Polytan with numerous products in the Ahorn Sports Park Paderborn

The Legacy of Heinz Nixdorf

A life without enthusiasm for competition and striving for better and best performance – this was unimaginable for entrepreneur and computer pioneer Heinz Nixdorf. Born in the Westphalian city of Paderborn, Nixdorf founded his first computer company at the age of just 27 in 1952. With his small computers, he found a niche market, standing his ground against competitors like IBM's mainframes and building the Nixdorf AG into a global electronics corporation. In 1959, Heinz Nixdorf relocated company headquarters to his hometown of Paderborn, to which he always felt strongly connected. There, he also pursued his athletic ambitions, initially focusing on track and field and later becoming a successful decathlete. At the same time, he was deeply committed to supporting regional sports, both personally and financially. He encouraged fitness among trainees at Nixdorf Computer AG, allowing them two hours per week for sports activities.Paderborn offers a wide range of activities for its sports-enthusiastic residents. The largest multifunctional sports facility in Paderborn is the Ahorn Sports Park, whose construction was initiated by Heinz Nixdorf in the mid-1980s. It was built close to the production facilities of Nixdorf Computer AG. The area, covering a total of 100,000 m², features an athletics stadium with a covered grandstand for 2,000 seats, three artificial turf fields, an outdoor street basketball court, a beach volleyball field, a large playground covering roughly 1,500 m², an outdoor fitness and activity course, as well as a trim trail. The centerpiece of the facility is a multi-level sports hall spanning about 10,000 m², including a 200 m indoor running track on the upper floor and Germany's first baseball indoor facility, established in 2009. Additionally, the facility boasts ball courts, athletics tracks, a climbing wall, a weight training room, squash courts, play areas, physio-fitness and gymnastics rooms, and a dance floor."Sports for all and at any time of the day" is the motto of the Ahorn Sports Park, which provides its facilities to Paderborn sports clubs. More than 30 clubs offer activities ranging from aerobics to walking. Non-club members also have numerous opportunities to engage in sports. With 500,000 users annually, the sports and activity center is the best-known and most attractive recreational facility in the region.During a renovation, five different Polytan products were installed. For the outdoor track, the professional sports surface Polytan Rekortan M in brick red was used, notable for its excellent acceleration, elasticity, high shock absorption, and outstanding sports medical properties. Alongside this, the Polytan SMART system was implemented, enabling digital performance diagnostics and precise time measurement. Metrics such as running time, speed, step length, step frequency, and jump height can be accurately recorded and analyzed.The small playing fields include three turf surfaces and a mini field, all created with Polytan LigaGrass Synergy, a turf system ideally suited for club and municipal sports. The infill levels of sand and rubber granules were significantly reduced, benefiting the environment, players, and greenkeepers. Users of the outdoor fitness and activity course equipment are protected by our fall protection surface PolyPlay FS GT, also in brick red. This seamless, water-permeable surface is particularly low-maintenance and provides cushioning to prevent injuries, such as from falls. Last but not least, a green footpath encircles the indoor track within the large sports hall, finished with the solid synthetic surface Rekortan PUR Indoor.The Ahorn Sports Park is operated and managed by the Stiftung Westfalen foundation, which was established from Heinz Nixdorf's estate. It is rightly considered his lasting legacy for Paderborn.