Students across the
UK will be competing at multi-sport facilities worthy of first-class honours
when they report for the new academic year – thanks to the award-winning SIS
Pitches.
The global pitch
specialist has installed a range of its revolutionary SISTurf playing surfaces
at six universities, including The University of Manchester, University of
Hull, Durham University, Loughborough University, the University of Bradford
and the University of Cumbria.
SIS Pitches won the
prestigious ‘Award for Excellence’ at the annual Sport & Play Construction
Association (SAPCA) Awards earlier this year after the opening of four new
floodlit synthetic turf pitches at the University of Manchester’s Fallowfield
campus – setting a new record in the process.
The 42-week project
is not only a record-breaking first as the UK’s biggest single new build
project, but marks the largest single value £2m plus project for SIS Pitches.
The revamped site includes two hockey and single rugby, football pitches and
practice cricket wickets, featuring SISTurf Hockey Elite, SISTurf Scrummager 60
and SISTurf Superior 60 surfaces respectively.
SIS Pitches was able
to undertake the work in conjunction with sports lighting specialist Halliday
Lighting, who were responsible for construction and management of floodlighting
at the venue.
In addition, SIS
Pitches has installed four new pitches as part of an upgrade of the sports
facilities at the University of Hull.
The Cumbria-based
company refurbished two football pitches with its increasingly popular SISTurf
Superior surface and upgraded an existing hockey pitch with SISTurf Pro Hockey
Champion. A brand new rugby pitch featuring SISTurf Scrummager has also been constructed.
New 3G rugby pitches
have been installed at both Durham University, at its Graham Sports Centre, and
Loughborough University.
SIS Pitches has also
overseen the refurbishment of tennis courts and football and rugby pitches at
Bradford University, while a new hockey pitch has been installed at the
University of Cumbria’s Lancaster Campus.
The University of
Warwick is also in the middle of an upgrade, with SIS Pitches constructing a
brand new 3G artificial grass pitch for football and rugby.
SIS Pitches’ scope
isn’t limited to turf, either, having carried out the associated landscape
works at a number of Universities across Britain.
The firm also has a
proven track record of working with independent schools, having recently
completed projects at Gresham School, Harrow School and Coventry Schools
Foundation.
The increased
durability of SISTurf means that it is not only students who benefit from the
new playing surfaces all year around, day and night, but also local teams and
the wider community.
SIS Pitches UK
Projects Director, Simon Mroczek, said: “We are extremely proud of the projects
we have completed at universities and schools around the UK and look forward to
showcasing the benefits of SISTurf to many more in the coming months.
“Both the high
quality and durability of SISTurf enables extended, multi-purpose use that not
only meets the needs of universities and schools, but also their wider
communities.
“The University of
Manchester project is our biggest of its kind to date and will provide world
class facilities for years to come while, at the same time, maintaining the
university’s reputation as a leader in the sporting field.”
Vicky Foster-Lloyd,
Head of Sport at The University of Manchester, added: “With SIS Pitches, we
have achieved everything we set out to and are the proud owners of an excellent
facility that we know will add massively to the student experience and will provide
a world class environment for them and the local community well into the
future.
SIS Pitches is part
of a framework agreement to provide the design, manufacture, installation and
maintenance of artificial grass pitches. The agreement is in support of the
Rugby Football Union (RFU), Football Association (FA), Sport England, England
Hockey and Football Foundation (FF) capital investment programmes.
