Everlast Sports Surfacing Debuts “Contender”
Industry-leading recycled rubber flooring brand introduces new fusion bonded modular tiles with a fiber wear layer made of 98% post-consumer recycled content.
Lancaster, PA – Everlast sports surfacing unveils their newest product innovation, the Contender line of fusion bonded modular tiles. Manufactured in the U.S.A. by ECORE International, Contender products offer a textured flooring solution for health and fitness spaces exposed to high volumes of traffic. The surfacing features a fiber wear layer and recycled rubber backing, fused together using the new patent-pending itstru Technology. The newest addition to the Everlast portfolio is setting new standards in recycled content containing 98% post-consumer recycled content. The new Contender product enables the Everlast brand to increase its portfolio of products to offer multiple solutions for the health club environment — from entryways and staff offices to weight rooms and locker rooms.
Everlast’s Contender products are the first of many anticipated surfacing systems to be manufactured with patent-pending itstru Technology developed by ECORE International in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Itstru Technology utilizes advanced production capabilities to fuse two proven flooring systems into one even more durable product that is easy to install. By using a manufacturing process that has never before been introduced in the flooring industry, itstru Technology allows a 97% post-consumer recycled rubber backing to be fusion bonded with a fiber wear layer. This creates a surfacing system that features the superior durability and installation ease of Everlast’s recycled rubber surfacing, with the aesthetics and versatility of a textile surfacing solution. In an industry with defined application barriers and product-specific usage requirements, itstru simplifies the specification and installation process.
Rich Campbell, EVP of sales and marketing, ECORE International, has led preliminary sales initiatives for itstru Technology and the Everlast Contender product. In regards to the manufacturing capabilities of the technology he states, “The flooring industry has never seen anything like this. Years of research and development have crafted a system that turns two individually proven flooring systems into one versatile solution. This is a milestone in the evolution of surfacing — across all markets.”
For the initial launch, Contender is comprised of the Fit, Flex, and Strongman series, each with a distinct wear layer texture to enable versatile design and accommodate varied functional needs. The Fit series features a high pile wear layer in a looped texture and the Flex series features a low pile wear layer in a flat texture. Wear layers for each of these series are composed of 100% recycled polyester and are available in six shared colors, designed to coordinate across textures and work well with existing floor products or finishes. Contender’s Strongman series features a high pile wear layer in a looped texture. It is manufactured with a polypropylene wear layer and is initially available in two neutral colors for easy design coordination. Featuring adhered or adhesive-free installation, each series of Contender products is produced by fusing a fiber wear layer to itstru recycled rubber underlayment. Itstru is composed of recycled SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber) tire rubber rescued from American landfills, one of the primary components of Everlast sports surfacing rubber products.
PVC free and indoor air quality compliant, Contender products offer the highest percentage of recycled content in the industry. Fit and Flex products feature 98 percent total recycled content. Strongman products feature 97 percent recycled rubber backing. The high volume of recycled materials in each product enable them to potentially contribute points toward Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) accreditation, ensuring that facility owners are equipped with the necessary material resources to uphold the health of their members and the environment.
Offered in a variety of colors and textures, the Contender line is designed to enable easy coordination with Everlast recycled rubber surfacing products. The Fit, Flex, and Strongman series complete Everlast’s diverse portfolio, enabling the brand to offer an array of surfacing solutions ideal for each unique area of a fitness facility or health club. Everlast recycled rubber rolls, tiles, UltraTile, and Performance products offer solutions for areas such as weight rooms, tracks, cardio rooms, recreation spaces, and multipurpose rooms. The introduction of the Contender line now enables Everlast to offer a surfacing product designed for industrial or contemporary spaces such as gym lobbies, offices, reception areas, entryways, and walk-offs. It is also ideal for transition areas, daycare rooms, food court areas, and aerobic, yoga, or Pilates spaces. Contender Fit & Flex products will initially be available in easily replaceable 23”x23” interlocking tiles, 24”x48” square-edge brick tiles, and 24”x24” square tiles. Contender Strongman will be available in 23”x23” interlocking tiles and 24”x24” square tiles. All Contender products will come with a standard 5mm recycled rubber backing. Available colors and textures will be offered as defined within the Fit, Flex, and Strongman series and sales for the product will be initially managed directly by Everlast representatives throughout the United States.
“Pushing the limits is how we do business,” says Campbell. “It’s not enough for us to coast with the industry and hope for a coincidental breakthrough.”
About ECORE International
ECORE International, manufacturer of Everlast products, has been at the forefront of recycling efforts since its inception in 1989. Twenty years ago, ECORE pioneered the recycled rubber flooring category. Today, ECORE continues to lead the industry in sustainable product development by introducing new products and technologies to further expand manufacturing capabilities and offer more sustainable products than ever before. As North America’s largest user of scrap tire rubber, ECORE processes more than 80 million pounds each year, helping to conserve over one million barrels of oil and keeping over 2,000 trailer loads of discarded tires out of American landfills.
To obtain further information concerning itstru technology and its cutting edge capabilities visit www.itstrutechnology.com.
ECORE International manufactures all Everlast products, including the Contender line of fusion bonded modular tiles. For additional information about ECORE International and its portfolio of products and brands visit www.ecoreintl.com.