MATHEW AVERY - President and CEO

Mathew Avery has served as the CEO of Image Turf Corporation since early 2007.  He grew up in Rome, Georgia and it is fair to say that artificial turf is in Mathew’s blood.  Mathew represents the third generation of Avery’s in the artificial turf business.  His grandfather, Pat Avery, is a former Georgia Congressman who is on record with the FCC as being the first person to make a tufted piece of turf from yarn (even before AstroTurf®).  Being a serial entrepreneur and inventor, Pat Avery never put the turf into production, but that prototype piece of turf that Pat Avery discovered led to George’s story book run in artificial turf.  Some of Mathew’s earliest childhood memories stem from working with his father, George, in one of the three artificial turf manufacturing plants that George has owned since 1972.  He went on his first sales call with his father at the age of four.  At the age of twelve, Mathew began working in his fathers’ manufacturing plants where he learned how to run artificial turf tufting machines, creel racks, and inspection racks.  The young Avery played a major role in Avery Sports Turf’s amazing run in the late 1990’s - Avery Sports Turf was manufacturing and selling over 10,000,000 square feet of artificial turf a year.  During Avery Sports Turf’s tremendous run, Mathew served as national sales manager from 2002-2004.  In all artificial turf/carpet circles, Mathew is considered one of the brightest stars in the industry, but he knows that he must always focus on the guiding principle that have allowed his family to endure, revolutionize, and dominate the turf industry – always keep ethics and relationships above all else in your quest to develop and manufacture the industries best artificial turf.  Quality may come first, but all aspects of your personal and professional success should reflect integrity.  

George and Mathew Avery founded Image Turf Corporation in 2006.  Image Turf Corp. represents the fourth Avery owned artificial turf company in 36 years.  Image Turf Corp. produces Toddler Turf™, which was the first playground turf to become ASTM rated for 15 foot drop zones (even though some of our competitors make false claims, Toddler Turf™ has been ASTM rated since 1999) and LEED Certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).  At Image Turf, we have always and we will continue to lead the industry in innovation and design, but we ultimately strive to lead the world in creating a more sustainable and healthier planet for the next generation... 

GEORGE AVERY - Founder

“George Avery, regarded worldwide as a pioneer in the Synthetic Turf Industry since 1972”
(Business Wire , 2000)          

 

George Avery’s nearly 40 year career in the artificial turf industry has included global installations, multiple patents, and the discovery of revolutionary manufacturing processes.  George started his career in the artificial turf industry in 1969 and he has owned, or been the CEO/President, of artificial turf manufacturing companies in the Rome/Dalton, GA area since 1972.  George’s patented process of adhering the backing to the fiber during manufacturing (thermal bonding) is used today in every tufted artificial turf style made.  His patent on multi-leveled tufting, is still the industry standard in the United States for tufted American football fields.  George played a major role in the evolution of the artificial turf industry throughout the seventies, eighties, and nineties.  George is noted as the first person to develop the “thatch layer” concept in artificial turf.  This thatch layer enables artificial turf manufacturers to use modern “infill systems” by retaining the infill inside of the turf.  This infill process allows the turf to be designed with authentic grass like properties – blades that look authentic, but are soft in texture. The following document is a short synopsis of George’s career highlights and progression.

George acquired V&L Industries Inc. in 1972.  At V&L, George developed his famous SuperTurf® product line and one of his two artificial turf patents – U.S. Patent# 4,426,415 (multi-level backing).  As the CEO/President of V&L Industries Inc. from 1972-1986, George manufactured, sold, and installed more than 130 artificial turf facilities throughout the world.  In 1975, George installed 50 artificial turf facilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  From 1976-1986 George had the honor of completing 50 sports fields (and road medians) for the General Presidency of Youth Welfare and the Saudi Arabia National Guard. 

George started his second artificial turf company in 1986 – AVCO Inc.  It was during George’s time at AVCO that he developed his second patent – U.S. Patent# 4,705,706 (thermal bonding).  This is the process of having stitches thermally bonded to the backing during the manufacturing of artificial turf.    George sold AVCO Inc., and his patents, in 1991 to Balsam AG Corporation, a German artificial turf company that had acquired the AstroTurf® line from Monsanto in 1988.  George was then named the CEO/President of Balsam AG North America.    During his tenure at Balsam AG (1991-1986), George employed over 150 employees and took Balsam AG’s artificial turf division from $400,000 (1991) in annual revenue to $15,000,000 (1996) in annual revenue.  Under George’s leadership, Balsam AG completed over 100 global sport field installations in the United States, United Kingdom, Asia (including China), France, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Australia, Russia, Pakistan, and Germany. 

In 1996, George Avery started his third artificial turf company, Avery Sports Turf.  At Avery Sports, George discovered his most modern concept – “Thatch Layering.”  Thatch layering is what created our most current, third generation of artificial turf.  Thatch Layering is a manufacturing process that creates the third layer of turf fibers responsible for holding the “infill system” inside of the turf.  Infill systems would not be possible without this layer.  This new generation has soft authentic-looking blades, but it is durable (8-10 year warranty) like artificial turf.  During his Avery Sports Turf years, George manufactured, sold, and installed over 10 million square feet of artificial turf per year.  In 2000 George sold Avery Sports Turf to Sports International Inc.

 

“The transaction includes the plant and equipment in Rome, Georgia. The operating facility is a brick and steel structure comprising over 200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand) total square feet with 66,000 (Sixty-Six Thousand) operating square feet on the first floor. Its equipment consists of four Tufting machines capable of producing the Finest Synthetic Grass Products in the world with a manufacturing capacity of 40 Million square feet per year.”
(Business Wire , 2000)

 

Bringing his four decades of innovation and experience to Image Turf Corporation in 2007, George is determined to make Image Turf Corp. his lasting legacy.  After inventing multiple patents in the past and having many proprietary developments underway, George’s prophecy doesn’t seem unrealistic.

 

Bibliography

Business Wire . (2000, February 22). In Sports International International Inc., Announced Today That They Have Officially Completed The Purchase of Avery Sports Turf of Rome, Georgia. Business Wire , 1 of 2.