New sports surfaces from Polytan make the Horststadion in Herne a real eye-catcher:

Ideal solution for two sports with significant ground contact

Herne is one of the major cities in the Ruhr metropolitan region, situated between Gelsenkirchen and Dortmund. Sports has always been a significant part of Herne’s identity, with several renowned football teams representing the city, such as SC Westfalia 04. Today, the Herne Sports Association (Stadtsportbund Herne e.V.) (SSB) acts as an umbrella organization for 170 sports clubs in Herne, encompassing over 30,000 active members. This includes clubs such as Arminia Holsterhausen e.V. and the Herne Black Barons e.V.. The sporting home for both these clubs is the “Horststadion,” which was established in 1930 and has been used for various sports over the decades, including football, field handball, and cycling. In early 2021, a major renovation of the stadium began, transforming the former gravel pitch into synthetic turf, adding a facilities area for athletics, and a mini sports field. However, not only do the clubs benefit from this transformation, but also nearby schools including the Horstschule, Sonnenschule, Erich-Fried-Gesamtschule, Hiberniaschule, and the Schwalbenweg School can now use it for physical education. Additionally, several local kindergartens will also have access to the sports facility. Polytan provided the surfaces for the various sports areas. For the full-size pitch used for both football and American football, our LigaTurf Cross with cork infill was used – an ideal solution for both sports. The reason: our turf blends smooth and textured filaments to create the aesthetic and feeling of natural football grass, already proven in professional sports. Additionally, it features simplified maintenance, enhanced infill stability, and an impressive turf volume. Its good cushioning properties, skin friendliness, and grip also make the LigaTurf Cross perfect for American football, a sport requiring significant surface contact. The visual highlight of the pitch is undoubtedly the two club emblems integrated into the turf. The infill consists of pure natural cork, a renewable raw material with excellent cushioning properties, applied over a sand layer. The cork material is derived from the bark of cork oak and is 100% biodegradable. The small football field in Holsterhausen is equipped with our LigaGrass Pro surface with a sand infill, ideal for training and school sports, as well as mini sports fields, allowing for year-round use of the facilities. The running track adjacent to the full-size field was surfaced by Polytan with Rekortan M, in classic brick red. Rekortan M impresses with its excellent acceleration and elasticity, making it incredibly fast while offering superior cushioning. The poured coating is impermeable to water and suited for athletes wearing spiked shoes. Today, the full-sized pitch is used by the football players of Arminia Holsterhausen and the Herne Black Barons, a club founded in 2016 for American football with a senior and several youth teams. The Herne Black Barons are also an official integration base club recognized by the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB). They demonstrate this commitment through social initiatives, including supporting the palliative care unit in Herne and participating in the “Pink Against Racism” campaign by the SSB, under the motto: “Herne sports clubs stand for openness and tolerance.” All Polytan representatives and employees proudly align with this vision!