S&C Slatter has been awarded accreditation from Safecontractor for its commitment to achieving excellence in health and safety.
Safecontractor is a leading third party accreditation scheme which recognises very high standards in health and safety management amongst UK contractors.
John Kinge, technical director of Safecontractor said, “Major organisations simply cannot afford to run the risk of employing contractors who are not able to prove that they have sound health and safety policies in place.”
“More companies need to understand the importance of adopting good risk management in the way that S&C Slatter has done. The firm’s high standard has set an example which hopefully will be followed by other companies within the sector.
Under the Safecontractor scheme, businesses undergo a vetting process which examines health and safety procedures and their track record for safe practice. Those companies meeting the high standard are included on a database, which is accessible to registered users only via a website.
Client-organisations who sign up to the scheme can access the database, enabling them to vet potential contractors before they even set foot on site. These clients agree that, as users of the scheme, they will engage only those who have received accreditation.
Over 210 major, nation-wide businesses, from several key sectors, have signed up to use the scheme when selecting contractors for services such as building, cleaning, maintenance, refurbishment or electrical and mechanical work.
S&C Slatter is already accredited by a number of procurement, supply chain management and risk management certification bodies including Constructionline, EXOR and CHAS. The company also recently successfully completed its ISO 9001 Quality Management System re-certification for the next three years; all emphasising its commitment to pursuing quality-based service delivery for it ever expanding portfolio of clients in the Education, Sports, Leisure and Construction sectors.
Earlier this year S&C Slatter achieved a global first; becoming the first International Hockey Federation (FIH) Certified Pitch Builder under the FIH internationally recognised quality assurance programme – the FIH Quality Programme for Hockey Turf. And in partnership with FieldTurf, we work on pitches under the Football Association, Football Foundation, Rugby Football Union, Sport England, English Hockey Framework.
The new 3G football turf pitch at the Maidstone United’s Gallagher Stadium will make its competitive debut with live TV coverage on 6 August. BT Sport has selected the club’s opening league fixture against York City to kick off their new season coverage of the Vanarama National League.
Following promotion to the National League, the club decided to invest in the very latest 3G football turf technology with a pitch upgrade completed by Sports Construction Specialists, S&C Slatter.
The new surfacing system is the exceptional FieldTurf Vertex 3G artificial turf with an in-situ bound E-Layer Performance Base. Complete with permanent in-laid lines the upgraded facility will deliver FIFA 2 Star Performance.
As well as providing a first-class pitch for Maidstone United’s Vanarama National League programme it is a valuable asset for this highly progressive club and the wider community. The Academy will also play on the new system which will be available for hire by other clubs and organisations.
This latest stadium pitch project by S&C Slatter continues to emphasise the genuinely high play quality now available to clubs in the non-league football sector. Sutton United, also promoted to the National League for 2016/17 as Champions of National League South, have just completed their first year with an S&C Slatter-installed FieldTurf 3G football turf pitch.
The England C team recently played an International competitive match against the Slovakia U-21 team on Sutton’s 3G pitch and the England Manager, Paul Fairclough, commented after the game.
“Having played Slovakia U21’s and trained at Sutton United’s new 3rd generation pitch, it was the best surface I have seen, and this includes all those pitches I have ever come across in Eurpoe as well. It seems the e-layer sub base and choice of FieldTurf has given SUFC a fantastic pitch and one that I would be very happy for England C to use again in the future”
Sutton United’s Borough Sports Ground pitch will also be appearing soon on BT Sport when their League home tie against Tranmere Rovers is televised on 17 September.
S&C Slatter are currently completing new 3G football turf stadium pitches for a number of other clubs including Eastbourne Borough FC, Harrogate Town and Tamworth United. All clubs selected the market-leading FieldTurf Vertex 3G turf system.
S&C Slatter Accounts Administrator Charlotte Mills has been awarded Apprentice of the Year 2016 Advanced Accounting AAT Level 4 by Basingstoke College of Technology.
The award, which recognises a particular high standard of commitment and effort, comes as Charlotte prepares to sit her final examinations and is a just reward for all her hard work over the last couple of years. The presentation of the Apprentice of the Year Shield and Certificate was made to Charlotte made at a recent Awards Evening at the College.
Needless to say, the whole S&C Slatter Team is very proud of Charlotte!
In her day job, she works alongside Michelle and Sally in the HQ Accounts Department contributing to the efficient operational management of the company’s financial affairs. This also includes a good deal of telephone interaction with clients which is something she particularly enjoys.
Before joining us Charlotte worked for a market research organisation following the successful completion of A-levels in Geography, Physical Education and Dance.
Charlotte likes keeping fit at the gym and often runs in support of charitable causes. When relaxing she enjoys a wide range of music.
S&C Slatter invests in securing the best people with the skills and commitment necessary to achieve the highest possible standards. We then encourage and work with them to develop personal improvement programmes which will grow them as individuals and enable the acquistion of new, additional skills and experiences.
A good deal of emphasis is placed on building the confidence and assuredness necessary for each Team Member to accept greater career challenges and interact to maximum effect with colleagues, stakeholders and clients.
It will therefore come as no surprise that the Company recently scored 100% for ‘Collaborative Approach’ and ‘Customer Satisfaction/Liaison’ in its 2016 Hampshire County Council Annual Review of Contractor Performance.
S&C Slatter has been awarded an overall score of 95% in the Hampshire County Council Annual Review of Contractor Performance. This is 11% more than the average score of 84% achieved by all specialist contractors.
Hampshire County Council regularly monitors contractor performance, securing feedback from both clients and contract administrators upon completion of each project.
David Slatter, S&C Slatter Managing Director, comments ‘It is particularly pleasing to have independent recognition of the hard work and commitment we invest in every sports facility project. We’ve significantly grown both the number and scope of projects handled each year, and we’ve actually managed to develop still further our quality standards and customer service to even higher and more consistent levels.’
Assessed against 10 KPIs
Ten Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were measured and assessed during the review to produce both individual KPI and average score percentages. These were:
Time Management
Financial Management
Health & Safety
Management of Sub-Contractors (where applicable)
Quality of Workmanship
Progress with Defects
Collaborative Approach
Contractor Performance
Contractor Design
Customer Satisfaction/Liaison
100% in two categories
In ‘Collaborative Approach’ and ‘Customer Satisfaction/Liaison’ we scored an outstanding 100% in both individual KPIs.
One of the projects covered by the review was the provision of a 7526m2 3G artificial turf pitch for Football and Hockey at Swanmore College. The pitch delivers FIFA 1 star performance and was part of a challenging civil engineering project also featuring major landscaping and drainage works (including Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) technology), new access routes, ancillary facilities and a natural turf rugby pitch.
Chris Loveday, Director of Community & Site Facilities, at Swanmore College told us ‘A really big thank you for the management of the project. Your team leader in particular has been brilliant and the works really have caused a minimum of disruption to us as a school and community site.’
Safecontractor accreditation
S&C Slatter has also been awarded accreditation from Safecontractor for its commitment to achieving excellence in health and safety. Safecontractor is a leading third party accreditation scheme which recognises very high standards in health and safety management amongst UK contractors.
The company is already accredited with ISO 9001, EXOR, CHAS and Constructionline.
England C played Slovakia U21 last Sunday in an International Challenge Trophy match at Sutton United’s Borough Sports Ground. Paul Warren of S&C Slatter shares some thoughts.
An England football team playing a home international match on a 3G football turf pitch doesn’t now attract the kind of media comment and coverage it might have done a couple of years ago. Even allowing for the increasing excitement and juggernaut effect of the impending Euro 2016 Championship; even though it was an England C v Slovakia U21 International Challenge Trophy fixture; despite it being at the end of school half term, surely one would have expected some examination of why such a game was being played on 3G?
Actually the post-game reports quite rightly focused on what was a really exciting football match decided in the favour of the visitors with literally the last kick. The 3 – 4 scoreline was testament to an enthralling game in which the England team played very well and certainly didn’t deserve to lose. But absolutely no mention of how the pitch played. Did the players seem comfortable on it? Did it inhibit or encourage creative play? Nothing. Oh sorry, except for a Tweet to the Sutton United groundsman congratulating him on how brilliant the surface looked.
The lack of reference to the pitch is, I feel, because at long last, there is a growing understanding and acceptance that you can and indeed should now expect to play a genuinely good game on a top of the range 3G football turf system. Sure some pitch specifications are better than others, as with all things, but the days of ‘ping pong’ football on a synthetic surface tend very much to be a thing of the past.
The FieldTurf 3G pitch at Sutton United which hosted the International is certified to the FIFA 2 Star Performance Standard and was installed by S&C Slatter. It has just completed its first season of National League South fixtures, in addition of course to the many hours of hired out community use it delivers. It has consistently received praise all year from players, officials, spectators, visiting teams, and yes the media. So it’s no longer a surprise that it plays to such a high standard – replicating, I would suggest, that of a well-maintained natural turf surface.
So the result is that one forgets that its ‘artificial’. It’s no longer at the forefront of the mind. It’s no longer news. Certainly not for those at level 5 and below, and probably not for those at 4 either.
You just view and enjoy (or otherwise) what you see before you on its own merits. Is that defender holding his line under pressure? Is the playmaker passing into the channels? Why didn’t the ref pick up that tackle which was about 30 minutes late? This is because what you’re seeing most importantly is that the players now have sufficient confidence in 3G football turf to forget about it. They just focus on playing their game. And that’s just how it should be.
I spoke with one first teamer in the National League South and asked ‘Was he happy to play on 3G?’ And he looked at me as if I asked something really strange. He then said ‘Look it plays as I want it to. I really don’t think about it. I guess though the one thing which does stand out is that when someone passes the ball out to me (he plays on the wing) I know it’s going to reach me and when. So I can start my run earlier. See – no mud and or no bumpy grass pitch to stop the ball. Grip underfoot is good and it’s a lot better to fall on.’
As someone who works within the sports facility sector – as a Project Manager for sports construction specialists, S&C Slatter – I know that this new confidence and indeed trust in artificial pitch systems, has not just suddenly happened nor is it accidental. It is the result of a phenomenal amount of work on one hand by such as our manufacturing partners, FieldTurf, in researching and identifying improved designs and manufacturing techniques, by construction specialists like my own company in developing, enhancing and investing in high performance build technology and delivery, and by football clubs themselves in engaging with all of us, working as a stakeholder in the commitment to secure better quality, more consistent, more sustainable Stadium pitches.
The ball pace, bounce and general ‘behaviour’ that players have come to expect on 3G football turf is of standard that many clubs would realistically struggle to reach, week after week, throughout our long league programmes, with natural grass and the resources at their disposal for turf care.
So many are now seeing 3G football turf as the only logical way to provide a sustainable and consistent competitive playing surface of high performance quality.
However, this new ‘uptake’ on 3G pitches is also, critically, being driven by commercial demand. More than ever the financial disparity between the upper echelon clubs in the Premiership and Championship with the lower pyramid has and is continuing to grow to the extent that in practical terms there is very little commonality between their respective football worlds. We all know the reasons why.
For many if not most clubs in ‘Non-league football’ the overriding objective is survival as a going concern. ‘Normal’ revenue is insufficient and despite support from local sponsors and business, and the invaluable services of an army of volunteers, it is difficult, if not impossible task. So the need to source and tap in to new revenue streams is paramount and potentially the only answer.
Converting your stadium pitch to 3G football turf can therefore be a club ‘Lifesaver’. Those who have converted have found that on one side the pitch can be hired out to the local community to develop a new and vital source of income, and on the other hand, expenditure can be reduced by eliminating the significant cost of weather-related cancellations and fixture congestion. Plus all club sides including academy and junior teams can be moved to train and play their games on the one pitch – no more hiring of other facilities.
There is even evidence coming from clubs such as Sutton United that the increase of footfall into the ground of spectators, players, officials, parents and so on, maximises the uptake of catering, merchandise and function hire – again resulting in the creation of further funds.
When S&C Slatter, in conjunction with FieldTurf, held a seminar on 3G Stadium Pitches for football clubs in March, I saw first-hand that the demand and intention among clubs to move to 3G football turf is very strong. And that the reasons for doing so tend to be the same from club to club. However clubs and their management are generally ‘time poor’ and usually only have cursory technical knowledge of 3G pitches and the necessary process you really should go through when looking to acquire one. They need help in identifying the key questions and how to get the right answers.
For that reason, my company, which offers a complete service package from feasibility and planning through design and construction to project management and maintenance has found that we’ve never been busier in advising new clients and actively making the change to 3G stadium pitches actually happen.
In just the last couple of months alone we’ve been appointed to design and build six stadium pitches – all needing to be ready for the 2016/7 season of course. Fortunately we have substantial in-house expertise and resources and are geared to delivering an outstanding and inclusive service to our clients; very often working to a fast-track programme. This has been enabled, and is only possible, by a significant and continuous investment in people, technology and equipment.
Eastbourne Borough of the National League South, Tamworth and Harrogate Town of National League North and Haringey Borough of Isthmian League North will all be playing next season on 3G football turf pitches built by S&C Slatter. And we’ll be starting work in the late summer for a 3G pitch for a team in the Combined Counties Premier Division.
And there’s a lot of other clubs we’re currently talking to throughout the Country, who are at various points along the path that will ultimately lead to 3G football turf.
Interestingly, it’s not just football where the technological developments and progress with 3G turf is now making significant in-roads. Most are aware of the artificial pitches used by rugby clubs such as Saracens and Cardiff Blues. However it would probably be a surprise just how many rugby-specific or shared football and rugby pitches are now regularly being installed for Senior as well as Academy and Junior play.
The advantages of artificial turf for rugby in terms of maximising frequency of use, weather-resistance, consistency, player comfort, impact absorption and so on will be known and understood. But again it’s the quality of play performance which is now available with the leading pitch systems which is a major driver. This is vital as we see increasing pressure on natural turf facilities and the sport looks to increase active participation and develop and improve better technique through progressive and holistic training programmes.
Certainly at S&C Slatter our rugby pitches are delivered to World Rugby Regulation 22 Performance Standard giving the client and players the confidence that they are getting a facility which will perform to high quality levels.
For the University of Kent, we recently finished a 10160m2 3G pitch which is designed for Football, Rugby and American Football. It’s certified to FIFA 1 star, World Rugby Regulation 22 and IATS Performance Standards and according to the University “We have already had a plethora of internal and external groups using the facilities, including sport groups from American universities/academies who said ‘it was the best pitch they had ever played on’.”
I just think that artificial turf technology linked to the latest construction science and techniques really can now tick virtually all the boxes for lower league and community football. It many respects it can help some clubs just to continue to be. Many more to progress and maybe even thrive, but certainly all to be a genuine sporting and social hub for the community.
Right now when it comes to 3G stadium pitches, ‘No comment’ actually says it all. And it’s great news for local football, and rugby.
Paul Warren, Project Manager, S&C Slatter Limited
