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Product releases from The Landscape Architect Trades printed editions.
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SofSurfaces
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A Company Built on Firsts
Click to enlarge image.
Click to enlarge image.
Click to enlarge image.
SofSURFACES had modest beginnings as a small but committed regional supplier of poured-in-place (PIP) safety surfacing for use underneath children’s playground structures. For the next 5 years, SofSURFACES efforts were focused on perfecting the art of installing poured-in-place materials. Within those early years however, our company leaders came to a conclusion that dramatically changed the course of the company.
As obvious as it may seem today, the notion took several years to come to terms with. At a time when the company was grappling with the limits of our PIP system, the inability to incorporate an engineered design into the product, and the high dependency placed on the skill of the installer, we also came to a realization that we were installing a product whose final quality was largely influenced by environmental conditions. Since we couldn’t predict or control the weather, we recognized that we would never be able to predict or control the quality or safety performance of the final product.
Essentially, we recognized that our desire to lead the industry with high-quality, cutting-edge products was simply incompatible with a poured-in-place product.
At this juncture, we were faced with a choice. Either continue down a path of outdated technology and resign ourselves to the limitations of this product, or forge a completely new path. The choice was simple.
1994
SofSURFACES began to develop what has since become the industry’s premiere safety surfacing system.
Fueled by advancements in production and process technology, SofSURFACES carefully began to implement controls into every aspect of our production process.
Consistent with our new direction, came a commitment to creating a product with a strong functional design element. Our dedication to the SofTILE® design yielded many firsts in the industry. SofSURFACES was the first company to introduce the concept of a locking safety tile. Although our original design was trade named Shiplap, 13 years and 4 design improvements later, the KrosLOCK® brand name entered the market. Significant advancements in product engineering, the elimination of tile-to-tile separation, and the ability to create a system that is truly vandal resistant were introduced through the KrosLOCK® system and continue to be in high demand today.
Having successfully met the demands of our customers by offering the vandal- proof KrosLOCK® system, our attention was turned to another industry first; our hollow-core impact pedestal. Built into the underside of the tile product, this design breakthrough accomplished something the industry as a whole previously considered unattainable. Essentially, the hollow core impact pedestal allowed SofSURFACES to significantly increase the density and durability of the product while simultaneously increasing the products ability to cushion falls. The “harder and softer” concept relies on the mechanical design of the hollow core impact pedestal. By forcing the pedestal to do all of the work, the need to rely on a soft, less durable product to attain fall height protection was removed. The result was a product offering extreme durability coupled with exceptional safety performance, a leap which solidified SofSURFACES position as the industry leader. Implementation of our hollow core technology laid the groundwork for yet another industry first.
2006
SofSURFACES introduced the industry’s first and only 10 Year Warranty covering durability and compliance with ASTM F1292-04 standard for impact attenuation of playground surfaces. Being the first company to offer a 10 Year Warranty went hand-in-hand with being the first company to over engineer our product for its application.
For example, SofTILE® KrosLOCK® in not only 20% denser than most safety surfacing products, it also performs a minimum of 25% better than the requirements outlined within the ASTM F1292-04 standard.
At SofSURFACES we are looking forward to introducing several more industry firsts. Our customers drive the process and we utilize the latest in design and process technology to exceed their demands.
SofSURFACES Inc.
Leaders in Locking Safety Tiles
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