A durable, cool, affordable, best-performance infill engineered for athletes. And it’s organic. In a world that is getting too hot, it’s time to cool off.
A great artificial turf field should mimic a great natural one
Discovering a material that could overcome the issues associated with crumb rubber—while also addressing the durability, cost, and availability challenges of alternative organic infills—was no small task. Once we pinpointed the ideal solution, our next step was to devise a method to transform tiny wood particles into a form that was smooth, rounded, and precisely sized to facilitate optimal drainage and provide the natural foot traction demanded by athletes.
Crumb rubber is classified as a microplastic and was recently banned as an infill for artificial turf in Europe. It’s time for a more environmental solution.
A typical athletic field is equivalent in size to a 500-car parking lot, and can reach temperatures over 80° C.
There are plenty of better uses for waste tires, including road asphalt, speed bumps, railway vibration absorption and more.
BrockFILL™
A highly engineered wood particle infill specifically designed to improve traction and reduce artificial turf heat. It’s made from a species of southern pine grown, harvested, and replanted in continuous cycles. Through a 9-step manufacturing process, we created a durable, affordable, and renewable organic infill produced in the USA.
We measured two adjacent fields in the same location, with the same turf product, the same day, the same time, and both were dry. The BrockFILL field measured 19 degrees C cooler than the crumb rubber field that had a cooling agent added. Plus the lower thermal conductivity of BrockFILL reduces heat transmission through shoes and skin. The difference is even greater after a rain.
A cooler surface can reduce dehydration which in turn can reduce risk of injury.
By utilizing cutting-edge technology, we ensure our products meet and exceed performance and safety standards. One such innovation is our use of drones equipped with thermal imaging capabilities. This technology allows us to conduct detailed comparisons of surface temperatures across different materials—such as crumb rubber turf fields, natural grass fields, organic infilled fields, and urban structures like parking lots. Our findings reveal that crumb rubber fields can surpass even asphalt in heat absorption, potentially turning sports fields into urban heat islands that significantly increase temperatures. This data is crucial as it demonstrates the want and need of local communities for cooler alternatives like organics.
Crumb Rubber Thermal Imaging Surface Temperature
Outdoor temperature: 29C / Temp gun near center of field: 77C / Drone settings: 24-79C / Grass next to field: 32C / Intersection next to field: 49C / Parking lot in shopping center near field: 52C
The science is undeniable.
Years of research, testing, and studies have led to a superior playing surface. Now 30 years from its introduction, it’s time for the crumb-rubber, turf-over-stone system to take its place in history and clear a path for the next generation system for athletes. One that is cooler, firmer, safer, and leaves no scars on the athlete, or the environment.
The natural next step – BrockFILL
Addressing the end-of-life impact of artificial turf systems is a critical challenge for our industry, as the disposal of these materials in landfills or the release of crumb rubber microplastics into our waterways is simply unacceptable. BrockFILL emerges as the optimal solution — a 100% organic infill, free from coatings or additives, embodying the essence of a truly closed-loop, environmentally friendly option.
Growing plants are nature’s way of sequestering carbon. A 7,000 square meter athletic field with BrockFILL will use trees that have captured about 62,000 KG’s of carbon. Although BrockFILL is made in the USA, exporting by sea freight will only negate about 5-7% of the CO2 that the trees have sequestered.
