Client: The Spartans Community Football Academy
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Distributor: CSI Products, Edinburgh
Products: COBAGRiP Stair Nosing / Gripfoot Conformable / Gripfoot Tape /
Logomat Precision
About The Spartans Community Football Academy
The Spartans Community Football Academy in Edinburgh is doing some incredible work for the local community, especially for more deprived areas in the of the city. Since 2008, The Spartans CFA – a social enterprise and charity – has been delivering programmes and initiatives that have a lasting positive social impact, with the goal of helping North Edinburgh thrive. They aim to “redefine what is possible for a football club in terms of community engagement and participation through the power of people and sport”. As a charity, profits are reinvested into much needed youth work, education as well as health and wellbeing programmes within the local community, with the aim of “changing lives through sport”.
The venue offers a range of football pitches for 5 a-side, 7 a-side and 11 a-side training, matches and recreational play, hosting all levels from youth to UEFA International Qualifiers (Youth Level). The Stadium Pitch is UEFA 2* and International Rugby Board (IRB) compliant and has capacity for some 3200 spectators, as well as a covered stand seating just over 500 people. There is also a function suite onsite available for a range of events, both sport and non-sport related.
The Project
Keeping the grounds and other facilities safe and smart is a priority for Spartans, which welcomes on average some 2500 visitors on a weekly basis. Achieving this, requires continual maintenance and refurbishment.
The Spartans CFA approached their local supplier and supporter, CSI Products in Edinburgh to help them out with some essential floor safety products. These were needed for general maintenance, but also because an important game against Liverpool FC was approaching which set a deadline for completion.
One area involved enhancing underfoot safety on internal and external stairs to reduce the risk of slips within the spectator stand overlooking the stadium pitch. Non-slip tape had previously been used on the external stairs but was in constant need of repair or replacement, so a more permanent solution was required.
The Solution
CSI has, for many years, supplied COBA Europe safety matting and flooring products. They have also been a supporter of The Spartans CFA for the last decade. CSI turned to COBA to make recommendations for the best solutions for Spartans’ flooring requirements.
These included COBAGRiP stair nosing to provide a safe footing for the external stairs leading up to the covered spectator stand; GripFoot Conformable and Gripfoot tape for the covered (internal) stairs and a bespoke Logomat mat for the main entrance.
“CSI have supported Spartans Community Football Academy over the past 10 years and have been delighted to be involved and donate to the club and its fantastic community activities. In recent years, we have supported work around the academy, donated to the Food Bank and provided much needed shelving, lockers and furniture for the Alternative School run by Spartans.
“It was great to be able to partner with our key supplier, COBA Europe, on this occasion to provide entrance matting and safety stair nosing, helping them get the stadium in tip top shape for the recent game against Liverpool FC. Spartans is an amazing charity helping to transform the lives of many young people in Edinburgh. We look forward to supporting them into the future,” says Robert Kennedy, Managing Director, CSI.
The Customer says:
“COBA products from CSI have certainly helped make our facility safer. They are first class products that will not only last longer, but they also look so much better. COBA’s standard of customer service is fantastic and we couldn’t be happier with the results,” says Debbi McCulloch, Business Operations Manager, Spartans CFA.
About the Products
COBAGRiP GRP nosing suitable for indoor and outdoor use, provides an effective, hardwearing solution to making stairs safer. The tough silicon carbide gritted surface helps to reduce slips, while the bright yellow colour provides definition for the edge of each stair and meets DDA requirements.
Gripfoot Conformable is a self-adhesive product available as tape, cleats or tiles. It has an abrasive grit-surface to reduce slips in wet conditions, and the foiled backing can be manipulated to sit flush to irregular surfaces, such as raised patterns on metal stairs.
Gripfoot Tape is an easy-install solution for underfoot safety, especially on stairs. As with Gripfoot Conformable, it has an ‘abrasive’ anti-slip top surface and self-adhesive backing which makes installation very straightforward.
Logomat Precision, manufactured by COBA Europe, is a premium quality custom-made to order floor mat featuring customers’ logos and bespoke designs. Each design component of the logo is precision cut with exceptional clarity using COBA’s robotic technology and inlaid into the mat, to produce a high-quality, very individual finish.
