NEWS

BioBased Soy-Themed Booth Resonates with Greenbuild Attendees, Industry Leaders Stop By to “Putt, Stand and Play on Soy”

DALTON, Ga. – Dec. 3, 2010 – Universal Textile Technologies™ (UTT), the carpet industry’s recognized leader in backing systems innovation and development, along with flooring and surfacing leaders AstroTurf®, EcoPath™ and SYNLawn®, recently returned from showcasing at the world’s largest green building exhibit hall, Chicago's McCormick Place West, for the U.S. Green Building Council’s Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, Nov. 16-18, where more than 27,000 attendees from 112 countries attended educational sessions, networked and redefined the future of the green building industry.

In summarizing his experience, Doug Giles of UTT observed that the 2010 Greenbuild show, titled Generation Green: Redefining Our Future, “focused on many reoccurring subjects, but none more powerful than leadership and the future of the green innovation, both which were eloquently explored by former Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell in his keynote address.”

These same concepts are at the core of UTT’s biobased technologies and co-exhibitor EcoPath’s line of sustainable and perpetually recyclable entryway matting products.

“Supporting a vital movement such as Greenbuild and bringing to market a green product that outperforms its predecessors by delivering on all the attributes and qualities the label implies is extremely important to us. We have committed our company to state the facts properly and not embellish the environmental impact. We take pride in saying what we do and doing what we say,” explains Jack Lindsay, vice president of sales for ECS, parent company of EcoPath™. “Utilizing Bio Preferred soy as well as post-consumer water bottles (PET), EcoPath is engineered to outlast, outperform and have the least impact on our environment as possible. We are proud of the EcoPath product line and the true innovation it brings to the matting industry. How often do you see products that capture contaminants yet avoid contaminating our surroundings? EcoPath does just that and much more.”

The Proof is in the Soy

UTT’s biobased backings are made from renewable and recovered materials and some contain an average of four post-consumer recycled plastic bottles (PET) per square yard on carpet products. Biobased polymers in UTT’s green backings are made from domestically-grown soybeans replacing a portion of the petroleum-based polyols found in regular polyurethane backing. UTT uses soybean oil extracted from soybeans, stabilized by removing gums and waxes, and converted into a polymer. This polymer becomes an integral part of synthetic turf and carpet backings and helps lock the turf and carpet fibers into place.

New Uses Program Manager for the United States Soybean Board, Mike Erker, notes, “The United Soybean board and the 600,000 member farmers are very pleased to see the innovative uses of soy technology this amazing team has developed. The USB New Uses Committee has worked in conjunction with Universal Textile Technologies from the early stages and to see the creativity this seed generated is something our American farm community is proud to be a part of.”

This soybean chemistry and added product stability can be found in a variety of commercial and residential flooring products as seen in the soy-themed co-branded exhibit hosted at Greenbuild 2010 by UTT, EcoPath™, AstroTurf®, makers of premium synthetic sports turf, and SYNLawn®, makers of artificial landscape grass and putting greens. The booth display was comprised of three corresponding 10 ft by 10 ft framed backdrops, each featuring one of the three UTT affiliated brands. The overall booth design was anchored by plush and brightly colored flooring in each of the three product brands, carrying through the soy theme and literally allowing booth visitors to try their putting skills on a SYNLawn® putting green, take a break from the unforgiving exhibit hall floor with the comfort provided by EcoPath™ entryway matting, and last, but not least, experiencing the touch and feel of the first and most technologically advanced sports turf in the world, AstroTurf®.

About Universal Textile Technologies™ (UTT)

The leadership behind Universal Textiles Technologies™ has supplied the carpet industry with multiple backing technologies for more than 30 years. As a constant innovator in the industry, UTT was one of the first companies to manufacture an eco-friendly backing system for carpet. UTT carpet backings are sold under a variety of brands and trademarks and are available for various market segments including corporate, healthcare, Main Street, residential and education. With multiple products for various applications, UTT continues to be the specified choice for designers, architects and homeowners. Committed to the principles of sustainable development, UTT and its employees seek to balance the economic, environmental, and social responsibilities of implementing change while maintaining high standards of quality and performance. Visit www.Universal-Textile.net.

About AstroTurf®

AstroTurf® is the world leader in synthetic turf. For many athletes and sport enthusiasts, the AstroTurf® brand has redefined the way the game is played. The company offers advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies, leveraging the industry’s only vertically integrated manufacturing system. A growing number of high schools, colleges, professional sports teams and municipalities continue to select AstroTurf®-branded products for their premium quality, technical superiority and safety. Recent innovations from AstroTurf® include GameDay Grass™ 3D with Root Zone®, a polyethylene/nylon hybrid system which most closely replicates natural grass; TurfAide™, a non-chemical antimicrobial shield protecting against MRSA and other infectious bacteria; and AstroFlect™ Technology which significantly reduces turf surface temperatures. More company information is available at www.AstroTurf.com.

About EcoPath™

A product of Engineered Conversion Systems (ECS), EcoPath™ is the world’s first 100 percent perpetually recyclable entryway matting solution that meets professional facility managers’ requirements for safety, cleanliness and durability. EcoPath™ complements any style motif; protects valuable floors; and helps facilities achieve their top green potential by contributing toward LEED building certification. Manufactured in the U.S., the product line combines the latest innovations in manufacturing technology and materials with superior workmanship and carries an unmatched manufacturing warranty. As part of a vertically integrated manufacturing company with a modern 70,000 sq. ft. facility in Dalton, Ga., ECS incorporates the maximum standards in quality control blended with competitive pricing and fast fulfillment. For more information and full product specifications, visit ecopathmatsdev.wpengine.com.

About SYNLawn®

SYNLawn® is the industry innovator on synthetic grass. Their lush and livable synthetic grass systems have transformed the way synthetic grass is used, producing the most advanced and performance oriented putting surfaces and synthetic landscaping solutions in the market. SYNLawn® uses exclusive nylon technologies to produce unmatched solutions for synthetic landscape, golf, pet and playground systems. SYNLawn's grass products are 100% recyclable and lead compliant. As the only vertically integrated manufacturer/installer in the business, SYNLawn® delivers customers the highest quality artificial grass products at a competitive price with the most genuine industry warranty. With the company’s rapid expansion, SYNLawn® has 35 locations now open in the U.S. and Canada. To learn more visit www.SYNLawn.com.

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Media Contacts:

Universal Textile Technologies™; Doug Giles, 706-876-5604, douggiles@universal-textile.net

Astroturf®, Synlawn®; Andy Belles, 706-271-5654, abelles@astroturf.com