CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa., Feb. 8, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mondo, a global leader in the sports flooring market, today announced that six Mondoturf fields in Quebec, Canada, have received the prestigious Recommended 2 Star designation by FIFA, the world governing body for soccer. The six fields are at Argenteuil Multisport Centre in Lachute, College d'Alma in Alma, de la Voie Maritime Park in Saint-Lambert, Jean-Yves Phaneuf Park in Granby, Polyvalente Hyacinthe-Delorme school in Saint-Lambert, and Sherbrooke University in Sherbrooke. Mondo now has seven FIFA Recommended 2 Star fields in North America and nine worldwide.
The 2 Star designation is FIFA's highest rating for artificial turf fields, awarded only after a series of rigorous laboratory and field tests to ensure that fields mirror a perfectly manicured natural turf field. FIFA specifies that artificial turf fields used for international championship tournaments and professional matches and tournaments must be FIFA Recommended 2 Star pitches.
"The FIFA 2 Star designation is a testament to Mondo's dedication to developing the finest artificial turf fields in the world," said Federico Stroppiana, president of Mondo North and South America. "The FIFA Recommended designation is a guarantee that the turf is of the very highest quality."
Polyvalente Hyacinthe-Delorme school has Mondo's premier soccer field: a Mondoturf 3NX Ecofill Thermo-bonded field with the FTS underlayment. Ecofill is a patented, environmentally friendly, factory-manufactured polyolefin-based granule infill; it is not made from reground tire pellets, which are commonly used by other artificial turf manufacturers. The field's groundbreaking 3NX fiber has proven core characteristics that allow it to perfectly mimic the responses of natural grass, and to do so with outstanding resilience and durability while offering superior player comfort.Thermo-bonded, Mondo's newest artificial turf backing, provides a dimensionally stable tufted turf without needing a polyurethane secondary backing. A dual primary backing holds the turf fibers in place more securely than traditional primary backings can, so the field can be handled as necessary without substantial fiber loss. Finally, the FTS underlayment is a prefabricated shock pad/drainage system made of recycled tire granules that are treated and encapsulated in polyurethane, preventing the possibility of contamination. The underlayment compacts less than traditional systems, so the field's play and performance characteristics remain consistent throughout the entire surface, ensuring optimal play and outstanding ball action while minimizing the risk of injuries to athletes, even if the infill migrates.
Mondo's Mondoturf Ecofill was installed at Jean-Yves Phaneuf Park and Sherbrooke University. The fields at Argenteuil Multisport Centre, College d'Alma and de la Voie Maritime Park are Mondo's Mondoturf Classic field.
All of the fields, except for the pitch at Polyvalente Hyacinthe-Delorme school, also are lined for American football.
About Mondo
Mondo is the global leader in the sports and contract flooring markets, manufacturing flooring surfaces for virtually every application. More than 1,100 Mondo tracks and 800 Mondo artificial turf fields are installed worldwide. The official supplier of the athletic track for the past nine Olympic Games and the upcoming 2012 London Olympics, Mondo also is the official supplier or official sponsor of more than 100 sports federations and associations.
The company supplies a wide variety of commercial flooring, and it is the world's largest producer of sports and toy balls with an average daily production of 450,000 units. In addition, it manufactures large luxury yachts under its Mondo Marine division.
A family-owned business since its founding in 1948, Mondo sells its products in more than 196 countries. The company's global headquarters are in Italy, and it has manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and Asia. More information about Mondo is available at .
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Mondo and Ecofill are registered trademarks of Mondo.
CONTACT: Editorial Contact: Glynis Gibson Gibson Communications, Inc. 773.278.7700 glynis.gibson@gibsoncommunications.com