Motz acquires 2 synthetic-turf companies

In a major expansion into the manufacturing side of the synthetic turf market, the Motz Group, a designer and builder of grass and turf sports fields all over the world, has acquired two companies to produce and process a new coated silica sand product for turf field infill.

Newtown-based Motz recently acquired U.S. Greentech LLC, in Dalton, Ga. and rival All Sports Surfaces LLC in Longview, Texas, and combined them under the Greentech name to produce the new product called Envirofill. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

While studies have shown crumb rubber to be safe in field applications, silica sand has gained popularity in regions of the country where concerns exist over heavy metals and other toxins in traditional crumb-rubber infill.

Envirofill closely simulates a natural grass field which provides a higher performance playing experience, is less abrasive, is treated to keep out moisture reducing bacteria growth, is cooler than crumb rubber as a turf infill, Motz said. A typical turf football field can require up to 475,000 pounds of infill to support the synthetic grass.

U.S. Greentech has teamed up with Target Technologies International Inc. in Vancouver, British Columbia as the sole North American distributor of Envirofill.