Italy - Mondo marks 60th year with more world records and prestigious installations

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A 60th birthday is always cause for celebration. Mondo, a global leader in the sports flooring market, reached that milestone in style in 2008 with more world records set on its tracks and more prestigious installations of its track and field surfaces. Now more than 230 world records have been set on Mondo tracks, and more than 1,100 Mondo tracks and more than 800 Mondoturf fields have been installed in athletic venues around the world.

Among the highlights of its 60th year were the five world records set at the Beijing Olympics on Mondotrack, the company's newest and most advanced track surface. The thrilling track and field competition saw athletes set new marks in the men's 100 meters, 200 meters and 4x100-meter relay, and the women's pole vault and 3000-meter steeplechase. This was the first Olympics to use Mondotrack but the ninth consecutive Summer Games for which Mondo provided the official track surface.

Mondotrack incorporates the latest advances in track surface technology developed by Mondo; the surface was designed to convert the amount of force generated by athletes' foot strikes to energy for maximum energy return, which helps athletes achieve faster times compared to running on other surfaces. In addition, the track's elongated hexagon backing makes the surface more comfortable for training than other tracks, resulting in a perfect blend of speed and safety for the athletes.

Mondotrack's first U.S. installation was at Arizona State University, which hosted the Pac 10 track and field championships on the surface this year.
Numerous installations followed, including NCAA Division I track programs at the University of Central Arkansas and University of South Florida. Athletic directors and track and field coaches consistently reported that they chose Mondotrack because they found it to be the fastest track on the market today.
Mondo also was proud to complete installation of new tracks at three U.S. military bases in 2008. Fort Bliss (El Paso, Texas), Keesler Air Force Base (Gulfport, Miss.) and Fort Bragg (Fayetteville, N.C.) became the three latest military bases to choose Mondo. The facilities installed Mondo's Super X track, which has been the world's top track for more than 30 years and is known for its speed, safety and durability.

Throughout its 60-year history, Mondo has invested heavily in research and development to produce cutting-edge products that deliver optimal athletic performance and are environmentally friendly. That tradition continued in 2008, with the first U.S. installation of an innovative artificial turf called Mondoturf Fine Tuned System 3. The new product replicates the playing performance and characteristics of a natural grass field, produces minimal environmental impact and boasts exceptional safety features. The system's Fine Tuned Underlayment is an innovative, environmentally friendly solution for using reground rubber tires that also provides a safe surface for athletes.

The first U.S. installation of FTS 3 was completed this autumn at the University of Sioux Falls which will use the field for intercollegiate soccer games and practice.

"As we begin our second 60 years, we look forward to an exciting 2009 with even more prestigious installations worldwide," said Federico Stroppiana, president of Mondo North and South America. "We also will continue to develop innovative new products that will let athletes perform their best while safeguarding them and the environment, which has been a Mondo commitment from the beginning."

Founded by Edmondo Stroppiana, whose sons Elio and Ferruccio today are group chairman and managing director, respectively, Mondo remains independent and family-owned. In all, 16 members of the Stroppiana family have had active roles in Mondo's success.