40 years of Lano Sports: a journey in innovation and sustainability
2024 is a special year for Lano Sports. What started in 1984 as a pioneer in artificial turf has today grown into a global success story. From football and hockey pitches to tennis and padel courts, Lano Sports is synonymous with innovation, sustainability and quality. "We are immensely proud of this milestone and look to the future with confidence," said Thibaut Toye, Business Unit Director at Lano Sports.
From carpets to artificial grass
The history of Lano Sports has its roots in the Lano Group, founded in 1929 as a textile and carpet manufacturer. Just after World War II, the company started manufacturing floor coverings and soon expanded its portfolio to other applications.
"The idea to produce artificial turf came in the early '80s, during a trip by the then-CEO Pierre Lano to Houston, Texas," says Toye. "That's where he first saw a sports pitch with artificial turf. Inspired by the possibilities and the fact that the production process was similar to that of a carpet, he decided to bring that technology over to Europe."
"One of the first pitches we built was the RSC Anderlecht training pitch. It was a standard product at the time, but the technology made artificial turf evolve enormously. That was the beginning of our artificial turf story and we have been raising the bar ever since."
Four decades at the top
As a market leader in the sports sector, Lano Sports has completed a number of impressive projects over the past decades. "It's hard to pick just one," says Toye. "We have installed pitches at top clubs worldwide such as Manchester United, but some of the most prestigious projects are the artificial turf around the pitch in FC Porto's stadium and the largest hockey stadium in the world in Lahore, Pakistan. In tennis and padel, our customers include the David Lloyd Group, along with hundreds of other clubs."
In addition, the company played a prominent role in the development of standards and regulations for artificial turf. As an official FIFA Licensee and partner of various sports federations such as the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the International Hockey Federation (FIH), Lano Sports was closely involved in the standardization of artificial turf systems for sports fields.
"Whether it's training pitches for Manchester United or high-performance hockey pitches in India and Belgium, our goal is always to combine quality and innovation with sustainability."
Thibaut Toye, Business Unit Director at Lano Sports
Innovation and sustainability go hand in hand
Lano Sports is known for its innovative approach. One of the most recent and revolutionary developments is the S-Tec Orbion II, an artificial turf surface that meets the new 'dry non-irrigated' standards of the FIH. This system – installed for the first time at HC Indiana in Belgium – is designed to play hockey without large amounts of water, an important step towards sustainable sports pitches.
"The challenge was to develop a surface that maintained the speed and playing quality of a water-based pitch, but without any water consumption," Toye explains. "With our technology, up to three times less water was already being used without compromising on the playing experience. And now it's not even necessary to water the pitch at all."
But that's just one of the many innovations Lano Sports has to its name. "We are working on alternatives to rubber granules, such as cork and wood, but also on artificial turf systems without any shock-absorbing granular material. We are also researching how we can give our products a second life, such as with our Ensō backing: this is made from a single group of polymers and is therefore optimally recyclable. Technological advancement and sustainability remain at the core of the company’s ethos."
Evolution, not revolution
Even after 40 years, Lano Sports is determined to remain a pioneer. The company continues to work closely with sports organisations, players, and scientists to develop sports pitches that meet today's demands and are ready for tomorrow's challenges.
The ambitions for the future are high. "We want to further internationalise and tap into new markets, such as Africa and the Middle East," says Toye. "In addition, we want to become an even bigger player in the hockey world with our dry turf technology."
"In doing so, we consciously choose evolution, not revolution. We want to give players the best experience without dramatically changing the game. Our mission is clear: to stay at the top of the artificial turf industry and develop systems that not only improve the sport, but also contribute to a more sustainable future."
Interested in Lano Sports' artificial turf?
