German installing company Heiler, has introduced their sports hybrid Turf, a natural grass reinforced with bioplastic fibers. Hybrid Turf offers an absolutely flat, super-dense natural grass surface on a carrier layer that has been reinforced with special fibers made of corn starch instead of plastic.

Heiler has developed a specific fiber shape and length, as well as a density mixing ratio. It achieves top values in terms of resistance, stability and water permeability, the company claims. It took Heiler five years to develop the new system.

Natural turf is and remains the absolute favorite amongst players a natural turf field of which the root zone hasn’t been reinforced, often fails to handle the wear and tear from extensive use. Natural grass fields in stadiums with retractable roofs also often suffer from a lack of rain.

Heiler has focused on producing a natural turf surface that completely preserves the inimitable properties of natural grass on the surface and by giving it a lasting stability and resilience downwards. The stability is no longer generated solely by the roots, but by the fibers made of bioplastic and which are present in the root zone in a very high density. As a result the surface is absolutely flat with extremely high and uniform stability. Burdens are absorbed by the fibers and are significantly lower.

In terms of water permeability, Sporthybrid Turf has a higher sand content in the root zone. This enables the water to seep through without softening the ground.

Sport Hybrid Turf is the first fully biodegradable hybrid turf available. Bioplastic fibers are non-toxic to humans and the environment. Heiler claims that the investment pay off quickly due to the lower maintenance costs as well as reduced cost for disposal of the field at the end of its economic life span.