fiber and backing for the Royal Grass brand, and
• The two companies entering into close cooperation with regard to research and development and commercial activities.

No financial details of this cooperation will be made public.

TenCate seeks to achieve strategic and /or commercial alliances that will support its quality concept. The new system (4th generation of artificial grass system), which has still to be developed and is based on TenCate products, is also available to other market players, provided they also endorse the TenCate quality concept.

GreenFields, located in Kampen, The Netherlands, is a leading marketing company in the artificial grass market that is displaying rapid growth and has a market area that lies principally outside the Netherlands.

The company sells a total concept, in which high quality criteria apply. The company operates in both the landscaping and sports market, with football pitches being dominantly represented in the total sales. In the field of sports, GreenFields possesses innovative concepts, which fit well into TenCate’s wide range of system components.

GreenFields was selected by FIFA as the principal contractor for a large number of future projects, several of which are related to the 2010 World Cup in Africa. TenCate will be involved in these installations as producer of components, as a result of the announced cooperation.