 | |
| Company type | GmbH |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sport surfaces |
| Founded | 1970 |
| Headquarters | , |
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 artificial turf systems and synthetic sport surfaces. It is based in Burgheim, Bavaria, and is a subsidiary of Sport Group Holding GmbH. [1]
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-Westphalia). [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]
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]
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]