In an effort to continue improving our products and minimize our affect on the environment, Robbins recently decided to test several strip maple products under the California Department of Public Health CDPH/EHLB/Standard Method Version 1.2, 2017. With the exception of one item, the other products chosen were all products that are pre-treated in some manner prior to leaving the factory. Some of these items can help to speed up the installation time or contribute to the overall health of jobsite conditions.

Robbins is happy to report that all four strip maple products that were tested have passed and are in compliance with the CA Specification 01350 standard. The four products are:

  • Unfinished Continuous Strip® XL (25/32” x 2 ¼”)
  • Factory Sealed Continuous Strip® XL (25/32” x 2 ¼”)
  • Factory Finished Continuous Strip® XL (25/32” x 2 ¼”)
  • Edge Treated (EZ-XL) Continuous Strip® XL (25/32” x 2 ¼”)

In addition to the environmental benefits, these products will allow for the above strip maple products to be in compliance with or contribute credits toward (partial list):

  • USGBC LEED Version 4, BD&C, ID&C
  • The WELL Building Standard
  • ANSI/GBI 01, Green Building Assessment Protocol
  • Green Guide for Healthcare V2.2

The new product certifications, which were tested by Berkeley Analytical lab in California, will meet the requirements of specifications that request compliance with a number of environmental standards in the education construction market. In addition, Robbins Pulastic® systems were tested in 2013 and are also in compliance with the same CA Specification 01350.

For more information about Robbins maple products, click here.

The saying “age is only a number” is especially true when it comes to a hardwood floor. And after winning 3 out of 6 NCAA title championships in the past 30 years alone, UNC’s gym floor at the Dean Smith Center has proven just that. When the Dean Smith Center opened in 1986, the UNC Tar Heels chose a Robbins SpringAire floor system for their new game UNC Practice Gym- Robbins SpringAirefloor. The SpringAire system offered a unique combination of high load bearing capacity (for bleachers or forklifts), excellent acoustical properties (for sound absorption), and dimensional stability (for athlete protection) in a gym floor. Years of engineering and fine tuning sport floors had led to new developments in the construction of the subfloor. Not only was the floor designed for optimal game play, but it was also constructed with safety of the athlete in mind. UNC understood this technology and wanted only the best for their student athletes.

The new floor not only proved to be a winner for the team which brought home three additional NCAA title championships, but also proved that it was built to last. With routine hardwood floor maintenance, the Dean Smith Center was still in excellent shape in 2007 when it received a facelift with a floor sanding and new graphics. In 2010 the men’s head basketball coach, Roy Williams, also wanted to improve the floor in the practice facility due to the high number of hours spent practicing. He and the facility directors turned to Robbins and Foster Specialty Floors (Robbins dealer in NC) to develop a flooring system that would mimic the performance of the existing gym floor.

The SpringAire system had been off the market for several years at this point, so Robbins and Foster joined forces to build a replicate of the original SpringAire floor system. The signature springs were custom built and the sleeper system redesigned to deliver the same comfort and performance of the original Springaire. Before full manufacturing of the system occurred, two 4’x6’ mockup samples of the new floor were sent to UNC for testing. After a week of hands on testing by the basketball players themselves, Coach Roy Williams made theUNC Smith Center- Robbins SpringAire final decision to move forward with construction of the new floor. In June 2010, over 8,000 sq ft of the newly designed SpringAire floor system was installed in the men’s practice facility.

The UNC Tar Heels can say they truly have a floor that is one of a kind since there is no other flooring system like it anywhere else in the world. They should also be proud of thinking ahead and prioritizing their athlete’s safety by selecting the best floor option to support the future of their tremendous basketball program. Robbins is honored to be a supplier to the UNC basketball team for more than 30 years now. We also congratulate them on winning their 6th NCAA Championship Title and look forward to many more to come!

 

About Robbins Sports Surfaces

Robbins Sports Surfaces, a division of Robbins, Inc., is a privately held, 4th generation family-owned flooring company based in Cincinnati, OH with sales offices across the U.S. and manufacturing plants in Michigan and Wisconsin.

The NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers play on a Robbins Sports Surfaces “All Star” brand floor at their home court, Quicken Loans Arena, and practice on more than 18,000 sq. ft. of the company’s “Bio-Channel Classic” flooring, one of the top floor choices among NBA franchises. The Cavs have played home games on Robbins floors since 1974.

More NBA teams compete and train on Robbins flooring than all other competitors combined, with 90% of NBA teams owning the company’s competition and/or training facility floors. Past NCAA men’s basketball champions Connecticut, Duke, Kentucky, Indiana and North Carolina play their home games on a Robbins floor.

Robbins Inc. has registered 25 patents over the years, with additional patents pending, and is the only U.S. flooring manufacturer with a full-time research and product development staff. Robbins’ unique capability and understanding of the biomechanical interaction between the athlete or performer and floor have recently led to new designs that reduce vibration and increase uniformity, both of which improve performance, comfort and safety.

In addition to Robbins Sports Surfaces, Robbins, Inc. is also the owner of Stoehr Flooring, a high-end residential flooring business, and majority owner of Egis Floorlife, an innovative after-market service business. Robbins also has a theater and dance floor division known as Robbins Performing Arts, which is dedicated to the development of performing arts floor systems that enhance the safety and comfort of performers.

For more information about each of Robbins divisions, please visit www.robbinsdancefloors.com, www.stoehrflooring.com, and www.egisfloorlife.com.

 

Campus athletics have come a long way over the years and are not just for collegiate level athletes anymore. Facilities for recreational activities on campus have seen a tremendous amount of growth and improvements for the students and staff they serve. And for colleges that have a long history and the historical buildings to prove it, the challenge is always the same, combining the new with the old, and where to find the space to put it. The new Sumers Recreation Center at Washington University is one of those projects. The athletic complexes at Washington University recently underwent a major renovation that was completed in October 2016, and included more than 70,000 sq ft of various Robbins systems installed by Robbins dealer, Missouri Floor Company.

The project was not your ordinary rec center and was instead, a bit of a hodge podge of new and old buildings. Since the university is located within the city walls of St. Louis, MO, the location of the rec center was land locked, which meant the building had to go “up” instead of “out”. The project included a new 65,000 sq ft building addition, a renovation to the historic Francis Gymnasium which was host to the 1904 Olympics and World’s Fair, and renovations to the existing athletic complex which was constructed in 1983.

The new rec center has received national attention since its debut. It was chosen as a location for one of three 2016 presidential debates. It has also received attention for the unique and stunning graphics in the gymnasium. On top of the 25,000 square feet of Robbins Bio Cushion Classic floor, Washington University pays homage to the city of St. Louis by featuring graphics of the 1904 World’s Fair building, the Francis Fieldhouse gates, and the famous St. Louis Gateway Arch. The graphics were designed and finished on site by Missouri Floor Co. The arch was a 1:5 scale model of the real arch, and two stain colors were used to give the graphics a 3D appearance.

In addition to the recognition given to the city and university’s history, the original Francis Gymnasium which was constructed in 1903 for the 1904 Olympics and World’s Fair, was semi demolished during the construction process. The university wanted to make sure this
history was not lost and decided to incorporate part of it in the new space. The maple flooring from the Francis Gymnasium was reclaimed, installed and then sanded and refinished on the main passage way into the building. The back of the reclaimed maple was stamped “Yawkey Bissell”, which was the name of the original Robbins flooring plant in White Lake, WI and is still in full operation today. Missouri Floor Co. and the Sumers Recreation Center has also been named a finalist in Robbins’ Sports Surface of the Year Contest.

From start to finish of the flooring, the project was completed in 7 weeks. The university is very pleased with the outcome of the graphics, as well as the flooring that was hand selected for each area of the building. Robbins and Missouri Floor Company has had a long standing relationship with Washington University. Alex Verseman of Missouri Floor Co. attributes the success of this project to that relationship, “we had a history with the owner that dated back to the original athletics building construction in 1983. This was developed by past generations of Robbins and Missouri Floor, but never forgotten through the family businesses. We kept a strong relationship with the owner over the years through maintenance, misc. projects across campus, and sharing dreams of this project. When it finally became a reality it was a test of the
relationships between all 3 parties and the outcome was a success we’re all proud of!”.

Both Robbins and Missouri Floor Company are over 100 years old. And when a company has been around that long, it is safe to say they have witnessed a lot of change. Ten decades of nonstop technological advancements is bound to make a huge difference to any product or service. But one thing remains the same, the importance of quality products and quality relationships. Robbins is proud to be associated with and chosen for this project. From the days of Yawkey-Bissell flooring to now, we look forward to another 100 years serving the students at Washington University with our high performance sports floors.

About Robbins Sports Surfaces

Robbins Sports Surfaces, a division of Robbins, Inc., is a privately held, 4th generation family-owned flooring company based in Cincinnati, OH with sales offices across the U.S. and manufacturing plants in Michigan and Wisconsin.

The NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers play on a Robbins Sports Surfaces “All Star” brand floor at their home court, Quicken Loans Arena, and practice on more than 18,000 sq. ft. of the company’s “Bio-Channel Classic” flooring, one of the top floor choices among NBA franchises. The Cavs have played home games on Robbins floors since 1974.

More NBA teams compete and train on Robbins flooring than all other competitors combined, with 90% of NBA teams owning the company’s competition and/or training facility floors. Past NCAA men’s basketball champions Connecticut, Duke, Kentucky, Indiana and North Carolina play their home games on a Robbins floor.

Robbins Inc. has registered 25 patents over the years, with additional patents pending, and is the only U.S. flooring manufacturer with a full-time research and product development staff. Robbins’ unique capability and understanding of the biomechanical interaction between the athlete or performer and floor have recently led to new designs that reduce vibration and increase uniformity, both of which improve performance, comfort and safety.

In addition to Robbins Sports Surfaces, Robbins, Inc. is also the owner of Stoehr Flooring, a high-end residential flooring business, and majority owner of Egis Floorlife, an innovative after-market service business. Robbins also has a theater and dance floor division known as Robbins Performing Arts, which is dedicated to the development of performing arts floor systems that enhance the safety and comfort of performers.

For more information about each of Robbins divisions, please visit www.robbinsdancefloors.com, www.stoehrflooring.com, and www.egisfloorlife.com.

 

In the fall of 2016, the Georgetown University Hoyas unveiled the long awaited Thompson Athletic Center, a 144,000-square-foot facility that would serve as the primary practice location for the men’s and women’s basketball teams. The new facility was named for the iconic former coach, John R. Thompson, who led the Hoyas to three Final Fours in four years, including the 1984 national GTU- TAC- 2016 (1)championship.

While the school is well known for their excellent athletic programs and having a remarkable 1 out of 8 students in Div I sports, the facilities were not up to par in comparison to other Div I schools. GTU knew they needed to build a state of the art facility that would attract young talent and serve as a top of the line training center for their athletes. When it was time to select a floor for the practice gymnasiums, GTU knew what floor they wanted, and who they wanted to install it; the Robbins MVP and Weyer’s Floor Service.

The Robbins MVP sport floor system was specified and chosen for a variety reasons. With the substantial amount of time athletes spend practicing, GTU understood how the mechanics of the floor can impact the athletes body and performance over time. They wanted the best safety and protection they could get from a floor. They were also faced with a small footprint of building space which required 2 levels of gymnasiums. So minimal floor vibration was extremely important. As a result, a total of 30,000 sq. ft. of Robbins MVP was installed and features a full-size court, as well as four half courts in each of the men’s and women’s practice gyms. The facility also features sports GTU- TAC- 2016 (2)medicine and weight training rooms, an academic center, and a large equipment area.

For more than 30 years Weyer’s has serviced GTU with Robbins flooring. Since the opening of the new athletic center, GTU has been extremely pleased with Weyer’s installation and service. When asked about their experience working with Weyer’s, Brian A. McGuire, Associate Director of Athletics said, ”This fall, Georgetown Athletics opened a brand new athletic training facility (The John R. Thompson Athletic Center) which included the installation of two 30,000 square foot Robbins MVP wood athletic basketball practice courts. Despite receiving many proposals from many flooring companies to do the work, Weyer’s Floor Service was our clear first choice, and we have been completely satisfied with their work and the timeliness of the installation, The quality of the work that they do is outstanding. Whether it’s installations, finishes or painting court designs, Weyer’s will not be happy until the work they do is done to the highest standard of perfection.”

The Thompson Athletic Center is truly a state of the art facility. Weyer’s Floor Service was recently recognized as a “BEST OF THE UNITED STATES 2016” by the US Builders Review, as well as being featured in an article of the fall 2016 magazine issue. And most recently, Weyer’s and GTU was chosen as a finalist in Robbins 2016 Sports Surface of the Year contest. In addition to a multitude of projects over their 30 year relationship, Weyer’s is actively working on numerous floor projects at GTU including a maple wall construction and recoating several hardwood floors throughout the campus.

About Robbins Sports Surfaces

Robbins Sports Surfaces, a division of Robbins, Inc., is a privately held, 4th generation family-owned flooring company based in Cincinnati, OH with sales offices across the U.S. and manufacturing plants in Michigan and Wisconsin.

The NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers play on a Robbins Sports Surfaces “All Star” brand floor at their home court, Quicken Loans Arena, and practice on more than 18,000 sq. ft. of the company’s “Bio-Channel Classic” flooring, one of the top floor choices among NBA franchises. The Cavs have played home games on Robbins floors since 1974.

More NBA teams compete and train on Robbins flooring than all other competitors combined, with 90% of NBA teams owning the company’s competition and/or training facility floors. Past NCAA men’s basketball champions Connecticut, Duke, Kentucky, Indiana and North Carolina play their home games on a Robbins floor.

Robbins Inc. has registered 25 patents over the years, with additional patents pending, and is the only U.S. flooring manufacturer with a full-time research and product development staff. Robbins’ unique capability and understanding of the biomechanical interaction between the athlete or performer and floor have recently led to new designs that reduce vibration and increase uniformity, both of which improve performance, comfort and safety.

In addition to Robbins Sports Surfaces, Robbins, Inc. is also the owner of Stoehr Flooring, a high-end residential flooring business, and majority owner of Egis Floorlife, an innovative after-market service business. Robbins also has a theater and dance floor division known as Robbins Performing Arts, which is dedicated to the development of performing arts floor systems that enhance the safety and comfort of performers.

For more information about each of Robbins divisions, please visit www.robbinsdancefloors.com, www.stoehrflooring.com, and www.egisfloorlife.com.

 

The TCU Horned Frogs called on Robbins dealer, Ponder Company, to freshen up their 14-year-old Robbins Air Channel Star with a new court design for the women’s competition volleyball gym.tcu_ponder-2016-1-web The floor, which is the located in the University Recreation Center, had been well maintained over the years and was in perfect condition for a face lift.

The new court graphics were originally designed by Nike in 2015, and was unveiled after the 72M dollar renovation of the Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena was complete. While Robbins and Ponder Company was not chosen as a vendor for the Schollmaier Arena floor, TCU chose Ponder to sand and refinish the volleyball gym floor with the new court design. The new Horned Frogs design features a unique purple, white, and black lizard-skin pattern that covers the entire area of the game play surface, as well as a red accent color for the court lines. While the color Red is not part of the school’s official colors, it was used as an accent color on the helmets of the football team several years prior and represents the horned frog (aka the horned lizard) distinct ability to shoot blood from its eyes to fend off predators.

Painting and staining a floor with this much detail is no easy task, but Ponder was up for the challenge. They called on Praters Flooring to provide the masks and work closely with the Ponder crew during the training of the application. The court had a total of 22 mask templets and due to the amount of detail, took 2 full weeks to complete.

Since the completion of the refinish in the volleyball gym, this unique floor was featured in the June/July 2016 edition of Hardwood Floors Magazine, and has also been chosen as a finalist in
img_6919_web
Robbins 2016 Sports Surface of the Year contest. TCU was also so pleased with the results of Ponders graphic work, they have since been contracted for additional face lifts on the practice basketball court, the new arena floor, and the 3 court gymnasium at the recreation center. All work will be completed in summer 2017.

About Robbins Sports Surfaces

Robbins Sports Surfaces, a division of Robbins, Inc., is a privately held, 4th generation family-owned flooring company based in Cincinnati, OH with sales offices across the U.S. and manufacturing plants in Michigan and Wisconsin.

The NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers play on a Robbins Sports Surfaces “All Star” brand floor at their home court, Quicken Loans Arena, and practice on more than 18,000 sq. ft. of the company’s “Bio-Channel Classic” flooring, one of the top floor choices among NBA franchises. The Cavs have played home games on Robbins floors since 1974.

More NBA teams compete and train on Robbins flooring than all other competitors combined, with 90% of NBA teams owning the company’s competition and/or training facility floors. Past NCAA men’s basketball champions Connecticut, Duke, Kentucky, Indiana and North Carolina play their home games on a Robbins floor.

Robbins Inc. has registered 25 patents over the years, with additional patents pending, and is the only U.S. flooring manufacturer with a full-time research and product development staff. Robbins’ unique capability and understanding of the biomechanical interaction between the athlete or performer and floor have recently led to new designs that reduce vibration and increase uniformity, both of which improve performance, comfort and safety.

In addition to Robbins Sports Surfaces, Robbins, Inc. is also the owner of Stoehr Flooring, a high-end residential flooring business, and majority owner of Egis Floorlife, an innovative after-market service business. Robbins also has a theater and dance floor division known as Robbins Performing Arts, which is dedicated to the development of performing arts floor systems that enhance the safety and comfort of performers.

For more information about each of Robbins divisions, please visit www.robbinsdancefloors.com, www.stoehrflooring.com, and www.egisfloorlife.com.

 

The Beverly Hills High School Swim Gym is a bit of a legend in the world of gym floors. The swim gym at Beverly Hills High School combines something unheard of in your typical gymnasium- wood and water! Located approximately 5 ft above the 23m swimming pool, the gym floor was constructed to divide in the middle and retract under concrete bleachers to expose the pool for beverly-hills-h-s-2016-24-webswimming events. This unique gym floor was designed and constructed in 1939 and is still in full use today. It is also a very iconic floor as it was used for filming the “pool party” scene in the nostalgic movie “A Wonderful Life” in 1946, in addition to being featured in several other movies and TV shows. See the clip from “A Wonderful Life” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rha-6qG4OQ

After various instances where water damage had affected the quality and structure of the floor, the decision was made to replace the floor. Beverly Hills High School called on Robbins dealer, Pacific Floor Company, a trusted vendor since 2002, to replace the floor. Pacific recommended Robbins Bio Channel Star flooring for its excellent performance and to minimize the possibility of moisture traveling under the floor.

Building a floor that not only sits atop a swimming pool, but is also retractable comes with its own set of unique challenges. As we all know, wood and water does not mix. If the proper measures are not taken during installation, the humidity that accumulates from a pool can affect the integrity of the gym floor. We asked Mark Herthel, Sales Manager at Pacific Floor Company, to explain the measures that were taken to ensure the successful installation of this atypical gym floor “the challenges for this floor is the humidity issues from the pool and moving it back and forth. We installed the Bio-Channel Star to prevent moisture transfer under the floor and between any sleepers. We closed off the sides to protect the subfloor and we used 1-1/2″ XL-PLUS for a more stable floor. We also closely monitored the humidity in the gym. The building does not have de-humidifiers, however they have a good exhaust system to circulate the air. We also made sure the exhaust fans under the bleachers were working as the floor can be stored under them for considerable time. A HOBO was also used to monitor conditions during the install”.

Over 6,000 square feet was installed and just recently completed in October 2016. A video of the floor opening can be seen here on the Robbins YouTube channel. The Swim Gym was also chosen as a finalist in the 2016 Sports Surface of the Year contest which recognizes the hard work and dedication of Robbins dealers. The winner will be announced in May 2017.

About Robbins Sports Surfaces

Robbins Sports Surfaces, a division of Robbins, Inc., is a privately held, 4th generation family-owned flooring company based in Cincinnati, OH with sales offices across the U.S. and manufacturing plants in Michigan and Wisconsin.

The NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers play on a Robbins Sports Surfaces “All Star” brand floor at their home court, Quicken Loans Arena, and practice on more than 18,000 sq. ft. of the company’s “Bio-Channel Classic” flooring, one of the top floor choices among NBA franchises. The Cavs have played home games on Robbins floors since 1974.

More NBA teams compete and train on Robbins flooring than all other competitors combined, with 90% of NBA teams owning the company’s competition and/or training facility floors. Past NCAA men’s basketball champions Connecticut, Duke, Kentucky, Indiana and North Carolina play their home games on a Robbins floor.

Robbins Inc. has registered 25 patents over the years, with additional patents pending, and is the only U.S. flooring manufacturer with a full-time research and product development staff. Robbins’ unique capability and understanding of the biomechanical interaction between the athlete or performer and floor have recently led to new designs that reduce vibration and increase uniformity, both of which improve performance, comfort and safety.

In addition to Robbins Sports Surfaces, Robbins, Inc. is also the owner of Stoehr Flooring, a high-end residential flooring business, and majority owner of Egis Floorlife, an innovative after-market service business. Robbins also has a theater and dance floor division known as Robbins Performing Arts, which is dedicated to the development of performing arts floor systems that enhance the safety and comfort of performers.

For more information about each of Robbins divisions, please visit www.robbinsdancefloors.com, www.stoehrflooring.com, and www.egisfloorlife.com.

 

Congratulations to the Cleveland Cavaliers on winning their 1st NBA championship! In what is likely to be known as the come backCleveland Cavaliers, Quicken Loans Arena, Robbins All Star Portable Floor of the century, the Cavaliers lost three games in a row against the Warriors, and proceeded to win the next 4 games leading to their 1st NBA Championship title ever. LeBron James was named NBA Finals MVP after scoring an impressive 27 points. This is LeBron’s 3rd MVP award in his 13 year career with the NBA, and we are proud to say that he has played and practiced on a Robbins floor his entire career.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been a longtime customer of Robbins dating back to 1974 when a Robbins portable was installed at the Richfield Coliseum. In 1994, the Cavaliers moved to their current home arena, Quicken Loans Arena, and currently play on a Robbins All Star portable floor. In addition, the Cavaliers practice on more than 18,000 sq. ft of Bio-Channel Classic flooring, one of the top floor choices of the NBA.

Robbins is extremely proud of all the NBA teams that train and compete on our floors. With more than half of the playoff teams competing and/or training on a Robbins’ floor, including the San Antonio Spurs & Miami Heat, it was no surprise that we brought home our 18th champion in the past 25 years! We congratulate the Cleveland Cavaliers on a remarkable season and come back that represents true athletic greatness.

Click here to learn more about the All Star Portable flooring system, or contact us at 1-800-543-1913 to speak with a Robbins representative in your area.

 

About Robbins Sports Surfaces

Robbins Sports Surfaces is the premier supplier of high performance maple and synthetic sports flooring systems to the arena, education, religious and fitness markets. In more than 60 nations around the world athletes compete and practice on millions of square meters of Robbins’ Sport Surfaces. Professional and amateur alike know that when they play on a high performance Robbins’ system they’ll be able to play at peak levels, safely and comfortably.

 

 

 

 

The Pete Mathews Coliseum at Jacksonville State University installed by Covington Flooring Company, is a featured jsu-the-pete-300x149finalist of the 2015 Sports Surface of the Year contest. The coliseum recently underwent a $2M renovation which included a new gymnasium floor. Robbins dealer, Covington Flooring Company, has had a good relationship with Jacksonville State since they installed a Sportwood gym floor in 1986, and for this reason was chosen to install the new floor. Jacksonville State selected the Bio-Channel SB for its low profile design, which is a perfect match for facilities with retrofit needs. The school also desired a high-performance floor with an upgraded graphical appearance. Covington customized the new floor with a combination of paints and stains on the 1st grade Maple backdrop. A total of 9,500 sq. ft. of new flooring was installed. The renovation was completed in September 2015, just in time for basketball season.

We are honored to be chosen as a supplier to Jacksonville State University, and congratulate Covington Flooring Company on another fantastic job!

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Covington Flooring Company is the Robbins Sports Surfaces dealer in Jacksonville, AL and surrounding areas. For more information about Covington, or to view additional completed projects, visit their website at http://covington.com/ or call them at 1-205-328-2330.

 

After several days of torrential rainfall poured onto the city of Eureka, MO in late December 2015, the Meramec River reached record levels, wreaking havoc on both the buildings and the residents EHS Flood-resized in Eureka, a city just outside of St. Louis. Among those affected was the Eureka High School athletic building including 2 gyms and 1 multi-purpose room used for both wrestling and aerobics. After the rain had stopped, about 1” of water covered the floors of the Eureka High School athletic building. As we all know, wood and water don’t mix. 28,000 sq. ft of athletic flooring was ruined.

The Rockwood School District went into emergency mode and contacted their insurance provider for approval to restore the flooring to their gymnasium.  Then, they contacted Alex Verseman at Missouri Floor Company, our local dealer in the St. Louis area, and invited him to visit the Eureka High School athletic building and assess the damage. When asked why they chose to contact Missouri Floor Company, Chris Freund, Director of Facilities for the Rockwood School District, explained “Missouri Floor Company has a great reputation for quality work in the St. Louis area. We knew Alex Verseman and had used him and his knowledge about sports flooring as a resource in previous years.”

In the midst of the basketball and wrestling season, the Rockwood School District set a goal to have the gymnasiums restored before basketball season was over. Missouri Floor Company and Robbins was up for the challenge. While another contracted company began the removal process of the damaged floors, the Robbins manufacturing plant in White Lake, Wisconsin worked additional shifts to ensure the materials were produced and shipped to meet the deadline. 21,700 sq ft of Robbins Bio Cushion Classic with MFMA Northern Hard Maple was ordered for 2 gyms, Eureka HS Gym- After- Resizedas well as 6,500 sq. ft. of Pulastic Classic 110 ECO for the wrestling and aerobic room. The main gymnasium was successfully restored and was used for the girls last game of the season on February 25, 2016. “Alex has been a pleasure to work with. He clearly understands the importance of getting things done in a timely manner. With a project like this, the gym floor was not the only thing being replaced. He did a good job at coordinating with other contractors and the school to make the installation as seamless as possible.”

Because of the dedication from the Missouri Floor team, the girls’ basketball team walked away with a win that night, both on and off the court. The reaction from players, coaches, and parents about the new floor has also been very positive.  “I had a coach pull me aside the other day and was raving about how nice the new floor is. The reaction from parents and players has been amazing. We are thrilled with the new floors!”

Robbins and Missouri Floor Company was honored to be a part of the process that not only restored the gymnasium, but also restored the many activities that are conducted in the athletic building by the students, coaches, and community in Eureka, MO.

 

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Robbins Sports Surfaces is the premier supplier of high performance maple and synthetic sports flooring systems to the arena, education, religious and fitness markets. In more than 65 nations around the world athletes compete and practice on millions of square meters of Robbins’ Sport Surfaces. Professional and amateur alike know that when they play on a high performance Robbins’ system they’ll be able to play at peak levels, safely and comfortably. For more information about Robbins sports flooring systems, please contact a Robbins representative at 1-800-543-1913, or complete the online contact form.

 

 

 

 

What is the definition of a “good” sports floor? Is it the fancy logos or graphics that grab everyone’s eye? Or maybe the sound it makes when shoes squeak or balls bounce? For the avid sports Chicago Bulls- Training Facility- MVP- 2014_225x300fanatic, or even the not-so-sports-fanatic, these are all very important features that help identify not only the team, but the sport itself. But believe it or not, for players, coaches, and athletic trainers, there’s more important features to consider. Beneath the surface of a shiny hardwood floor with gamelines and school logos, is a well engineered subfloor consisting of just the right amount of mechanical features that provide protection for the athlete. The subfloor build-up is critical to the longterm health of the athlete since the floor can have a significant impact on joints, muscles, and endurance during game play. Proper construction of the floor is a science, and with over 100 years of continued improvement to the mechanics of our floors, Robbins understands what is necessary to achieve a floor that not only looks great on the surface, but also improves performance and enhances endurance of the athlete.

10 years ago in a top secret laboratory, the R&D team at Robbins began to develop a revolutionary sports floor known as the MVP (Maximum Vibration Performance). Vibration control in a sports floor is an important factor because it can have such an impact on the athlete. And with athletes starting as young as 2 years old these days, expecting more out of a sports floor has never been more critical. A low quality sports floor can have negative effects on the athlete that result in fatigue and an increase in injuries, which overall may reduce the length of the athlete’s career. In 2006, Robbins launched a plan to develop the only floor on the market that is biomechanically researched and tested to achieve maximum vibration protection for athletes. Utilizing the expertise of human performance/biomechanics expert, Dr. Benno Nigg at the University of Calgary, Dr. Nigg measured the performance results of the MVP system and determined it is “in a special category by itself“ and the difference in MVP “was substantial with respect to damping time, vibration frequency, and uniformity”. After thorough research and testing, iIn 2008, the MVP was officially launched and on the market.

Fast forward 10 years later, we revisited the 1st NCAA school to install the MVP in their gymnasium to learn more about the difference the MVP has made in their athletes. In 2008, Amber Warners, the Head Volleyball Coach at Calvin College, visited The Robbins Institute at Robbins headquarters in Cincinnati, OH, along with the Head Basketball Coach, Kevin VandeStreek, to learn about the various flooring options for their new basketball and volleyball facility. After testing out several different sports floor systems, they instantly noticed the difference in the MVP system and was sold. The installation of the new floor was completed in December 2008 by our dealer, Foster Specialty Floors. The facility features 18,000 sq ft of Robbins MVP with MFMA certified maple hardwood in the main gym, and 12,000 sq ft in two auxiliary gyms. The volleyball program at Calvin has had tremendous success. They were ranked No. 1 in their division at the end of the 2015 season, and have won 2 national championships in the last 6 years. They have also seen a reduction in player injury & fatigue which they attribute to the quality of the floor. According to Coach Warners, “since the floor helps prevent fatigue and soreness, our volleyball players aren’t wearing down as easy and they stay fresh. Fatigue is what increases the risk of injury. Since I don’t have to worry about fatigue I can push them harder because they can take more.”

Calvin is not the only college to jump on board with the MVP revolution. Other colleges including: Creighton University, Texas A&M, Hillsdale College, Loyola Marymount, and many more are now believers in the MVP system and having substantial success with their programs. The NBA is also taking notice. The Toronto Raptors, OK City Thunder, New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls, and the Minnesota Timberwolves all make the list of recent NBA teams to install the MVP in their training centers.

Because of the excellence we strive for in building the best floor system on the market, at Robbins, we not only build floors, we build champions. We are honored to be chosen as a supplier to such a variety of great sports program on the college and professional level. Even more so, we are excited to hear how pleased our customers are with the MVP and how its making a difference in the health and well being of their athletes!

Watch the video and full interview with View Coach Warners here:

 

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Robbins Sports Surfaces is the premier supplier of high performance maple and synthetic sports flooring systems to the arena, education, religious and fitness markets. In more than 65 nations around the world athletes compete and practice on millions of square meters of Robbins’ Sport Surfaces. Professional and amateur alike know that when they play on a high performance Robbins’ system they’ll be able to play at peak levels, safely and comfortably. For more information about Robbins sports flooring systems, please contact a Robbins representative at 1-800-543-1913, or complete the online contact form.

 

 

Robbins is happy to announce another Featured Facility and Sports Surface of the Year Finalist goes to the Ocotillo Village Health Club & Spa, installed by Stout Hardwood. The new state-Village-Ocotillo-BB-court-300x281of-the-art fitness facility opened in April 2015 in Chandler, AZ, making it the 4th Village Health Club & Spa location to open in the Phoenix area. The impressive 82,000 sq. ft. health club & spa features an indoor basketball court and running track, 2 racquetball and 2 squash courts, cardio, weight & functional training rooms, 2 yoga studios, and group fitness studios, in addition to many other amenities. Stout installed 12,000 sq. ft. of Robbins Bio-Cushion Classic in the gymnasium, 2,800 sq. ft. of Bio-Cushion w/ 3/4″ CP pad in the racquetball, squash, and dance studios, and 2,500 sq. ft. of Pulastic Classic 110 for the elevated running track.

Stout was chosen by Sundt Construction as the supplier and contractor for this project based on a proven history as being a reliable source for sports flooring.  This project had a short completion window that occurred over the holiday season in late 2014. Stout’s relationship with Sundt ConstructionVillage-Ocotillo-BB-court-241x300 allowed for collaboration on design challenges and quick implementation in the field. In addition to being on a tight timeline, other delays affected the completion date including a leaky roof and a sprinkler malfunction that caused damages to the installed flooring. The materials for the Pulastic Classic 110 elevated running track and Bio Cushion in the upstairs dance studios had to be hoisted and maneuvered through a window opening 30 feet up. The 12,000 sq. ft. basketball gym floor features stained 3 point areas, custom paint, and detailed logos. The Stout Hardwood crew worked through the holidays to meet the completion deadline and despite several delays, the flooring was installed and completed on time.

We are honored to be chosen as a supplier to Ocotillo Village Health Club & Spa, and congratulate Stout Hardwood on another fantastic job! We wish them luck as a finalist in the Sports Surface of the Year contest!

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Stout Hardwood is the Robbins Sports Surfaces dealer in Phoenix, AZ and surrounding areas. For more information about Stout, or to view additional completed projects, visit their website at www.stout-hardwood-floors.com or call them at 1-575-527-4143.

 

Robbins is happy to announce another Featured Facility and Sports Surface of the Year Finalist goes to the Duke Center for Living Facility at Duke Medicine, installed by Foster Specialty Floors. The facility was recently renovated to include over 30,000 sq ft of various Robbins flooring specially customized by Foster for each area and application. The first floor of the facility is the health and fitness center equipped with an aerobics & dance floor, a walking track, a free weight area, and cardio equipment. This floor features almost 23,000 sq ft of custom Strata Sport, Galaxy Classic, Sportwood UltraStar, and Continuous Strip XL pre-finished Maple. The second floor houses the exam rooms and rehab center and features almost 6,000 sq ft of Strata Sport and Strata Commercial. In addition, the Wallace Wing was also renovated and now includes over 2,000 sq ft of Galaxy XTreme and Strata Sport on biometric plates in the Coach K Human Performance Lab.

Foster Specialty Floors was chosen by Duke Medicine due to their extensive product knowledge, and ability to customize a floor solution to meet the various needs of their physicians, staff, patients, and members. Nancy Magiera, the Interior Designer at Duke Medicine, commended Foster by stating that “Mr. Foster, exclusively, possessed the unique combination of skills that we needed to make our very challenging project successful – an extensive knowledge of his product line in conjunction with a comprehensive command of the physical science underlying sports flooring requirements. Mr. Foster took into account not only our aesthetic concerns for the facility but also spent a great deal of time custom designing flooring systems that would address different dynamic performance characterizes, our unique friction requirements, as well as the embedding of biometric plates with in the flooring systems. His ultimate design was a perfect blend of art and science and all of the groups utilizing the building have been very positive and enthusiastic in regard to how their specifically designed sports flooring suits their unique needs. Throughout the installation of the project, Foster Specialty Floor’s tenacious attention to detail and concern for the end user’s finished product was evident on a weekly basis. The project’s extremely tight schedule was met in spite of construction complications. In the end, the flooring systems designed and installed by Foster Specialty Floors at Duke Medicine are truly One of one“.

The facility reopened after renovations in January 2015. The flooring was completely finished and installed in June 2015. The facility itself is a unique concept since it is open to the public for memberships, but many of the clients are patients from Duke University Health System with customized exercise programs to help match their health situation. They take pride in creating a low-pressure atmosphere that provides patients and the local community a place to improve their health and wellness.

We are honored to be chosen as a supplier to Duke Medicine, and congratulate Foster Specialty Floors on another fantastic job! We wish them luck as a finalist in the Sports Surface of the Year contest!

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Foster Specialty Floors is the Robbins Sports Surfaces dealer in Durham, NC and surrounding areas. For more information about Foster, or to view additional completed projects, visit their website at http://www.sportsfloor.org/ or call them at 1-919-368-9324.

 

Robbins is happy to announce another Featured Facility and Sports Surface of the Year Finalist goes to the The Griffin Elite Sports & Wellness Complex, Griffin-Elite--Bio-Channel-Star-2015- 300x234installed by Cincinnati Floor Company. The new state-of-the-art 125,000 sq ft facility opened its doors to the public on October 25, 2015 and is located in Florence, KY. 22,000 sq. ft. of Robbins Bio-Channel Star was installed to create 3 full size basketball courts that can also be converted into volleyball courts. In addition, the weight room & wellness center features 7,500 sq ft of Pulastic GT100.  This is a high end sports training facility that will focus on the development of skills, strength and agility for athletes of all ages, along with offering conditioning and injury recovery programs. Griffin chose Robbins Bio-Channel Star for uniformity and performance, and Pulastic GT100 seamless weight room flooring for appearance and cleanability.

In addition to basketball and strength training, Griffin also has a large artificial turf field with four 40-yard running lanes, a yoga studio, a licensed chiropractic doctor who specializes in a pain relief treatment known as Active Release Techniques (ART), and cryotherapy treatments. Griffin will offer memberships to the community, as well as local organizations like the Special Olympics, Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky and Wounded Warriors Project.

Griffin-Elite--Pulastic-GT100--2015-300x232We are honored to be chosen as a supplier to The Griffin Elite Sports & Wellness Complex, and are truly grateful for their commitment to the health and well being of our young athletes. We congratulate Cincinnati Floor Company on another fantastic job and wish them luck as a finalist in the Sports Surface of the Year contest!

 

 

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Cincinnati Floor Company is the Robbins Sports Surfaces dealer in Florence, KY and surrounding areas. For more information about Cincinnati Floor, or to view additional completed projects, visit their website at http://www.cincifloor.com/ or call them at 1-800-886-4501.

 

Robbins is happy to announce the Featured Facility of the Month for October and Sports Surface of the Year Finalist goes to the The Walther Center at West Coast Baptist College, West Coast Baptist College- AC Star 2015 (63)-300x225installed by Pacific Floor Company. Construction of the new facility began in 2014, and was recently completed this past August. It is equipped with 17,000 sq. ft. of Robbins Air-Channel Star with MFMA maple flooring. The 54,000 square foot facility includes 2 full size basketball courts for the men’s basketball team, that also converts to a volleyball court for the women’s volleyball team. The sports surface area also doubles as an event space for hosting gatherings, athletic events, and more. In addition, the large facility also has a student fellowship center, a restaurant, and a separate worship center.

The college and associated church, Lancaster Baptist, chose Robbins and Pacific Floor Company based on a strong relationship with a Robbins dealer in Michigan, Foster Specialty Floors. Through their trust in Foster’s reputation as a quality installer with high integrity, West Coast Baptist College was referred to Pacific and ultimately chose them to install the Robbins Air-Channel Star. They have been extremely happy with both the performance of West Coast Baptist College- AC Star 2015 (59)-300x225the floor and the quality of the installation.

The Walther Center was named in memory of Leo Walther, a dedicated member of Lancaster Baptist Church, and strong supporter of the college and its students since the college opened in 1995. According to Pastor Paul Chappell, “when we broke ground on this building last June we chose to name it “The Walther Center” in  memory of our dear friend. There never was a man who loved his Lord, his pastor, his church family, and  the students and graduates of West Coast Baptist College more than Leo Walther”. To read  more about the legacy of Leo Walther and his contribution to the students at WCBC, visit http://www.paulchappell.com.

We are honored to be chosen as a supplier to The Walther Center at WCBC and wish them much success in their future volleyball and basketball seasons. We also congratulate Pacific Floor Company on another fantastic job and wish them luck as a finalist in the Sports Surface of the Year contest!

 

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Pacific Floor Company is the Robbins Sports Surfaces dealer in Lancaster, CA and surrounding areas. For more information about Pacific Floor, or to view additional completed projects, visit their website at http://pacificsportflooring.com or call them at 1-818-775-0438.

We sat down with Amber Warners, Head Volleyball Coach at Calvin College, to discuss her experience and satisfaction with their Robbins MVP floor that was installed almost 7 years ago. Calvin College was the 1st NCAA school to install the MVP floor, which was a new innovation developed by Robbins at that time. In 2008, Coach Warners visited The Robbins Institute at Robbins headquarters in Cincinnati, OH, along with the Head Basketball Coach, Kevin VandeStreek, to learn about the various flooring options for their new 30,000 sq ft facility. After testing out several different sports floor systems, they instantly noticed the difference in the MVP system and was sold. The installation of the new floor was completed in December 2008 by our dealer, Foster Specialty Floors. The new facility features 18,000 sq ft of Robbins MVP with MFMA certified maple hardwood in the main gym, and 12,000 sq ft in two auxiliary gyms. Fast forward 7 years later, the volleyball program at Calvin has had tremendous success. They are currently ranked No. 5 in their division, and have won 2 national championships in the last 5 years. They have also seen a reduction in player injury & fatigue which they attribute to the quality of the floor.

View Coach Warners full testimonial here:

We are honored to be chosen as a supplier to such a great sports program and a college with a distinguished reputation. Even more so, we are excited to hear how pleased they are with the floor and how its making a difference in the health and well being of their athletes! Thank you to Foster Specialty Floors for doing such a wonderful job in the installation and finish of the floor, and being a true partner to ensure the quality of the floor installation is always top notch.

Calvin College is located in Grand Rapids, MI and is a Division III school with an enrollment of approximately 4,000 students. They have won a total of 10 volleyball NCAA championships. To learn more about the volleyball program at Calvin College, visit their website at http://www.calvinknights.com.

 

Robbins is happy to announce the Featured Facility of the Month for September and Sports Surface of the Year Finalist goes to the Hofstra Basketball Practice Facility & Mack Center Arena at Hofstra University, installed by Milburn Flooring. The brand new practice facility was completed in August 2014, and is Hofstra University - Bio-Channel LP Milburn 2014- resizedequipped with 14,000 sq. ft. of Robbins Bio Channel LP with MFMA maple flooring. The dedicated practice facility serves both the Men’s and Women’s basketball teams, allowing them to train year round. The new facility features a full size basketball court with 8 basketball goals and additional practice areas. The floor design in the practice facility is a replica of the new gymnasium floor, also recently installed, in the Mack Center Arena. The arena serves the Hofstra Pride home basketball games, and was completed in October 2014. The coaches and players were equally excited about the new state of the art practice facility that allows them to train harder and longer, all season long.

Hofstra University is in integral part of Long Island’s community and success. This private, non profit institution of higher learning is a DIV 1 school with 40,000 sq ft of installed Robbins sports floors. With Robbins Sports Surfaces, Milburn Flooring Mills was able to sustain Hofstra’s prestigious Hofstra-Mack-Center-Arena---Bio-Channel-Milburn-2014-resizedreputation while providing their athletes with a foundation to excel.

We congratulate Milburn Flooring Mills on another fantastic job and wish them luck as a finalist in the Sports Surface of the Year contest!

 

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Milburn Flooring Mills is the Robbins Sports Surfaces dealer in New York, NY and surrounding areas. For more information about Milburn, or to view additional completed projects, visit their website at http://www.milburnflooring.com/ or call them at 1-631-842-1600.

Robbins is proud to announce the Featured Facility of the Month for August and Sports Surface of the Year Finalist goes to the McCarthey Athletic Center at Gonzaga University installed by Greater Seattle Floors. The facility features 14,000 sq. ft. of Robbins Bio Channel Star with 1st grade MFMA maple flooring. After experiencing system failure with the original gym floor G0261189 Final-resized(from a different manufacturer), which was installed when the McCarthey Athletic Center opened in 2004, the university approved the renovation and chose Greater Seattle Floors to install a Robbins Bio Channel Star system. Renovations began in early June 2015 and even with very extensive paint and logo work. was completed in a short timeline of 4 weeks, just in time for the start-up of summer basketball camps.

The McCarthey Athletic Center, located in Spokane, WA, is a 6,000 seat facility that is home to both the Men’s and Women’s Gonzaga Bulldogs basketball teams. Gonzaga University is well known for their excellent basketball program and consistently make it into the late round finals during the NCAA tournament each year. Gonzaga chose the Bio Channel Star system by Robbins because of the reputation Robbins has for building superior basketball floors. Greater Seattle Floors was chosen for their excellent customer service and reputation for standing behind all of the work they install and customers they serve. Feedback from the coaches have been extremely positive about the performance of the floor, as well as being very pleased with the timeline of the installation and meeting the deadline to allow for annual summer Basketball camps.

We congratulate Greater Seattle Floors on another fantastic job and wish them luck as a finalist in the Sports Surface of the Year contest which closes on March 1, 2016!

 

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Greater Seattle Floors is the Robbins Sports Surfaces dealer in Seattle, WA and surrounding areas. For more information about GSF, or to view additional completed projects, visit their website at http://www.gsfloors.com/ or call them at 1-206-763-7004.

Robbins is proud to announce the Featured Facility of the Month for July and Sports Surface of the Year Finalist goes to the Chicago Bulls Chicago Bulls- Training Facility- MVP- 2014 (11)- resizedTraining Facility installed by Floors, Inc. The 60,000 sq. ft. facility features 20,000 sq. ft. of Robbins MVP with 1st grade XL Plus maple flooring, as well as Sportwood on the weight lifting stations.  The new state of the art training facility, named The Advocate Center, was completed in the fall of 2014 and is located within walking distance of the United Center.

The new facility houses two full-size MVP basketball courts, which is the most advanced floor system on the market.  The MVP is designed to specifically eliminate fatigue that can result in player injury. In addition to dozens of other schools and facilities, the Chicago Bulls is the 5th NBA team to install this revolutionary floor in their practice facility.

Not only was Floors, Inc. chosen as a finalist for the size of the project and their dedication to selling & installing the best floor suited for the team, they were also chosen for customer satisfaction. In a letter of recommendation received from Karen S. Umlauf,  Senior Director, Basketball Administration for the Bulls, she writes about the excellent experience with the team at Floors, Inc. and the floor stating that “I am writing to you in regards to the high quality your workers and company  performed installing the wood athletic flooring in the basketball courts of our new Chicago Bulls Training Facility. The finished product proves that your workers and  management team are of the highest quality professionals in your industry.  The new wood athletic floor is certainly a center piece to the new facility, and the  expertise your firm showed throughout the entire project is appreciated. The Chicago Bulls are very happy with the new floor, and we look forward to a continued  professional relationship with Floors Incorporated.”

We congratulate Floors, Inc. on another fantastic job and wish them luck as a finalist in the Sports Surface of the Year contest which closes on March 1, 2016!

 

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Floors, Inc. is Robbins’ exclusive dealer in the Chicago area. For more information please visit http://www.floorsinc-illinois.com/ or call them at 1-815-338-6566.

Robbins is proud to announce the Featured Facility of the Month for June and Sports Surface of the Year Finalist goes to the Alaska Airlines Center installed by Alaskan Industries. This2431-AkAirlinesCent-Int-19-resized state of the art facility brings sports, concerts, events, and gymnastics to a community that never existed until now, and fills a gap in the community by offering fantastic acoustics, beautiful hardwood floors, a walking track, a state of the art student gym, and an athletics gym.

Since opening in September 2014, the Seawolf Arena (Alaska Airlines Center) (AAC) has brought in musicians that would not normally perform in Alaska like Tim McGraw and Brad Paisley, two commencements for UAA graduates (of which tickets were sold out for 5,000 seats), women’s and men’s basketball, and the women’s State Championship Finals. The gymnastics teams and the Regional Championships bring in teams from Alaska, Washington, California, and more. Before the Alaska Airlines Center was built, the community could never have hosted these events.

The Alaska Airlines Center has allowed the community in Anchorage, AK to offer public events like gymnastic competitions for elementary and high school students, state high school basketball 2431-AkAirlinesCent-Int-20-resizedcompetitions, and the Native American Youth Olympics (normally held at the Dena’ina Center which is not suitable for sporting venues). The Native American Youth Olympics were free to the public, so having a large facility with more than enough seating and a concourse was new to Alaska.  Also having a separate gym for native artists and information booths to organize and be found was a vast improvement over the Dena’ina Center where artists were relegated to an awkward long hallway upstairs while information booths were in an event room, and a separate concrete floored room was where athletes competed.

We congratulate Alaskan Industries on another fantastic job and wish them luck as a finalist in the Sports Surface of the Year contest which closes on March 1, 2016!

 

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Alaskan Industries is Robbins’ exclusive dealer in Alaska. For more information please visit http://alaskanindustries.com/ or call them at 1-800-541-7623.

The Round Rock Sports Center had one goal in mind when they opened its doors to the public for the 1st time in January 2014- to attract the best athletes and biggest events in Texas. Now moreRRSC_Interior-resized than a year later- they are doing just that. The new facility, located in Round Rock, TX whose motto is the “Sports Capital of Texas”, is now serving thousands of athletes a week. From AAU  basketball & volleyball teams, to summer camps, to expos & conferences, the Round Rock Sports Center has proven itself to be a valuable contributor to the Round Rock community.

Robbins exclusive dealer in the area, NAH Sports Flooring, installed & finished the new floors, while working closely with RRSC and the architectural firm, Marmon Mok, as well. When asked why Robbins flooring was chosen for the new facility, Brian Stillman, Operations Coordinator, said “We knew during pre-construction that we wanted the Sports Center to be a top of the line athletic facility, and that the floor itself would be the crown jewel of the complex. With our history in the field we knew that Robbins was the company that would make that happen”.

The impressive 82,500 sq. ft. state of the art facility features more than 50,000 sq ft. of Robbins Bio Cushion Classic sports flooring for 6 basketball & 12 volleyball courts, as well as 10,000 sq. ft. of Sportwood Ultra Star in 9 multi-purpose rooms. The new facility is home to various youth basketball & volleyball leagues, hosts hundreds of tournaments throughout the year, and serves as a space for events, concerts, and speaking engagements. Year over year, Robbins dealers install thousands of new sports floors. In a photo 5 cover plates-resizedspace like Round Rock, the flexibility of the floor is equally important as the safety. Choosing the right floor to fit the needs of the space is critical during the planning process. Understanding how the space will be used, while also considering the effects a floor can have on athletic performance, will lead to less problems down the road & a satisfied customer. When asked how they would rate the quality of the floors and what the reaction from athletes has been, Stillman stated “10! To be a high end facility we had to have a high end floor. Our core users are AAU basketball and volleyball teams, and we wanted to make sure that our floor had good bounce, was low-impact to the joints, and that there were no ‘dead spots’. The Bio-Cushion Classic floor has met and exceeded all of those expectations. The players and coaches absolutely love playing on our floor.  Most all of them have played on lesser quality floors at other venues, and they always want to come back and play here after they have been here for the first time”.

The Round Rock Sports Center is truly an impressive facility for recreational and competitive youth sports programs. It continues to receive recognition both locally, and nationally, for its outstanding design and contribution to athletic programs. RRSC was a finalist in the Robbins 2014 Sports Surface of the Year Contest, and is featured in the June Architectural Showcase issue in Athletic Business magazine.

From basketball leagues to wedding expos, Round Rock Sports Center will continue to support the city’s efforts to remain as the “Sports Capital of Texas” by promoting youth sports programs & community events for many Round Rock generations to come.

 

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NAH Sports Flooring is Robbins’ exclusive dealer in Round Rock, TX and surrounding areas. For more information please visit http://nahsportsflooring.com/ or call them at 1-713-956-2700.

 

For more information about Robbins sports flooring systems, please call us at 1-800-543-1913 or fill out our online contact form.

We sat down with Annie Timmons, Executive Director of the Friar’s Club of Cincinnati, to discuss her experience with Robbins and their new basketball floor installed in June 2014. The Friar’s Club of Cincinnati recently moved to their new home next to Roger Bacon High School, allowing them to serve hundreds of local youth in the community. The new facility features 25,000 sq ft of Robbins Bio-Channel Star flooring which makes up 4 regulation high school basketball and volleyball courts and was installed by our exclusive dealer, Cincinnati Floor Company. In addition to hardwood, the new facility also features 7,500 sq ft of Galaxy weight room flooring in the adjoining fitness center. Since 1860, the Friar’s Club of Cincinnati has provided sports and youth development programs to local students the community, providing them with “a safe place to go and getting them off the streets”. Currently more than 700 students are enrolled in the sports programs and according to Ms. Timmons, the new building will allow them to serve more than double or triple students in the coming year.

The quality of a Robbins sports floor is not only known, but felt. As stated by Ms. Timmons, “Anytime you have someone on the floor all the time, whether its the referees or kids playing, it’s important to have a good quality floor. Robbins floors have been great. With the kids playing on it everyday, the referees have talked to me about shin splints and all the injuries you can have from pounding the floor everyday. They think the floor is great and not just the look of the floor, but the quality and the feel of the floor for the kids and the officials”.

We are excited to be a part of such a great community program, and even more excited they are pleased with the floor! Thank you to Cincinnati Floor Company for doing such a wonderful job in the installation and finish of the floors in the new facility.

To learn more about the Friar’s Club of Cincinnati, or to learn how you can help support the sports programs and Cincinnati youth, visit their website at http://www.friarsclubinc.org/.

 

We sat down with Jayme Johnson, Coordinator of Facility Operations at the UC Rec Center, to discuss their experience with Robbins floor products since the facility opened in 2006. The University of Cincinnati Recreation Center houses 6 full size basketball courts, 1 run/ jog track, a large weight room area with Pulastic flooring, and 3 aerobics rooms, and was installed by our exclusive dealer, Cincinnati Floor Company. The versatility of Robbins sports flooring products helps college recreation centers better serve their current students & staff, while also serving as a recruiting tool for new students. As stated by Mr. Johnson, “Since opening our facility, the membership numbers have increased dramatically. Each year there are more and more people using the facility. I believe the floors holding up is a true testament to the durability that Robbins provides.”

In the last stop of the Pre-Season NBA Global games, the Brooklyn Nets will take on the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 15th at The MasterCard Center in Beijing. Greg Pierce, Portables Manager at Robbins Sports Surfaces, arrived in Beijing onNBA--China-Floor-4-resized October 9th to oversee the installation of the new portable floor that will be used for the game. The new floor, a Robbins All Star Plus portable, was shipped to Beijing from the manufacturing plant in Ishpeming, MI. The floor was built entirely in the US plant, with the exception of the graphic decals and finish which were applied onsite in Beijing.

This is the 10th year China has participated in the NBA Global Games. Robbins was onsite both last year and this year to help improve the coordination and efficiency of the setup and installation of the floor. John Puening, Manager of Product R&D, traveled to the Philippines and Taiwan last year to oversee the installation. John was able to experience first-hand the excitement and devotion from loyal NBA fans on a global level “I was extremely proud to represent Robbins in helping the NBA bring their games to markets that don’t always get to experience the games live. International fans love the NBA and the excitement is really great to see.”

We wish both the Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings great luck in the upcoming game, and to all of the NBA teams throughout the 2014-15 season!NBA--China-Floor-2-resized

Source: NBA.com/global/

Click here to learn more about the All Star Portable flooring system, or contact us at 1-800-543-1913 to speak with a Robbins representative in your area.

 

 

About Robbins:

Robbins Sports Surfaces is the premier supplier of high performance hardwood and synthetic sports flooring systems to the arena, education, religious and fitness markets. Robbins has built basketball courts for 21 out of the past 25 NBA champions. Over 90% of all NBA teams have relied on Robbins for their competition and training facilities. In more than 65 nations around the world athletes compete and practice on millions of square meters of Robbins sports flooring. Professional and amateur alike know that when they play on a high performance Robbins’ system they’ll be able to play at peak levels, safely and comfortably.

 

Is it time for a gym floor makeover? In part 2 of our Q&A session, Kevin Price answers all the questions gym floor owners have about sanding and refinishing their floors.kevin price- head shot- cropped

1. How often should you sand & refinish a gymnasium floor? A gymnasium floor should be sanded and refinished every 10 years, however, this is simply a guideline.  If there is chipping or flaking of finish, it might be time for a sanding.  There are also other signs that a professional flooring contractor can look for in determining if the floor needs to be sanded.  Finally, at the higher education institutions, typically a coaching change will bring about the need for a sand and refinish as well as often times the new coach has his own thoughts and ideas for graphics.

2. How long does it take to sand & refinish a floor? I would say that a typical sand and refinish will take 3 to 4 weeks, this includes cure time for the finish.  This, of course, depends on the amount of striping.  The more striping, the longer the process.  In addition, the type of finished used (oil vs. water) may affect the duration.

3. What noticeable signs are there that signifies that a floor is ready for a sand & refinish?  Typically if the existing finish is cracking or peeling it might be time. Another sign is if the floor is ambering. From a professional standpoint, ambering should not be used as a sign to determine if the floor needs to be sanded.  The key sign is if the floor is chipping or flaking.Hofstra-University---Bio-Channel-LP-Milburn-2014-(19)-resized

4. Just because a floor is ambered, does that mean that it needs to be re-sanded?  See answer above.

5. What is the range of cost for a sand & refinish? A good range for a sand and refinish is $2.00 – $3.00/per square foot, and will vary based on size of floor, location, paint/stain detail, etc… The types of finish, court graphics, and time of year also plays a role in the total cost. *Note: The cost range should be used for budgeting purposes only. For accurate pricing, please contact your local Robbins dealer.  

6. What is the daily maintenance of a floor after it has been sanded & refinished?  The best course of action is to dust-mop the floor as many times daily as possible.  Make sure that you do not use a dust-mop treatment as they often will have some type of oil.  If you have a spill, you may need to mop it up but we would strongly encourage you to dry the floor after you mop it.  Remember, water and wood do not mix.  There are also devices that are made to help “clean” a floor that have been very effective.  If there are scuff marks, you mayHofstra-University---Bio-Channel-LP-Milburn-2014-(28)-resized remove them simply by rubbing your shoe over the scuff mark or by rubbing a tennis ball over the scuff mark. For best results, refer to your finish manufacturer maintenance instructions.

7. Can you use a scrubber-vac on a wood floor?  It is Robbins and the Maple Floor Manufacturers Association (MFMA) position that scrubber vacs should not be used on a wood floor, in fact, the use of the scrubber vac on a newly installed floor will void the warranty.

8. Can you use any hardwood floor contractor to refinish the floor? Or should you choose one that specializes in sports flooring? Why?  It is my experience that you should only hire an MFMA accredited sports flooring contractor to perform a sand/stripe/refinish to your floor.  The reason why is because the flooring contractor is trained, tested and certified in the processes and procedures set forth by the finish manufacturer for a sand/stripe/refinish.  After all, this process takes time and money,  if the gymnasium is closed for longer than expected, then the athletic department or the owner are going to be scrambling to finds places for the teams to practice and play their games, often times having to pay to use a different facility.  More importantly, does an owner or athletic director want to trust the work of someone that is not qualified to protect the safety of their players?

9. How long must you wait to get back on the gym floor after the floor has been sanded and refinished?  The floor should cure for a minimum of 72 hours if using water-based finish and up to seven (7) days if using oil-modified finish.  The oil-modified finish will take longer to cure based on temperature and humidity conditions in the room, generally, the more humid the room, the longer the cure time.

About the Expert
Kevin Price is the Regional Sales Manager for the Central Region at Robbins Sports Surfaces. He has more than 14 years of experience in the sports flooring industry. Kevin joined Robbins in 2012 and prior to that, he was the Regional Manager for Robbins exclusive dealer, the Cincinnati Floor Company (CFC). During his time at CFC, Kevin gained an appreciation and love for the industry, as well as working knowledge of the installation, sanding, sealing, stripping and finishing techniques of gymnasium flooring. He attended school at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. He is also an avid fan of all St. Louis sports teams.

 

You have a new gym floor. Now what? We sat down for a Q&A with our resident expert, Kevin Price, to get answers to the questionskevin price- head shot- cropped we hear the most from new gym floor owners. Kevin had so much great advice to keep your gym floor looking great, that we have broken our Q&A session into 3 parts. In Part 1, he answers all your questions about screening and recoating a floor.

1. What is a screen & recoat? A screen and recoat is when the contractor comes in and slightly abrades the floor and applies 1 to 2 coats of finish to the floor.  This method simply cleans up the floor.  There are a few ways to abrade the floor but the most common method is to screen it with 100 grit screen, this is called a dry-screen. There are a few companies that will use a scrubber-vac to “clean” or abrade the floor and will then apply finish over the floor, this is called a wet-screen.

2. Which method do you recommend and why?  Because we do not recommend the use of a scrubber vac, our preferred method is a dry screen.

3. How often should you screen/recoat the floor?  Depending on the use of the floor, it should be screened and recoated at a minimum of every year.  There are certain instances where a floor can be screened and recoated every other year.  The advantage is that it adds a new luster to the floor but also increases the friction characteristics of the floor, making it safer for the end user.

4. How long does it take to screen/recoat a floor?  There are a few different processes that can be used for a screen and recoat but a typical screen and recoat should take 1 to 2 days.  The finish will then need to cure, which will take 3 to 5 days depending on the finish (oil vs. water) chosen.Lakota West Recoating-resized

5. What harm is there if I only screen/recoat the floor every other year or every third year? Will it have an effect on performance of the floor, and the athlete?  The harm with not screening the floor is that the friction characteristics of the floor will break down over time, making the floor slippery.  This can become a safety concern.  Often, lack of use and/or the owner’s finances plays a role in the decision making process, however, the key ingredients are to protect the athlete and to protect the floor. Screening a floor annually, addresses both of these issues.

6. Can refinishing or recoating actually extend the life of the floor?  Absolutely!  Just like a car, if you do the preventative actions, the car will last longer.  The same holds true with the floor, the more that you protect the floor, the longer the floor will last and perform.

7. What role does safety/comfort play in decision to screen/recoat? As addressed above, the big safety concern is friction characteristics. If the finish is dull or fading, the floor will become slick. When the floor becomes slick, the possibility of injury increases.

8. What is the daily maintenance of a floor after it has been screened and recoated? The best course of action is to dust mop the floor as many times daily as possible.  Make sure that you do not use a dust mop treatment as they often will have some type of wax, which may contaminate the finish.  If you have a spill, you may need to mop it up but we would strongly encourage you to dry the floor after you mop it.  Remember, water and wood do not mix.  There are also devices that are made to help “clean” a floor that have been very effective.  If there are scuff marks, you may remove them simply by rubbing your shoe over the scuff mark or by rubbing a tennis ball over the scuff mark.  Daily maintenance includes dust mopping the floor. All finish manufacturers have their own protocol in regards to maintenance. Please consult the finish manufacturer as needed.

9. Can you use a scrubber-vac on a wood floor?  It is Robbins and the Maple Floor Manufacturers Association (MFMA) position that scrubber vacs should not be used on a wood floor, in fact, the use of the scrubber vac on a newly installed floor will void the warranty.

10. Can you use any hardwood floor contractor to screen & recoat the floor? Or should you choose one that specializes in sports flooring? Why?  It is my experience that you should only hire a MFMA accredited sports flooring contractor to perform a screen & recoat on your floor.  The reason why is because they are trained, tested and certified in the processes and procedures set forth by the finish manufacturer.  After all, the process take time and money,  if the gymnasium is closed for longer than expected, then the athletic department or the owner will be scrambling to finds places for the teams to practice and play their games, often times having to pay to use a different facility.  More importantly, does an owner or athletic director want to trust the work of someone that is not qualified to protect the safety of their players?

About the Expert
Kevin Price is the Regional Sales Manager for the Central Region at Robbins Sports Surfaces. He has more than 14 years of experience in the sports flooring industry. Kevin joined Robbins in 2012 and prior to that, he was the Regional Manager for Robbins exclusive dealer, the Cincinnati Floor Company (CFC). During his time at CFC, Kevin gained an appreciation and love for the industry, as well as working knowledge of the installation, sanding, sealing, stripping and finishing techniques of gymnasium flooring.  He attended school at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.  He is also an avid fan of all St. Louis sports teams.

 

The Charlotte Hornets unveiled their brand new basketball court today at Time Warner Cable Arena just in time for draft day. The new court is a Robbins All-Star Plus portable basketball floor which features the new logo and color palette for the Hornets. Over 250 honeycomb shaped stencils were used to create the unique honeycomb stain pattern which was manufactured and finished at the Robbins flooring mill in Ishpeming, located on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The floor also features Robbins revolutionary new “no loose parts” locking system, Rapid Latch™, which is designed to speed up arena change-overs and provide the floor with a tight, monolithic appearance.

The wood playing surface is MFMA Northern Hard Maple known for its beauty and durability, and was harvested from Northern U.S. forests. The floor is designed to enhance the safety, comfort and performance of the athlete, and will absorb about 60% of an athlete’s impact energy while at the same time provide a dynamic surface for ball-bounce. The intent of the floor is to provide a surface which allows for exciting play while at the same time, reducing wear and tear on the athletes’ bodies.

The 7,000 sq ft floor took nearly 3 weeks to manufacture, and once set-up, the unique graphics took 3 weeks to complete. Robbins worked closely with the Hornets to keep the stunning new graphics under wraps for nearly 8 months until the floor was unveiled today. “We are thrilled with the look of our new Charlotte Hornets playing court,” said Hornets Senior Vice President of Marketing Seth Bennett. “Robbins did a great job with making all of the graphics on the floor stand out, especially our Hornets logo that appears at center court. Along with being visually appealing, the court is one that will also benefit our players by providing a more comfortable playing surface. We could not have asked for a better partner for the playing floor than Robbins.”

We are not the only ones excited about the new floor. Hornets fans already seem to love the new design. Within 3 hours of posting the new floor photos on Facebook, the Hornets had almost 6,000 likes and over 1,000 shares. We think it is safe to say, Hornets fans are equally “buzzed” with excitement about the floor.  Robbins was honored to have been chosen to partner with the Hornets for this exciting project. We look forward to watching the team play on the new floor and wish them great success in the 2014 – ‘15 NBA season.

Click here to learn more about the All Star Portable flooring system, or contact us at 1-800-543-1913 to speak with a Robbins representative in your area.

 

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As a member of our international sales and customer service division I’ve always enjoyed meeting people from different cultures and learning more about them. Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in a large trade show in Europe that drew attendees from all over the world. As the visitors strolled by our exhibit space, their attention was drawn to the many banners and pictures highlighting basketball floors we’ve provided for the NBA, and large international venues like the Asian and Pan Am games. Even though there were significant language barriers at times, you could see the dawn of recognition in their eyes and the smiles on their faces as they connected famous international sports venues, NBA teams and Robbins as the provider. Then came the inevitable exclamations of “Robbins – USA – NBA – AHHHH”. Cultural barriers immediately came down as Bahrain Floor at FSB 2013we found a common connection through sports.

In fact, one gentleman from Bahrain was so excited to learn that we had supplied the sports floor in a well-known venue in his country, that he had us take a photo of him  using the banner of his floor as the backdrop so that he could share it with his friends and family at home. I was proud and humbled at the same time to see the impact our business had on him and the many others who stopped by to talk about sports floors.

Equally exciting was the opportunity to work with customers and to meet designers, architects, and builders that had specified and installed Robbins sports floors. To work with those individuals that brought a sporting venue from start to finish, using Robbins products, transported a feeling of nothing more than satisfaction. A process much like birth; from log, to lumber, to a finished stick of hard maple floor, to a project, an installation, a venue. As a result of life, I found that the satisfaction with each project was larger than me, that the entire team, shared in it, enveloped it, and was gratified by the results.

1996 Atlanta Olympics Robbins PortableWhether it’s the Little League World Series, The World Cup, or The Olympics, sports have the ability to transcend cultural differences. On the court, the pitch, or the ball diamond, political and cultural differences seem to take a back seat, at least for a little while as teams and individuals compete for the pure joy of the game. I know that I came back to the U.S. with a deeper appreciation that what I do every day makes a difference in the lives of others and helps them achieve their dreams – whether it’s for a world-class venue, or for a local school it’s a good feeling. And hey, with over 7 billion people on earth in 196 countries, there’s plenty of people to meet and plenty of work to do – I can’t be more excited!

Written and published by Brenda Havens, Robbins International Customer Service.

 

Buying a sports surface is a big decision and can be somewhat overwhelming and confusing. After all, with proper care, you’ll be living with your decision for a long, long time, one that could span your entire professional career.javale-mcgee-confused-resized Here are some tips to help you make a better buying decision:

Tip #1 – Take a long term view
Regardless of your budget, buy the best, highest quality floor possible that you can afford….sometimes spending a few more dollars up front can pay off in the long term

  • Some floors are designed to last only 10 – 15 years, while others will last 40 years or more.
  • Some floors are designed to be renovated in place to extend their life, while others cannot.  Some may require complete tear-out & disposal at the end of their useful life, while others can be ‘retired’ in-place and a new floor simply installed over top of it.
  • All sports floors require proper care and maintenance.

Tip #2 – Make sure the product you select best matches needs of your users and your facility
There are many, many product types on the market, each of which has unique characteristics suited for specific applications.  The challenge is that there are often several different types of products that could be effectively used for the same application.  Evaluate Trade-offs like:

  • Durability vs comfort vs game play response vs estimated product life
  • Competition use or multi-purpose use
  • Uni-directional vs multi-directional activities
  • Usage rate – Number of hours per day, week, month and year

Tip #3 – Buy from a reputable firm
Do your research.  Like Tommy Callahan in Tommy Boy, tried so hard to communicate to a prospective customer“….it’s the company behind the products, not the ‘guarantee on the box’ that matters most….”.

  • How long has the company been in business?
  • Do they have a reputation and history for being fair in dealing with customers and vendors alike?
  • Do they have knowledgeable technical, sales and customer service staff?
  • Do they have full-time Research and Development staff?
  • What innovations have they introduced to the market?
  • Check their product specific reference lists
  • Interview current owners with respect to their experience dealing with the company

Tip #4 – Have your floor professionally installed
No matter how good the product, you’re asking for trouble if the surface is not professionally installed by a trained, sports flooring installation firm.

  • Like Tip # 3 above check their references. How many sports floors have they installed in the past 10 years?
  • Check with the owners about their after-market support and care.
  • Installing a sports surface is a specialty that requires significant training, experience and collaboration with the manufacturer, general contractor, architect and owner in order ensure a successful installation.  They are trained to identify and provide the owner with solutions to site specific challenges like:
  • concrete flatness
  • concrete moisture
  • site environmental conditions temperature and relative humidity

Tip #5 – Take care of your floor
We know budgets can get squeezed, but proper care and maintenance will add years to the life of the system and ensure that the users have a safe surface.

While we would hope that you choose Robbins, regardless of your decision, we want you to be armed with the best possible information before you buy.  Unfortunately, we’ve seen too many projects where “buyer unaware”…… became “buyer remorse”.

Robbins is pulling out an old friend to cheer on the runners at this year’s Flying Pig Marathon. Slam-Jam Suey (aka the Sportwood Pig) was one of over 400 pigs that were created by local artists during the Big Pig Gig in the Robbins--Flying-Pig-300x225summer of 2000 in Cincinnati. The pigs were individually custom designed to represent the sponsor. Slam-Jam Suey was based on the familiar Boston Square pattern, which is comprised from Robbins Sportwood flooring system.

In addition to the colorful pig, Robbins is also participating in a local art program called “Art on the Streets” which uses a new form of street graffiti called “wheat pasting”. Robbins is one of several companies in the Cincinnati area allowing Art on the Streets to wheat paste posters created by local artists on the side of the buildings along the 26.2 mile stretch. Robbins is located at the 20 mile mark. Runners in Sunday’s race will be greeted by both Slam-Jam Suey and the unique artwork.

 

With a total of 13 championship titles combined under their belt, the Men’s and Women’s Huskies are setting records and taking names. The women completed the season with a record 9 championship wins, and a perfectGampel-Pavillion-300x225 40-0 record. The men won their 4th championship title, and although the No. 7 seed didn’t have a perfect season like the women’s team, what set them apart from No. 8 Kentucky was their ability to work together as a team.  In an interview after their win, Huskies Guard Niels Giffey stated “We had a deeper bond. It was a lot about going to the next level and playing for the university and the teammates. I am so proud of the guys that stuck with this team. We believe in ourselves and that is the only thing that mattered. I remember Shabazz after that Louisville loss, he went back in the locker room and said we are going to cut down some nets, I promise you guys. I looked into his eyes and we believed him. We knew what it would take.”

Robbins knows something about teamwork. Both the UConn Men’s and Women’s basketball teams have played their home games on a Robbins Springaire™ floor at the Gampel Pavilion since 1990. Over the past 24 years, UConn and Robbins have teamed up for not only their game floor, but several other recreational areas as well. And with the construction of a brand new 78,000 sq ft Basketball Development Center underway, the Huskies will be well equipped to continue their winning streak in the next basketball season. The Basketball Development Center, which is scheduled to open this summer, will boast 24,000 sq ft of Robbins Bio-Channel Classic flooring installed by Robbins exclusive dealer in CT, Dalene Flooring. Both the men and women’s teams will each have a court of their own to practice on.  Because of the excellence we strive for in building the best floor system on the market, at Robbins, we not only build floors, we build champions. Beneath the surface of a shiny hardwood floor with gamelines and school logos, is a well engineered subfloor consisting of just the right amount of mechanical features that provide protection for the athlete. The subfloor build-up is critical to the longterm health of the athlete since the floor can have a significant impact on joints, muscles, and the endurance of the player. Proper construction of the floor is a science, and with over 100 years of continued improvement to the mechanics of our floors, Robbins understands what is necessary to achieve a floor that not only looks great on camera, but also improves performance and enhances endurance of the athlete. For this reason, a broad list of players including; Kevin Ollie, Trey Burke, Anthony Davis, Michael Jordan, and many others not only start their career on a Robbins floor, but continue it as well.  For these reasons, we are certain with the new floor and facility, the Huskies will come out even stronger and better next season.    

We congratulate both Coach Auriemma on his achievement of the perfect season, and Coach Ollie and the UConn Huskies on a much deserved championship titles!! Let’s see if they can do it all over again in 2015!

 

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Dalene Flooring is Robbins’ exclusive dealer in So. Windsor, CT and the surrounding areas. For more information please visit http://www.daleneflooring.com/ or call them at 1- 860-289-4305.

The Plano Sports Authority (also known as simply PSA) in Plano, TX provides more than 70,000 local kids with the opportunity to play a variety of sports. Their motto “Rec to Select” allows PSA-1--resizedyouth at all skills levels to participate. From basketball, to soccer, to dance, to martial arts, PSA has something for everyone. And with more than 30 Robbins basketball courts installed in 3 buildings, to say that basketball plays a large role in this non-profit is an understatement. As Bill Wadley, Chairman of the Board & Directors for PSA, described “Robbins floors played a huge part in our success. We set the standard in youth sports with the selection of the floors. Tournaments from all over the country come to compete in our facilities. And I always hear them say “Why don’t we have one of these facilities for our kids?”

In just 10 short years, 3 buildings opened, and a 4th, which is expected to open in 2015, is in the works. Wadley estimates the number of kids enrolled in a sport at all 3 current locations will increase from 70,000 to 100,000 this year. And with the addition of the 4th PSA building in 2015, that number will increase even more. When asked about why the programs at PSA has such a high number of participants, Wadley attributes it to the environment “We offer a clean and safe environment for the kids to go to play sports. And it doesn’t stop there. We also have all day summer camps where kids can experience basketball, baseball, and even drama.”

Amadeo Perez of Ponder Company, the Robbins dealer that installed the floors at all PSA locations, was asked why he thought the programs have been so successful, explained “The reason PSA continues to grow is because, while others have tried to duplicate what they do, no one does it better. From the first class facilities to the way they are run, everyone comes away with a positive experience. They are jam packed and everyone I know who has children participate at these venues, talks about how much they enjoy them. It has been, and continues to be a pleasure to work with everyone we come in contact with at PSA.”

Not only is this non-profit focused on the success of the sports programs, they are also focused on families. “Every Saturday, I stand on the side of the courts and watch all these families with their kids – they’re participating and they’re happy. Our programs really unite communities”.

The success of PSA not only shows in their number of participants, but also in their advertising sales which is estimated to bring in $300,000 – 400,000 per year in revenue. “We started out as a small non-profit with 12,000 kids. The success is there. And how did we get all this done? It is because of companies like Robbins.”

The Plano Sports Authority facilities are truly magnificent buildings for recreational and competitive sports. They brings athletes of all levels and ages together under one roof. From basketball players to cheerleaders to pre-schoolers, Plano Sports Authority’s focus on the family through sports helps bring communities and families together under one roof, and will continue to offer many future generations the same opportunity for years to come.

Ponder Company is Robbins’ exclusive dealer in Plano, TX and surrounding areas. For more information please visit http://ponder.com or call them at (972) 248-9001.

We are creatures of habit. We all know this. I, for example, have the habit of venturing into places that are “off limits” to most. I find myself in restaurant kitchens, behind retail counters, or behind a bar to fix myself a drink when the waiter is too slow. Some may see this as impatience, but I prefer to think of it as determination. So, it was no surprise when I found myself this past weekend in the newly renovated Moody Coliseum at SMU, because this ‘habit’ of mine had kicked SMU--Moody-Coliseum-MVP-3-2014-(9)in. I was determined to see the new basketball floor we had just installed.

This series of events began last week at the annual MFMA – Maple Flooring Manufacturer’s Association – conference in San Antonio. I was scheduled to be there from Wednesday to Saturday and then meet my wife in Dallas to visit my son and his girlfriend for a day or two. It would be a short visit, but we wanted to take advantage of the time while we could. On Sunday we all took a tour of the George W. Bush Presidential Museum, which is adjacent to SMU’s campus. While there, I asked my son to take me to the Moody Coliseum to see the new MVP court that our dealer, Ponder Company, had just installed. When we arrived all the doors were locked. There was neither games nor practice being held, so there was no reason for the building to be open. Clearly, the stadium was not meant to be open to the public, but as I saw one door wide open, I decided – like everything else –this was clearly an invitation for me to come inside. I went in long enough to get a few pictures that I was happy with, and was leaving satisfied with my visit. However, on my way out, I ran into two Mustang basketball players. I did not know who they were, and wearing only khakis and a plain sweater myself, they had no way of knowing who I was. With this anonymity in mind, I began asking a few simple questions.

The conversation was not long, as we all had other things to get to. But I was able to ask them briefly what they thought of the newly installed basketball court. They responded that they have really “loved playing on it”, and that they “feel good” on the floor. I then proceeded to tell the two men, that this specific basketball court (the MVP) is designed with athletes in mind to reduce frequency of injuries, enhance players’ performance, create consistency throughout the game, etc. And as I was explaining these features of the court, I could see a look of disbelief in each of their faces. These looks were then confirmed with verbal statements saying they had no idea that there was technology in place for courts to be designed like that. After a few more exchanges of words we said our goodbyes and continued on with our day.

The brief and candid conversation is what brought me here to writing this blog. Not only is our goal to design and manufacture basketball courts to enhance the players’ performance, but also to educate anyone and everyone whose performance is directly correlated with the quality of the court. Of course, whoever makes the final decision to purchase a court is aware of the benefits of buying a Robbins gym floor, but ultimately, the people who need to be most informed, are the people who are using the court every single day. Now, I’m not going to write another page going into the specifics and technicality of our courts. But, I will give you links at the end of this blog to direct you to sources containing information not only about our gym floors, but also the requirements of ALL maple basketball courts from the MFMA website.

On the surface, this ‘habit’ of mine seems as if I am constantly seeking trouble; but in actuality, it is a habit of DETERMINATION, a habit of finding solutions, a habit of expanding knowledge, both my own, and anyone who is willing to listen to me. And so, my hope is that after reading this, that my passion for expanding knowledge will have taught you if nothing else, that our determination for quality flooring results in providing you with the best sports flooring available on the market today.

http://www.maplefloor.org/Standards/PUR-Standards/Performance-Characteristics.aspx

http://www.maplefloor.org/Standards/PUR-Standards/Performance-Requirements.aspx

http://www.robbinsfloor.com/2012/04/mvp/

A case study by Athletic Management Magazine.

When it comes to making changes at the University of Texas at El Paso’s Don Haskins Center–named for the legendary basketball coach whose 1966 national championship-winning team was the inspiration behind the film Glory Road–there is UTEP--Robbins-Bio-Channel-Classic-2014-(3)-resizeda lot of history to consider. Fortunately, the longstanding relationship between UTEP and Robbins Sports Surfaces made the recent selection and installation of the Bio-Channel Classic surface an easy and positive process.

A proven model by Robbins, the Bio-Channel Classic combines the structural and dimensional stability of an anchored flooring system with the safety and comfort of resilient sports flooring. This surface was used in the Don Haskins Center before, and the facilities team found it to be so beneficial, they ordered a second one…. read the full article at Athletic Management

Creighton University made its official move into the Big East Conference on July 1, 2013, and for the Blue Jays, joining a new conference wasn’t the only big change they had in mind. During a public ceremony last month at the CenturyLink Center, the Blue creighton blue jays new floor-2Jays unveiled their new Men’s basketball floor, a Robbins All Star Plus portable, along with a brand new logo design as well. Creighton, who has been a long-time supporter of Robbins, had their first Robbins floor installed in 1983. Additionally, Creighton installed a Robbins Bio-Channel Star system at the Ryan Athletic Center in 2012, which is home to the Women’s Volleyball and Basketball teams.

Robbins is not the only ones excited to see the Blue Jays enter the Big East Conference. The combination of the new floor, logo, and conference has stirred up quite a bit of buzz, and hope, for this Midwest school. The men’s basketball team was a runner up for the USA Today Coaches Poll Top-25, along with the women’s volleyball team which was also just outside the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top-25. And not only are the Blue Jays teams making quite a name for themselves, but so are individual players, most notably, Doug McDermott. McDermott, in his senior year, has passed up an opportunity to enter the NBA in order to compete in his final collegiate season with fellow teammates and coach, who happens to be his father, Greg McDermott. The Bleacher Report, did a ranking of “The Most Unguardable Players in NCAA Basketball for 2013-14 Season”, and McDermott was their number one choice. Between his “quick release, and mind-numbing shooting accuracy”, means that it will be hard to find a defense competitive enough to stop him.

Maximizing performance and minimizing athletic injuries in athletes like Doug is Robbins’ highest priority. Robbins knows the importance of a well designed sports floor and the effect it has on performance and safety of the athlete. For this reason, the 30 year relationship with the Creighton Blue Jays is no coincidence.  They understand Robbins commitment to continuously advancing the technology that goes into the development of sports floors, so that any and all athletes are performing at their most competitive level. Robbins strives to develop champions with each floor installed,creighton blue jays new floor-3 and believes that Creighton University is developing champions with each Robbins floor they play on.

With that, Robbins congratulates Creighton on joining the Big East Conference and wishes good luck to all the Creighton teams in the coming season! Go Blue Jays!

Click here to learn more about the All Star Portable flooring system, or contact us at 1-800-543-1913 to speak with a Robbins representative in your area.

 

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Robbins, Inc. is the premier supplier of high performance maple and synthetic sports flooring systems to the arena, education, religious and fitness markets. In more than 60 nations around the world athletes compete and practice on millions of square meters of Robbins’ Sport Surfaces. Professional and amateur alike know that when they play on a high performance Robbins’ system they’ll be able to play at peak levels, safely and comfortably.

 

For more information about Robbins sports flooring systems, please call us at 1-800-543-1913 or fill out our online contact form.

Congratulations to the Miami Heat on winning a back-to-back and 3rd NBA championship…and they did it all on a Robbins portable floor! In a huge win over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 of the NBA finals, Lebron James lead his team to victory with a 95-88Miami Heat- Robbins All Star Portable (2)-resizedwin over the Spurs. James also earned the coveted regular season MVP and the Finals MVP for the 2nd year in a row, becoming just the third player to win the regular season MVP and Finals MVP in the same season multiple times. Only Michael Jordan and Larry Bird had accomplished that until this year. Not bad for a guy who has played his entire professional career on a Robbins court.

Miami Heat, a longtime believer in Robbins technology and quality, has owned two Robbins’ portable flooring systems playing every season on a Robbins’ court – from their debut in 1988 at the Miami Arena, to last night’s championship win at the American Airlines Arena, the Heat have consistently played and won on a Robbins portable floor.

At Robbins, our focus isn’t just about the number of basketball teams that play on our floors, it’s about the number of champions that are developed along the way. Our commitment to the long term health, safety, and performance of the athlete is our purpose. Designing and building the best sports floors in the industry is our passion.

Robbins is extremely proud of all the teams that train and compete on our floors.  With 12 of the 16 playoff teams, including the San Antonio Spurs, competing and/or training on a Robbins’ floor, we knew the odds were in our favor that we’d be bringing home our 22nd champion in the past 26 years!

We congratulate the Miami Heat and LeBron on a great season and much deserved championship title. Congratulations also go to the San Antonio Spurs for a great season and playoff run. 

Click here to learn more about the All Star Portable flooring system, or contact us at 1-800-543-1913 to speak with a Robbins representative in your area.

 

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Robbins, Inc. is the premier supplier of high performance maple and synthetic sports flooring systems to the arena, education, religious and fitness markets. In more than 60 nations around the world athletes compete and practice on millions of square meters of Robbins’ Sport Surfaces. Professional and amateur alike know that when they play on a high performance Robbins’ system they’ll be able to play at peak levels, safely and comfortably.

What do Texas A&M, the Toronto Raptors, and now Oregon State University all have in common? They all practice on the most innovative sports floor on the market- Robbins MVP. After 3 years and $11 million in fundraising, the new $15 million practice facility was unveiled to the public this week during the official opening ceremony on June 11th. The impressive 34,500 sq ft, 4 story facility features two Robbins MVP basketball courts on the first and third floors for both the men’s and women’s basketball teams. The second and fourth floors include coach and program staff offices that offer panoramic views of the new courts. Both the men’s and women’s MVP floors feature the new Beaver’s logo as well, which was officially released earlier this year.

Oregon State’s new floors were installed by Robbins dealer in Oregon, Brandsen Hardwood Floors. Practice in the new facility will not officially begin until late July, however the initial feedback has been very positive. Terry Brandsen, Project Consultant for the Oregon State project, stated  “I have been very pleased with this floor. It is one of the quietest floors we have ever installed, and virtually zero creaking & OSU-womens court- MVP-resizedpopping that is typically associated with many other gym floor types!”. Robbins knows the importance of a well designed sports floor and the effect it has on performance and safety. The fatiguing effects of vibration on athletic performance are well understood in other sports like running, skiing, and swimming. Only Robbins has applied that understanding to improve sports flooring designs for athletes of all ages, sizes and abilities. The human body is a highly sophisticated system that responds to impact force through muscle adaptation, or “muscle tuning” to significantly reduce vibrations. When muscle vibrations are controlled, player comfort is improved and energy is conserved. Less fatigue means athletes stay fresher, longer….which is what Robbins’ MVP flooring system delivers.

Click here to learn more about the MVP sports flooring system, or contact us at 1-800-543-1913 to speak with a Robbins representative in your area.

Robbins is honored to be the #1 flooring choice for the Oregon State Beaver’s and we wish them great luck in the upcoming season!

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Brandsen Hardwood Floors is Robbins’ exclusive dealer in the Portland, OR area. For more information please visit http://brandsenhardwood.com/ or call them at 1-503-775-0034.

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Robbins, Inc. is the premier supplier of high performance maple and synthetic sports flooring systems to the arena, education, religious and fitness markets. In more than 60 nations around the world athletes compete and practice on millions of square meters of Robbins’ Sport Surfaces. Professional and amateur alike know that when they play on a high performance Robbins’ system they’ll be able to play at peak levels, safely and comfortably.

 

For more information about Robbins sports flooring systems, please call us at 1-800-543-1913 or fill out our online contact form.

The 2013 Central American Games recently opened in San Jose, Costa Rica to more than 2,700 athletes from 7 participating countries, competing in more than 25 different sports. Robbins installed almost 10,000 sq. feet of the ALL STAR™ PLUS portable flooring system, the same floor also used by most NBA teams. Robbins top of the line portable basketball court, All Star Plus, is manufactured and fully assembled in Robbins US plant located in Ishpeming, MI. San-Jose---Costa-Rica--All-Star-Plus (1)-resized

The Central American Games is a regional championship event held every 4 years, typically in the first year after the Summer Olympics. The Games are open for member federations of the Central American Sports Organization, and will run from March 3-17, 2013. This year marks the tenth year for the Central American Games and the 1st year that Costa Rica has hosted the event. This was also the first time Costa Rica hosted an international event of this magnitude, while also building and completing the new sports complex in record time. In attendance at the inauguration ceremony was the President of Costa Rica, Ms. Laura Chinchilla, and the mayor of San Jose Mr. Johnny Araya. During the inauguration ceremony President Chinchilla complimented the new floor saying it was the “most featured novelty in the magnificent new facility”.  The new coliseum named Ciudad Deportiva,  is located in Hatillo 2, a community of San Jose. It will be home to all basketball, volleyball, handball and futsal championship events during the games.

 

For more information about Robbins sports flooring systems, please call us at 1-800-543-1913 or fill out our online contact form.

The largest of its kind in North America, the Saville Community Sports Centre in Edmonton, Alberta Canada, opened its doors to the public last fall revealing its extensive capabilities in recreational and competitive sports.  Situated on the University of Alberta campus, the facility has more than 220,000 square feet of space, including more than 130,000 square feet of Robbins maple sports flooring.

The collaborative effort to build the Centre provides the city of Edmonton, local sports organizations and residents with an extensive variety of programs and activities. The Centre partnership organizations include: the Edmonton Grads Basketball Centre, Ortona Gymnastics Club, Edmonton Volleyball Centre Society and the University of Alberta.

The Centre is also home to the University of Alberta Golden Bears and Pandas Men’s and Women’s volleyball and basketball teams respectively, as well as Team Ortona’s competitive Men’s and Women’s Artistic Gymnastics, Trampoline and Tumbling teams. When asked about the quality of the new floors and the effects it has had on player performance, Scott Edwards, Head Coach for the University of Alberta women’s basketball team, said “I think our playing surface is by far the best we have seen. The quality of the floor has made a dramatic impact on our athletes’ health. We have had fewer instances of shin splints and the athletes love running on this surface. They love playing on it“.

Centaur Products, one of Robbins exclusive dealers in Canada, played an integral part in the construction of the facility by installing over 130,000 sq ft. of Robbins Bio-Channel® Classic hardwood flooring which consisted of 9 NBA-sized basketball courts and 9 full-size volleyball courts. In addition, Centaur also installed Sportwood® Ultra Star in the dance studio, and Pulastic® in the child’s play area.

Doug Haines, Project Manager at Clark Builders, was in charge of overseeing this massive construction project. Clark Builders had worked with Centaur Products on previous projects, and as Haines explains, Centaur and Robbins was chosen for this project for very specific reasons – “Centaur management staff appeared to be very knowledgeable with the Bio-Channel flooring system, their on-site supervision was very ”hands on”. Robbins was chosen for the project because they are considered a leader in the sports flooring market, specifically the hardwood floor segment and the Bio-Channel floor system. Centaur was chosen based on their local workforce as well as their previous and ongoing relationship with the University of Alberta“.

In addition to volleyball, basketball and gymnastics, the Centre was able to expand their offerings to other sports programs such as badminton, futsal, dance and martial arts.   Community support has been phenomenal and exceeded the Centre’s expectations. Bob Butlin, Saville Community Sports Centre Board Representative explains “Our Community response has been unbelievable from the start. Our bookings for court space are exceeding our expectations after only six months of full operation. We have seen an expansion in our basketball programs with the creation of new Spring and Summer leagues. The public response to the facility is in direct relation to the world class hardwood floors which are showcased in each and every gym. The community-at-large speaks very highly of the hardwood floors and in particular, they are not experiencing any fatigue in their legs after playing, no dead spots. It is not uncommon to hear them say that “these are the best hardwood floors we have ever played on and we should have built the facility ten years ago”. This facility simply brings our court sports – basketball & volleyball together from the youth age to University level“.

The Saville Community Sports Centre is truly a magnificent building for recreational and competitive sports. Aside from its massive size and range of activities, it brings athletes of all levels and ages together under one roof.  From University programs to Junior leagues, the Saville Community Sports Centre will promote and support physical activity among the citizens of Edmonton for many generations to come.  

 

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Centaur Products is Robbins’ exclusive dealer in Alberta and surrounding provinces. For more information please visit http://centaurproducts.com/ or call them at 1-888-430-3300.

Robbins, Inc. is the premier supplier of high performance maple and synthetic sports flooring systems to the arena, education, religious and fitness markets. In more than 65 nations around the world athletes compete and practice on millions of square meters of Robbins’ Sport Surfaces. Professional and amateur alike know that when they play on a high performance Robbins’ system they’ll be able to play at peak levels, safely and comfortably.

 

For more information about Robbins sports flooring systems, please call Robbins Sports Surfaces at 1-800-543-1913, email us at [email protected], or visit http://www.robbinsfloor.com

MEDIA CONTACT:
Ken Thomas
VP of Marketing
Robbins Sports Surfaces
(513) 871-8988