SALTEX: Reducing injury risk by up to 40%
After four years of R&D, Natural Grass has developed AirFibr, a hybrid grass technology for top-level football pitches. It is a 100% natural grass rooted in a patented rootzone made up of synthetic microfibers, cork granules and fine sand.
AirFibr is the first technology to combine two usually incompatible properties: resistance & shock absorption. According to a study performed by Prof. P. Rouch from the Arts & Metiers Paris Tech Biomechanics Laboratory, the AirFibr shock absorption properties reduce the risk of injuries among players by up to 40%.
Two Premier League football clubs – Arsenal and West Ham United – have both installed AirFibr pitches at their training facilities this year, with Arsenal having trialled the product on its goalkeeping training area at London Colney for two years.
West Ham are using AirFibr technology as a 2,000m² rehab area at its Rush Green training centre, and head groundsman Dougie Robertson explains: “AirFibr, which we are trialling in the rehab area, is a specialist product which is proven to be softer for players coming back from injury.”
Created in 2009, Natural Grass is specialised in developing and selling innovative natural green surfaces. Natural Grass’s first product, AirFibr, equipped its first pitch in 2013 and today AirFibr is the leading technology in French football stadiums, having equipped 40% of the Euro 2016 stadiums and is also installed in some of the top European clubs such as Real Madrid and Olympique Lyonnais.
Natural Grass will be exhibiting at SALTEX at the NEC in November on the stand C190.