2025 was a year of continuity, persistence, and progress. Building on strong foundations, we continued to roll out our innovative, high-performance products, strengthened our operational approach to sustainability, and amplified the power of sport and play around the world.
There are no shortcuts to sustainability. This is why we are sticking to our long-term plan. We have done the work, we have laid the foundations, we have innovated tirelessly, and now, based on the adoption of our next-generation products, designed with circularity and sustainability top of mind, we are seeing real progress.
When we talk about ‘next generation,’ we mean products like Pure PT™ (branded as Pivot® in the U.S.), our infill-free turf system designed for performance, intensive use, long-term durability, and reduced environmental impact. More than 300 of these fields were installed in the past year alone, receiving excellent feedback from players, coaches, and directors. Importantly, they have also been widely adopted in community sports facilities, schools, and places like mini-fields in congested inner cities, spanning the spectrum from elite sports to play and recreation. That gives us real confidence in our strategic direction.
Bringing performance & sustainability together
There is no trade-off between how effectively a product performs and how sustainable it is. People will only adopt sustainable products if they perform well, look great, and offer a fantastic user experience. It is all about how a surface feels underfoot. How the ball rolls. If the traction is right. How the turf holds up under continuous use. In any installation, countless performance criteria come into play, which is why we are always fine-tuning our approach to deliver the best possible player experience.
Innovation never stops. Pure PT™ went through 54 different design iterations before launch. By always keeping the player in mind, we ultimately succeeded. In 2025, we continued to push not only by investing in research and development but also by conducting extensive testing at our Center for Turf Innovation (CTI), in the field, and with players themselves.
After focusing on soccer and American football, we are now expanding our product range to include rugby, and offering a fully certified system suitable for both football and hockey. We are also increasingly transitioning away from traditional infills. ONE-DNA™ and Pure PT™ are helping many customers go infill-free, and by simplifying our polymers, we are making turf easier to recycle, more durable, and cheaper to maintain and transport.
Sustainability through circularity
Sustainability begins, ends, and begins again with how we design our products. Circularity cannot be an afterthought. It must be built into our thinking from the start. That means reducing our resource use, minimizing waste streams, and reducing complexity so that by the end of its life, it is much easier to take apart. By designing for circularity from the outset, we are working towards systems that can be recovered, regenerated, and reused at scale.
We also place a relentless focus on efficiency and waste reduction. As CEO, when I visit plants, I’m always sticking my head into waste bins and asking, “How can we reduce this?” “How can we design this process better?” Our teams of sustainability experts are constantly developing new ways to do more with less, and together we are driving continuous improvement across our entire manufacturing operations.
Making a positive social impact
Give people a pitch they can play on 24/7, 365 days a year, and sure enough, they play. Our systems bring people together and unlock the positive impact of sports. They enable year-round play in schools, colleges, and elite facilities alike, turning unused spaces into vibrant hubs of activity, regardless of climate or location.
At the Special Olympics Kingdom Games, our turf was the surface on which an inclusive model of global sports unfolded. Meanwhile, in locations as far-ranging as the Te Kura Māori School in New Zealand or the Bundesliga club SV Werder Bremen in Germany, our systems are demonstrating the wide-ranging benefits that accessible sports infrastructure can have on local communities.
Responsibility, transparency & trust
As a manufacturer of polymer-based products, we are keenly aware of our impacts and our responsibilities. Our stakeholders expect us to manage our use of materials, energy, and other resources with care, consistency, and transparency. This is why we detail our progress clearly and honestly in reports like this one, by sharing our positive achievements, and relaying the challenges, setbacks, and difficulties we have faced.
We are already contributing to the wider conversation on sustainability in our industry and setting a clear example. However, our efforts are not just about environmental concerns: they are about building a stronger business. We view sustainability as good business because if we can improve our efficiency, we can create long-term value for both our own company and our customers.
Looking ahead
As I look to the future, TenCate’s direction is clear. We will continue to push the boundaries in product development, resource use, and efficiency, and we will keep driving down our environmental impact. The road to sustainable business is challenging, but by facing those challenges head-on, we will continue to demonstrate how performance and sustainability go hand in hand.
2025 was a strong year. Let’s keep up the great work.
