The Association of Synthetic Turf Football Pitch Manufacturers with ESTO membership
Welcome to the website of the professional organization ASSOCIATION OF SYNTHETIC TURF FOOTBALL PITCH MANUFACTURERS with ESTO membership, seated in Londýnská 329/25, 120 00 Prague 2-Vinohrady.
This professional organization functions as an independent guild organization within the framework of its collective membership in the ESTO (European Synthetic Turf Organisation). The ESTO, at present represented by 15 leading European producers of artificial lawns who, on the whole, employ more than 20,000 employees, and whose annual sales represent more than 25 million square metres of artificial lawns, has established collaboration with the UEFA, in order to propagate demands on the top quality, referring to the quality, playability, and safety of artificial lawns.
The aim of the association, in cooperation with the Czech Football Union (ČMFS), is to achieve top quality in building football pitches with UT3G. This is a financially demanding investment with a presupposed time of exploitation of 10 and more years. It is a problem for many investors to select or evaluate the real quality of the given lawn and, therefore, the association also wants to contribute to dissemination of objective information in the best interest for the end users, meaning the football clubs organized in the Czech Football Union for the benefit of football, the number one sport.
Novelties:
Agreement on collaboration – signed in Bergamo (Italy)
On September 15 and 16, 2009, a plenary session of the European Synthetic Turf Organisation (ESTO) took place, this time in the northern Italian town of Bergamo. The importance of this session was enhanced by the participation and personal appearance of Mr. Nigel Fletcher, a FIFA section manager.
At present, the ESTO represents 90% of producers of artificial lawns in Europe and the annual amount of installed lawns has already exceeded 25 million square metres. Thanks to the outstanding technological development, artificial lawns have been approved by FIFA and UEFA bodies. In the framework of this significant session, an Agreement on Collaboration between the ESTO and the Czech Association of Synthetic Turf Football Pitch Manufacturers, o.s., was signed for a period of 4 years. The agreement was signed in Bergamo on behalf of the Association of Synthetic Turf Football Pitch Manufacturers by its president Mr.Milan Vopička and, on behalf of the ESTO, by its general secretary Mr.Albert Prisse.
Another two-star FIFA attestation in the Czech Republic
A FIFA** has been awarded to the pitch built by the company Philipp Sportovní trávníky, a.s., in Trutnov, where an artificial lawn from the company Fieldturf Tarkett Inc., type Prestige XM60, was laid. The FIFA** certificate, marked AA-13.71, will be valid since April 6, 2011.
Certificates awarded Certificates awarded
Members of our association can further boast of other pitches with a direct FIFA attestation, which have been built in the Czech Republic:
A FIFA** has been awarded to the pitch built by the company EKKL, a.s., in Konice, where an artificial lawn from the company Italgreen, type 62 LESMO, was laid. The FIFA** certificate has been valid since May 28, 2009.
A FIFA** certificate has also been awarded to the pitch built by the company TENNIS Zlín, a.s., in Havlíčkův Brod, where an artificial lawn from the company Limonta, type Tangoturf FI 50, was laid. The FIFA** certificate has been valid since August 4, 2009.
First FIFA re-attestation in the Czech Republic
A FIFA** pitch, built by the company Pragosport, a.s., in Tachov, where an artificial lawn from the company Polytan, type Ligaturf 240 ACS 65, was laid, has won – as the first in the Czech Republic – a direct FIFA** re-attestation, marked AE-11.60 and valid since August 3, 2009. This re-attestation testifies to the high quality of the whole pitch, including its proper maintenance.
March 24, 2009 – a seminar on the maintenance of artificial lawns of 3rd generation
On March 24, 2009, a seminar on the maintenance of football pitches with UT3G took place at the Benica Hotel in Benešov and at the restaurant Tuřanská Beseda in Brno-Tuřany, intended for operators of these pitches in the Czech Republic. Its programme included collaboration of the Czech Football Union (ČMFS) with the new Association of Synthetic Turf Football Pitch Manufacturers, incorporated in ESTO, o.s., and a practical demonstration of intermediate mechanical maintenance on a pitch, which can be seen in the video.
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February 10, 2009 – discussion of representatives of the association
On February 10, 2009, press talks of representatives of the association with journalists took place at the Benice Hotel in Benešov, with the participation of international football players Karol Dobiáš and František Veselý. The main topic of the press conference was a detailed presentation of football pitches with artificial lawns and the advantages of playing on such pitches, including a short visit to a pitch with an artificial lawn, where training was in progress in the artificial light. A short recording can be found here.