Polytan

Company type| GmbH
Industry| Sport surfaces
Founded| 1970
Headquarters|

Burgheim

Germany

Key people

| Gregor Gaisböck, Mathias Schmidt
Revenue| € 300 million (2022)
Owner| Sport Group Holding GmbH

Number of employees

| 550 (2023)
Website| www.polytan.com

Polytan GmbH is a German manufacturer of synthetic turf systems and synthetic sport surfaces. It is based in Burgheim, Bavaria, and is a subsidiary of Sport Group Holding GmbH.[1]

## Company history[edit]

Polytan was founded in 1970 as Firl + Schretter Sportstättenbau in Neuburg an der Donau and, initially, installed polyurethane-bound in-situ synthetic surfaces for sports facilities.[2]

In 1995, Polytan started to develop synthetic turf systems and acquired a production facility for synthetic turf and polyurethane in Grefrath (North Rhine-Westfalia).[3]

In 2003, a coating and extrusion plant for synthetic turf was installed at the production facility in Grefrath. In the same year, the company acquired a FIFA license to be able to provide turfs for official games.[4] As organisations as FIFA and UEFA increasingly accepted artificial turfs for professional sports in the 2000s, Polytan installed turfs in stadiums and arenas in various countries.[5][6]

From 2007 to 2009, Polytan bought production and installation companies in Australia, Germany and France.[7]

In 2019, the first sustainable artificial turf, LigaTurf Cross GT zero, was introduced.[8] Since ECHA has proposed a ban on the synthetic application of microplastics, which is still being discussed by the EU Commission, in 2020,[9] Polytan has started to put additional effort into developing and installing sustainable tracks and turf systems made from recycled materials and Brazilian sugarcane.[10][8]

With Poligras Paris GT zero, Polytan developed the world's first CO2-neutral artificial turf for the field hockey arena for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.[11]

## Products[edit]

Polytan manufactures, distributes and installs high-speed tracks,[12] all-weather courts, tennis courts and shock-absorbent surfaces, as well as synthetic turf systems[13][14] and multifunctional playing fields.[15]

Polytan has been producing and installing CO2-neutral artificial turfs since 2019. The LigaTurf Cross GT zero[16] is used for professional training facilities, amateur and professional clubs, sports schools and municipal sports facilities. Poligras Paris GT zero[17] is a CO2-neutral artificial turf used for field hockey.[18][19]

## Company Structure[edit]

Polytan GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sport Group Holding.[2] The managing directors of Polytan GmbH are Gregor Gaisböck and Mathias Schmidt. Polytan has 550 employees (as of 2023)[20] and achieved revenue of 300 million euro in 2022.[21]

Polytan's headquarters are in Burgheim, with additional locations in Berlin and Halle.[8] An additional location is in France (Polytan France). Outside Europe, Polytan has branches in Melbourne (Australia), Hong Kong and Wellington (New Zealand).[1]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b Sport Group TopCo GmbH (2023-01-09). "Konzernabschluss zum Geschäftsjahr vom 1 January 2021 bis zum 31.12.2021". Bundesanzeiger. (in German)
2. ^ a b Hofer, Joachim (2016-08-07). "Sport Group liefert Olympia-Kunstrasen". Handelsblatt, retrieved 2022-12-09.
3. ^ Gerards, Ulrike (2019-10-22). "Grefrath: Sportbeläge werden "grüner"". Rheinische Post (in German). Retrieved 2022-12-15.
4. ^ Tanda, Jean François (2006-11-16). "Das Geld liegt auf dem Rasen". Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2023-01-18.
5. ^ "Firma Polytan", in: Sächsische Zeitung, p. 20., 1 August 2008, retrieved 4 April 2023.
6. ^ Kunz, Ruedi: "YB kickt bald auf Kunstrasen", in: Der Bund, p. 22., 28, March 2006, retrieved 4 April 2023.
7. ^ "Polytan GmbH (Burgheim)". www.firmendb.de (in German). Retrieved 2023-03-12.
8. ^ a b c Bastian Sünkel (2020-08-01). "Kork statt Kohle", in: Fränkischer Tag (in German), retrieved 2023-01-18.
9. ^ "Microplastics – ECHA". echa.europa.eu. Retrieved 2023-01-18.
10. ^ Susanne Träupmann (2020-08-14). "Kunstrasen aus brasilianischem Zuckerrohr". Bonner General-Anzeiger (in German), retrieved 2023-01-18.
11. ^ "Polytan präsentiert weltweit ersten klimaneutralen Hockey-Kunstrasen". Hockey.de (in German). 2022-11-24. Retrieved 2023-03-12.
12. ^ Tobias Klingen (2010-10-21). "Kicken ohne Rasenmäher", in: Westdeutsche Zeitung (in German), retrieved 2023-02-02.
13. ^ Dominik Hauns (2005-07-07). "Manager hören das Kunstgras wachsen". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German), retrieved 2023-01-18.
14. ^ Willy Schweer (2020-12-10). "Die Suche nach dem idealen Kompromiss". Westfälische Rundschau (in German), retrieved 2023-01-18.
15. ^ Stier, J.C.; Horgan, B.P.; Bonos, S.A. (2020). Turfgrass: Biology, Use, and Management. Agronomy Monographs. Wiley. p. 185\. ISBN 978-0-89118-613-7.
16. ^ "Nachhaltig und im Besitz der Sportfreunde". Schwäbische Zeitung (2021-04-21),(in German). Retrieved 2023-03-13.
17. ^ Lall Seal, Arnab (2022-11-07). "Hockey to transition to waterless pitch, says newly-elected FIH prez Ikram". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2023-03-13.
18. ^ "Weltweit erster klimaneutraler Hockey-Kunstrasen". Beschaffungsdienst GaLaBau. Fachzeitschrift für den Garten- und Landschaftsbau (in German). 2021-11-21. Retrieved 2023-03-13.
19. ^ Wille, Joachim (2019-11-28). "Super-Rohstoff CO2". Frankfurter Rundschau (in German). Retrieved 2023-03-13.
20. ^ "Polytan GmbH, Burgheim: Kennzahlen und Unternehmensinfos". Die Deutsche Wirtschaft (in German). 2023-02-09. Retrieved 2023-03-12.
21. ^ "Standortprofil: Die größten Unternehmen in Burgheim". Die Deutsche Wirtschaft (in German). 2022-10-27. Retrieved 2023-03-12.