Synthetic Grass & Artificial Turf
Market Partners

It takes a world of partners to create a market

The following are the main industries that serve to
manufacture and then install your artificial grass project

Who creates the finished surfaces?

It starts with raw components and a specification for a unique style of turf. Most artificial grass surfaces are still built to order, made specifically for each customer because most of the turf that is built today is ordered to serve as a sports field; uniquely built, each and every time. Most artificial turf product development has been based upon yarns and finished surfaces that were made for aggressive sports play - they happen to be beautiful and useful for landscaping, and were the first materials used. You could say we used to "borrow" technology from the sports industry to deliver your new synthetic grass lawn!

Thanks to the work of many industry partners and innovative market leaders, new styles of synthetic turf are now available specifically designed for landscape and leisure sports uses. Each style created (or specified) to achieve a unique look and feel; to compliment the vast variety of natural grass used for lawns and landscaping or to mirror specific conditions for a sport, such as golf or bocce.

Innovations are driving further product development and new styles and product improvements are finding their way to market regularly. Each new style of turf developed can require the additional development of a new yarn style, fiber treatment, backing material, coating process or tufting specification - quite a few manufacturers need to invest in the development of a product and together, work to succeed and deliver quality finished goods.

In our landscape and leisure sports market, manufacturers that supply sports turf and the new landscape and leisure sports surface styles may be one and the same. They can also be companies that focus on only one niche, such as golf or landscape materials - contracting the manufacture of their exclusive styles through the mills on a special order basis. Both are legitimate manufacturers, if they carry the appropriate product liability insurance and provide a valid warranty for their wares, they would be considered "manufacturers" in the eyes of US laws and regulations.

Manufacturers of tools, equipment and machinery that automate the processes of yarn fiber production, woven backing fabric (primary backings), turf bind coating compounds (secondary backings) and tufting (synthetic grass and artificial turf) finished goods.

Manufacturers of yarn fiber components, such as raw materials of PP, PE and nylon, colorants and additives to increase UV protection, fire-retardants, enhance anti-microbial properties and decrease static.

Manufacturers of finished yarns bring the raw components together to create fibers in various styles, colors and textures.

Manufacturers of backing fabrics create various fabrics used as primary backing materials in which the yarn fibers are tufted.

Manufacturers of coatings that serve as a secondary backing material and provide horizontal stability to the finished turf and lock fiber stitches into the backings providing tuft bind strength.

Manufacturers of finished synthetic grass and artificial turf - tufting mills - who combine yarn fibers, backings and looming expertise to create finished surface goods. Companies, world-wide, either manfacture a signture line (brand-name) line of surface materials, exclusively, or, often lease or contract their tufting and backing capabilities to companies that then integrate these exclusive styles, into solutions of their own.

Manufacturers of installation tools and equipment that provide the muscle to prepare the installation site and install the materials in a safe and timely fashion.

Manufacturers and Suppliers of consumable job materials such as; infill; adhesives, seaming materials, imported base; underlayment fabrics, drainage, irrigation and lighting supplies.

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Branded Systems Integrators
Branded Systems Integrators deliver their solutions to market through partnerships with regional and local installers; ie: their solutions providers. They either manufacture their own materials, (or contract the manufacturing from a mill); supply additional components, and/or provide specificiations and guidelines for appropriate materials to be used within the framework of their proprietary system, to their installers and other channel partners.

Systems Integrators develop a proprietary solution from components; develop surface materials specifications, installation specifications and engineer an integrated system of branded products to provide to a variety of markets: fields, pitches, landscape and other leisure sports; golf, bocce, etc.

They package and brand their solutions with trademarked names and make their products available through a variety of distribution channels; wholesale only; trade (B2B); retail and through a network of trained, generally "certified" builder and installers.

Solutions Providers/Installers
Local and regional construction partners, representing the Branded Solutions to their markets. The logical partner to deliver a finished installation is the local, experienced & licensed contractor.

Solutions Providers/Installers may provide services that span from design through finished installation. Landscape and leisure sports projects for commercial and residential applications may require different licensing, insurance and bonds for public works projects. Check with state or local building or construction license board for your requirements.

A Note about
PREVAILING WAGES:
Public works projects in the US are paid for with public funding which generally requires the builder to pay their staff at local union prevailing wage rates whether or not the company is part of the local union. This allows any properly licensed contractor to bid on publically funded projects.

Check with your local union for Landscape Wage Rates to determine the potential wages of any public works project bid. The total figure the union will provide includes ALL taxes, insurance, medical, etc. required by the state and local government in the location of your job site.

If you have heavy equipment and/or C Class drivers working on the job - you may need to call the Teamster's Union to determine wage rates.