Kent is the first UK university to have a sustainably sourced Robbins solid maple wood floor installed by its UK-based partner TVS Group. Robbins, which was founded in 1894, is a preferred supplier of competition and training surfaces to 80% of teams in the billion-dollar NBA. Of the last 27 NBA Championships, 22 were won by teams who play or train on the company’s courts.
“After two decades of use as a multi-sport facility, the university ’ s old court was badly in need of replacement,” explained TVS Sports Surfacing Specialist Jason Lewis-Lamb. “A survey also revealed significant issues with the sub-floor which needed to be refurbished prior to the installation of the new court.”
The TVS/Robbins partnership was chosen after an exhaustive evaluation by the University of Kent, with quality and longevity being major factors in the final decision along with the need to meet stringent international and UK sports standards. The new Robbins court in Canterbury offers outstanding shock absorption qualities, reducing injuries and player fatigue, and all the company’s maple is sustainably sourced with the US growing six times more hardwoods than are harvested each year.
The substructure work was undertaken within a week and the new flooring, using maple from both the USA and from Canada, was completed by TVS Group on schedule. TVS Group also ensured that specific markings were added for netball and badminton to ensure that the new court could continue to be used as a multi-sport facility. The University’s Director of Sport, double GB Hockey Olympian Mel Clewlow, is delighted with the new court: “To be the first facility in the UK to install a Robbins MVP flooring system is an absolute honour,” she explained. “Too often as a university sports department we are looking at our competitors, envious of their facility developments. Hopefully this time there are institutions looking at us! It shows the University’s commitment to our current and future students, and this is a step towards providing the best facilities we can.”
The new court is not only impressing students.
“In the few weeks since the facility has been open and we have been promoting links to the NBA, we’ve already received fantastic feedback from our student groups, as well as attracting interest from local leagues and clubs,” said Mel. “I can’t thank TVS Group and Robbins enough for trusting us to showcase this product. Throughout this entire process TVS Group have been world class and their customer service from start to finish has been exemplary.”
