The new partnership between California Sports Surfaces and Pickleball Australia will support pickleball growth throughout the country with fit-for-purpose courts using the latest in sports surface technology.
ANDOVER, Mass. – June 20, 2024 – California Sports Surfaces (CSS) has announced a new partnership with the Pickleball Australia Association (PAA), with CSS’ revolutionary CoolTop® Cool Pigment Technology being named the association’s preferred playing surface for new courts throughout the country.
CoolTop was designed to reduce acrylic sports court surface temperatures via solar reflectance, enabling athletes to stay cooler and play longer. Additionally, degradation of a sports surface and its base can occur via excessive heating and cooling, resulting in advanced weathering and degradation. CoolTop® supports the longevity of the facilities by preventing the pavement from warming up, reducing full life cycle costs and the need to continually replace assets. CoolTop is the most sustainable choice in acrylic coatings, reducing the impact of heat islands on the environment. Pickleball continues to skyrocket in popularity across Australia and around the world, it’s the perfect surface solution for newly built, fit-for-purpose pickleball courts everywhere.
“New, dedicated pickleball courts are a necessity as a wide variety of athletes continue to take up the game. It has become one of the world’s fastest-growing sports,” said Caroline Field, Vice President and General Manager, Australia and Asia Pacific, ICP Group, CSS’ parent company. “Together with PAA, we’re looking forward to helping grow pickleball with the right surface technologies.”
As part of the partnership, CSS will support Pickleball Australia when local pickleball clubs or recreation facilities are looking for assistance with new pickleball courts. Support includes access to CSS’ network of accredited applicators /contractors to assist local clubs in the painting of new and existing facilities. ICP Group will also support Pickleball Australia with technical advice and support when developing new or recoating court facilities.
Additionally, CSS will have a demonstration pickleball court at the 2024 National Sports Convention in Melbourne, Australia’s leading knowledge sharing and networking event for the play, recreation and sports industry. Here, eventgoers can see CoolTop® in action. As part of the activation, there will be demonstration matches from professional pickleball players and opportunities for visitors to learn pickleball rules, play on the demonstration court, and discuss court surfacing with the PAA and California Sports Surfaces team of experts.
“We’re excited about this partnership’s potential,” said Field. “Together, we’re looking forward to growing the sport with high-performance surfaces that players everywhere can enjoy for the long term.”
For more information about Pickleball Australia, visit www.PickleballAUS.org. To learn more about California Sports Surfaces, visit www.CaliforniaSportsSurfaces.com. To learn more about ICP Group, visit www.ICPGroup.com.
###
About ICP
Innovative Chemical Products (ICP) Group is a leading specialty chemical manufacturer in North America and provides coatings, adhesives and sealants globally. With operations headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, and multiple manufacturing facilities around the world, ICP serves multiple end markets, including building materials, specialty construction and sports surfaces. ICP is privately held and manufactures products under several recognized specialty groups. For more information, visit www.ICPGroup.com.
ICP is a portfolio company of Audax Private Equity.