A Meler installation under the sun

Adhesive application for sports field maintenance

We at Focke Meler are used to working in numerous industries and adapting to our customers’ specific adhesive-application needs. Even so, an opportunity to collaborate on installations like the one we have created for SIS Pitches is unique. Focke Meler has designed a mobile hot melt application system for working under the sun.
SIS Pitches is a leading company in the manufacture, installation and maintenance of sports fields for the sports and leisure industry worldwide. FIFA’s official supplier, SIS Pitches ensures that European Football, Rugby, Tennis and Hockey championships can be held under the very best playing conditions.

Advantages of using adhesives and teamwork

Originally British, the company has been recently relying on Focke Meler systems to carry out maintenance work on artificial grass pitches. Hot adhesive is used to mark the lines drawn on pitches and ensure their stability during the game. The use of adhesive in this kind of maintenance offers big advantages compared to other systems, such as:

• excellent moisture- and temperature-protection properties
• possibility of painting over the product
• high resistance to traction

As with sport, this hot melt application requires perfect teamwork organisation: three or four operators are needed to apply the adhesive, inset the substrate and, at the same time, move the trolley carrying the electric generator and hot melter. The success of its daily work is based on speed and perfect coordination.

Technical definition and the Meler solution

The technical requirements for the application are as follows:

• Free movement: The equipment needs to be small in size and easy to install. Hence the choice of the MICRON+ gear version, as it can work without the need for an air compressor in the installation.
• Reliability and constant flow: Although dosing does not require great precision, there is a high demand for adhesive consumption. The flow must also be constant since the lines may be up to 20 metres long without stopping.
• Operator safety: The “cool-touch” housing of the manual applicator gives extra safety in the daily work on this kind of maintenance. Its light weight also makes the adhesive application process easier for the operator.

We would like to thank SIS Pitches for placing their trust in us to carry out this project with them and we hope they have a good game! Now, whenever we do sports on an artificial grass pitch, we can look down and think: Meler’s here too.