SALES have been especially strong in Turkey for the US-based Action Floor Systems that has been defying the worldwide recession with a strong global performance, thanks to an efficient sales network.

Action offers both permanently installed hardwood sports floor systems and portable floor systems, many of which are EN certified as well as being certified by Fiba, the world governing body for basketball.

Its recent installations include the Ankara Arena, which features its new NitroPanel FC portable sports floor for all future games and tournaments. NitroPanel, a quick-assembly, panel-based portable floor, is a high-quality, durable sports surface that delivers excellent performance characteristics, and features a beautiful surface deck of MFMA (Maple for Manufacturers Association) grade-marked Action LL (long length) northern hard maple, according to Tom Abendroth, Action Floors president.

“Expansion Ridge Technology (ERT) accommodates expansion incrementally, board to board, offering strength and uniformity,” he says.

The Ankara Arena project follows the successful installation of its ProAction Thrust floor system at the Kadir Hall in Kayseri, Turkey, where the Fiba world championship games were held last year.

Action Floors attributes the company’s success in Turkey to Kemal Yuce, owner of Ankara-based Ketu Construction Marketing and Trade Company and a well-known former basketball player and coach in Turkey.

“A great partner for Action Floor is Yuce, who is also an incredible resource to facility owners throughout Turkey and stands as a good example of the vital role our international representatives have played in the success of Action Floor Systems,” says Abendroth.

“Thanks to Yuce and his company, the world’s best basketball players recently competed on an Action Floor ‘ProAction Thrust’ floor system at the 2010 Fiba World Men’s Championship Games held in Turkey. The Turkish men’s basketball team (which finished second in the games) had been practising on an Action Floor InterLoc II floor system at the training hall in the Ankara.”

Action Floor Systems has not only become one of America’s largest suppliers of hardwood maple sports floor systems, but also a popular international brand since it was established 22 years ago in northern Wisconsin, US.

It has been a Fiba Study Centre partner for many years and offers a vast selection of Fiba-certified hardwood sports floor systems designed for the performance and comfort of the athlete. In addition, the company is accredited by the World Squash Federation (WSF), and is a member in good standing with the MFMA, the authority for maple sport floors in the US.

“Action Floor Systems is also deeply committed to sustainability,” says Abendroth. “The company’s main plant in Mercer, Wisconsin, is a zero-waste facility certified with a third-party carbon footprint assessment following principles described in the World Resource Institute’s Greenhouse Gas Protocol, consistent with ISO 14064-1:2006 methodology and in line with GHG protocol standards.

“Environment protection efforts are an everyday practice and way of life at Action Floor Systems.”

To assist customers with evaluating a supplier’s commitment to sustainability, Action Floor Systems recently developed the ‘Scores’ criteria, which stands for sustainable construction of renewable engineered surfaces.

Meanwhile, Action Floors recently introduced a unique vinyl gymnasium floor cover – the AirRide Cover System – that employs a patented rack blower system for convenient, automated layout and retrieval of the cover.

Elaborating on the product, Abendroth says: “The vinyl rollout gymnasium floor cover system uses a patented air blower to drive a cushion of air that simplifies installation and removal.

“AirRide’s lift effect greatly reduces the potential for scuffing and scratching of the floor’s surface during either process. Deploying and removing the cover is quickly and simply managed by two people.

“The AirRide cover vinyl is free of phthalate (a plasticising additive that has raised health concerns, particularly for children) and is available as a 10-ft-wide, 20.5-ounce seamless sheet to protect floors against damage from tables, chairs, street shoes and other abrasive items when a facility is used for dances, assemblies, dinners and other events.”

AirRide vinyl covering is available in a wide variety of colours, with sandstone being the preferred shade as it most closely matches the floor’s appearance and provides a suitable background for printed graphics or logos.