Buying locally continues to be your best shot.
In uncertain times, trust in your own backyard.
The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of 2023, is delivering spectacular tennis and plenty of surprises, but high inflation and pressure on global supply chains for imported raw materials means that plenty of sports surface manufacturers are feeling the pinch. However, Laykold, the only Grand Slam surface made on three continents, remains a safe bet.
Locally Made
Whatever’s going on in the world, Laykold courts serve up memorable matches and a unique homegrown advantage, because a tennis court’s performance, much like a tennis player’s, is impacted by whether or not it has had to travel and whether it is in its natural environment or has to acclimatise.
Made in Australia, USA and Germany in ISO-certified factories, Laykold surfaces serve up quality, certainty and stability. They suit the climate and their local supply chains mean more control over delivery timelines and pricing.
The facts speak for themselves
Long distance travel can cause the product to spoil or settle, resulting in an inconsistent surface. By contrast, a locally made Laykold court system, can be freshly installed within seven to 14 days of manufacture.
Custom-made for the local climate. Each region comes with its own unique environmental challenges, from UV intensity to moisture control and dust abrasion. Laykold redesigns and custom-makes its court systems to meet these increased demands – going beyond compliance with international standards.
Locally made lasts longer. With intrinsic local climate innovation and regional teams available for colour matching and problem solving, our court systems come with five-year warranties – the longest in the business.
Local ingredients lower costs and carbon footprint. A typical court formulation is 75-80% mineral fillers, sand and water. Sport Group has dedicated acrylic production facilities in the USA, Europe, and Asia Pacific that serve those regions using local sand and rainwater.
Buying in local currency costs less. Our regional customers have no exchange rate risk, are able to buy on account and typically don’t have to buy full containers, meaning they can be more cost efficient.
Real-time expert technical support. We have experienced local teams of chemists, chemical engineers, civil engineers, application specialists and logistics professionals, who can provide technical support via a local call or on-site support. They are backed by a global innovation team for rapid idea sharing and troubleshooting.
Supply chain stability. Sport Group is unique in the sports surface industry in owning its entire global supply chain, providing protection against raw material shortages or compromises with third-party suppliers and the expensive alternative of air freight.
Consistent quality you can trust. As the only sport surface manufacturer with ISO 9001 certification in Australia, our formulations and processes are continuously improved, which mean you receive the same high level of product quality and consistency from within your own market.
Laykold is also manufactured by APT, in the USA in ISO-certified factories. APT is certified for ISO 9001 Quality Management and ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems.
In Germany, Laykold is manufactured by Polytex, which is ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 50001 (Energy Management) certified.
“The numbers tell the story: the financial and environmental cost of buying local is much lower, and this drives broader economic value and injects money into the local economy, all whilst supporting local jobs and delivering the best sports surfaces.”
When you factor in the Laykold local advantage of mastering resistance to heat and UV (which ensures long-lasting colour) and the management of dust abrasion (which is much higher in the Southern Hemisphere), Laykold makes sound economic and environmental sense.
Local Knowledge. Global Expertise.
Global expertise and knowledge-sharing paired with local manufacturing, R&D and installation capability means that Laykold provides world-class systems at a local level. This gives customers in Australia and Europe Grand-Slam quality in record time.
You don’t have to look far to see why buying local is a sound decision in these times: the answer is in your own backyard.