May 20, 2010 - Everlast Sports Surfacing with Nike Grind on the Discovery Channel

October 22, 2009 - ECORE International renews FloorScore certification

ECORE International announced today that its recycled rubber products have received FloorScore certification, for a second consecutive year. FloorScore certification, developed by the Resilient Floor Covering Institute in partnership with Scientific Certification Systems, measures flooring systems according to the stringent indoor air quality criteria established by the state of California. Products that adhere to FloorScore standards are independently certified by Scientific Certification Systems for low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and qualify for use in California high performance schools. To meet California state VOC requirements (section 01350), FloorScore requires rigorous product testing. It also entails auditing of the manufacturing site, annual re-certification requirements, product records, and a tangible quality control plan from the organization.

“FloorScore certification represents our broader organizational commitment to quality at ECORE International; quality that extends beyond our physical products to include our contributions toward the sustenance of both personal and environmental health,” states Kathryn Ross, director of marketing and inside sales, ECORE International.

ECORE brands receiving certification include ECOsurfaces Commercial Flooring, Everlast sports surfacing with Nike Grind, PlayGuard safety surfacing, and QT Sound Insulation. Each brand has been certified under “Rubber Tile and Roll Goods” and will retain its current certification for one year, necessitating renewal in October of 2010. As representation, they have obtained registration number SCS-FS-01793.
For more information on FloorScore certification visit:
http://www.rfci.com/int_FloorScore.htm

7.14.09 - ECORE International Named Finalist in 2009 Best of the Web Awards

ECORE International will be recognized as one of three finalists of the “Manufacturing” category at Central Penn Business Journal’s 2009 Best of the Web Awards on July 27, 2009.

ECORE’s web site, www.ecoreintl.com, was selected by an independent panel of judges for its functionality and usability; information and content; visual design and creativity; technical innovation; and its overall user experience. ECORE’s website launched in November 2008 and features a unique scroll-down tabbed layout for easy navigation, a large variety of application photos, easy links to individual brand websites, and superior visual design.

“We are honored to be recognized by the Central Penn Business Journal for our efforts to provide an accessible, functional, and stunningly designed website for our customers.” Kathryn Ross, Director of Marketing, ECORE International.

The Best of the Web awards luncheon will be held as part of the Internet Summit event taking place on Monday, July 27, 2009, at the Radisson Penn Harris Hotel & Convention Center in Camp Hill, PA from 7:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. The summit will begin with morning presentations from web experts on topics including social media marketing, e-mail marketing, search marketing and SEO, web site design, as well as disaster recovery & security. During breaks, attendees will have the opportunity to visit and network with exhibitors. Following the presentations will be a luncheon and the Best of the Web Awards, where finalists will be recognized and the winners of each category revealed. Awards include several industry-exclusive categories, as well as “Best e-Commerce Process,” “Best Use of Technologies,” “Coolest Web Site,” “Web Site of the Year” and “Design Company of the Year."

The Internet Summit and Best of the Web Awards are programs of the Central Penn Business Journal and are sponsored by D&E Communications, Inc., Embarq, Maltese Process Management, and TECHQuest Pennsylvania. For more information or questions about either program, contact Colleen Jones from the Central Penn Business Journal at (717) 236-4300 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

For more information on the Central Penn Business Journal’s Internet Summit please visit www.centralpennbusiness.com/InternetSummit

5.16.09 - Another championship success for A-Turf

On Saturday, May 16, the Franklin & Marshall women’s lacrosse team claimed the Division III national championship, its second division victory in three years. The team faced off against fellow finalist Salisbury State in a riveting overtime battle to secure an 11-10 win. The women played with skill, drive, and passion under their first-time head coach Lauren Paul and were pushed on toward success by their elevated training standards and quality home field facilities. Both the Diplomat ladies and their opposing counterparts from Salisbury State University trained and fought hard all season on home fields made of synthetic turf from A-Turf that was installed to promote effective game play and help withstand rigorous athletic activity. Synthetic grass surfacing provider, A-Turf, a division of ECORE International, provided the home lacrosse fields for both Franklin & Marshall College and Salisbury University. At A-Turf a commitment to high quality, durable, and sustainable products is paralleled by a drive to see receiving organizations achieve health and competitive success. A-Turf supplies essential tools to enable athletes and organizations throughout the United States to realize their competitive goals and make a difference in the communities around them.

The Championship Franklin and Marshall women’s lacrosse team has trained and competed on an A-Turf field, propelling them to another success as Division III national champions for 2009. The team’s hard work and dedication has established them as competitive force to be reckoned with and a pride to both their school and surrounding community. ECORE International and A-Turf would like to congratulate both teams for their successful seasons and the lady Diplomats for their championship victory.

2.27.09 - Ecore Named AlwaysOn GoingGreen 50 Winner

Ecore International, manufacturer of ECOsurfaces Commercial Flooring, announced today that it has been selected to the 2009 GoingGreen East 50 Top Private Company List. The GoingGreen East 50 Award is given to private, emerging companies creating new business opportunities in green technology. Ecore International was selected by the AlwaysOn editorial team based on demonstration of growth, market opportunity, quality of innovation and customer traction. “As a company committed to environmental sustainability and product innovation, we are proud to be acclaimed as a leading green company by the GoingGreen East 50 Award. This recognition represents our continuing commitment of providing quality, sustainable and innovative products for a wide variety of applications.” Art Dodge, President, Ecore International Ecore International and the other GoingGreen East winners will be recognized at the GoingGreen East Conference at the Four Seasons in Boston, MA, March 9-11. This two-and-a-half day executive conference is co-presented and will feature presentations and high-level debates from CEOs, journalists, industry experts, investors and greentech executives. “The GoingGreen East 50 companies have demonstrated their tenacity even in the toughest economic conditions that the technology world has ever encountered,” said Tony Perkins, founder and editor of AlwaysOn. “We applaud their success in pushing the boundaries of innovation, creating market opportunities and transforming the industry even in the earlier stages of their businesses.”

The GoingGreen East 50 winners were selected from among hundreds of other technology companies nominated by investors, bankers, journalists and industry insiders. The AlwaysOn editorial team conducted a rigorous three-month selection process to finalize the 2009 list. A full list of all the GoingGreen East 50 winners can be found on the AlwaysOn website.

About AlwaysOn
ALWAYSON ignited the open-media revolution in early 2003 by being the first media brand to launch a global blog network. In 2004, ALWAYSON continued to lead the media industry in innovation by introducing a social network where members can connect and engage. ALWAYSON is also revolutionizing the media business by applying its open-media principles to its executive event series (Summit at Stanford, OnMedia, OnHollywood, GoingGreen East and West, Venture Summit East and West) and quarterly print “blogozine” by empowering its members to post and share their ideas and meet each other online. As our loyal readers know, ALWAYSON is committed to the free-market, merit-driven approach to reporting and event programming. No other media brand has dared to create such open interaction with its readers and event participants.

12/4/2008 - Partnership with NIKE, Inc. Gives Everlast Sports Surfacing a Foot Up in Fitness Flooring

Everlast Sports Surfacing has entered an exciting new sustainability partnership with NIKE, Inc. for 2009. Through this partnership, Everlast will begin incorporating Nike Grind rubber in its fitness flooring products which will be called Everlast with Nike Grind.

Everlast with Nike Grind combines raw materials made from Nike’s recycled athletic shoes including out-sole rubber, mid-sole foam and various other shoe components with premium, recycled tire rubber.

“This partnership gives our customers the best of all worlds,” said Brad Drexler, chief marketing officer for ECORE International, maker of Everlast products. “The opportunity to combine Everlast’s products, already the top brand in fitness flooring known for its durability and large color assortment with Nike’s Grind rubber, creates a surface capable of meeting the increasingly higher sustainability standards of facility managers, designers and architects.”

Everlast has been the leading brand in sports surfacing for more than a decade. Its long-lasting recycled rubber floors are found in gyms, fitness centers and athletic facilities coast-to-coast. While it is best known for its durability, low life cycle costs and broad range of color options, its green side has been less understood, until now. In addition to a high recycled content, Everlast products also meet stringent indoor air-quality testing requirements for low-emitting building materials, qualifying them for use in schools and other high-performance buildings.

Initial feedback from customers has been outstanding. “Interest in this product has been incredibly strong, bolstered by the addition of Nike’s Grind rubber product and the line’s level of highly recycled content,” said Drexler. Due to its many positive environmental attributes, Everlast products can contribute points toward the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. Based on LEED criteria, Everlast products can assist specifiers by potentially contributing towards earning up to seven LEED points.

Everlast flooring is made in the United States from recycled tire rubber and colorful EPDM flecks that contain approximately 20 percent post industrial scrap. By using Nike Grind rubber in Everlast Sports Surfacing products, nearly 500,000 pounds of by-products will find a higher value reuse than may have otherwise been possible.

As North America’s largest user of scrap tire rubber, ECORE salvages more than 80 million pounds of scrap tire rubber from landfills each year, converting them into durable product solutions for commercial, industrial and architectural applications

11/20/2008 - Everlast Sports Surfacing named Best Flooring and Surfacing Supplier of 2008

Everlast sports surfacing has received the 2008 Nova7 Award as Best Flooring and Surfacing supplier. Now in its fifth year, the Nova7 Supplier Awards competition, created by Fitness management magazine, is the only reader's choice award in the fitness industry — recognizing suppliers for their outstanding products and services.

“We are very pleased to receive the 2008 Nova7 award. The fact that we were singled out and selected by fitness facility owners, directors and managers - the very people who use our products and live with them every day - makes this honor particularly rewarding,” said Robert Dougherty, general sales manager, surfacing.

Everlast products were praised as a durable, flexible and versatile sports surfacing solution that adheres to demanding environmental standards. Made from recycled rubber, Everlast sports surfacing delivers stamina and style for today's athletic club. Available in a selection of 28 cutting-edge color combinations for rolled goods and tile dimensions, 12 UltraTile colors, plus custom color and logo capabilities. Utilizing the latest technology, Everlast delivers color vividness, low odor and a smooth finish. Its superior resilience and durability will outlast most traditional fitness flooring options, resulting in less replacement costs, saving time and money.

Because of their positive environmental attributes Everlast products have the potential to contribute toward earning up to seven points under The United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, they are FloorScore certified and meet the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) criteria (Section 01350) for indoor air quality in classrooms as described in the State of California's Department of Health Services Standard Practice.

“By combining superior performance, cutting-edge style and eco-friendly materials, we have become the fitness industry's most popular choice in sport surfacing,” said Dougherty. “We have long believed that listening closely and responding to our customers needs, using state-of-the-art technology and exercising responsibility for the environment in new product development is what sets us apart from the competition.”
Fitness Management is the magazine for owners, managers and program directors in physical fitness facilities. Founded in 1985, the magazine publishes 12 issues per year with editorial content emphasizing facility management and preventive health care. Fitness Management also publishes an annual Buyer's Guide with listings of the industry's suppliers, and runs the annual Nova7Awards competitions, which recognize fitness facilities and suppliers for innovative

9/17/2008 - A-Turf teams up with Louisville Slugger

A-Turf, a leading synthetic turf field builder is taking America’s favorite pastime to a new level of play by introducing A-Turf Louisville Slugger - a synthetic grass system.

By building upon its knowledge of developing and building proven and reputable synthetic turf athletic fields, A-Turf has developed a surface ideally suited for baseball and softball. By slightly modifying the rubber and sand infill ratio and fiber pile height, the A-Turf Louisville Slugger surface delivers a high performance field that matches the unique ball roll and bounce of natural grass during play. A-Turf is the exclusive synthetic surfacing partner of Game Time Sports Systems, LLC, which holds the licensing rights to the 124 year old, legendary Louisville Slugger brand.

Synthetic turf isn’t just for the “grass” areas either. Synthetic grass, in a color to simulate dirt or clay, is often used for the “infield” areas providing a natural ball response throughout the field. With synthetic fields, permanently inlaid white turf for foul lines, batter’s boxes and coach’s boxes eliminate the need to repeatedly paint or chalk the field.

A-Turf’s dense, plush systems have the most fiber strands per square yard – a claim no other synthetic turf field builder can make. An increased amount of fibers means less movement of the infill components, resulting in greater consistency and durability. The porous system allows games to be played during and immediately following heavy rains.

Synthetic grass fields have several green benefits. The rubber infill is made from shredded and cleaned scrap tire, making the system eligible for LEED credits. Synthetic grass never needs to be watered, fertilized or mowed – all negative impacts on the environment.

“Being selected to team up with the Louisville Slugger brand, the leader in the baseball industry, to develop and build a synthetic surfacing option, specifically designed for baseball and softball, is a huge compliment and a great acknowledgement of our commitment to deliver quality products and to stand behind every field we install,” says Jim Dobmeier, President & Founder of A-Turf.

A-Turf has long partnered with schools and park districts across the country, providing premiere athletic surfaces for multiple sports including football, soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, baseball and softball.

A-Turf and sister company, Surface America,are headquartered in Cheektowaga, NY. A-Turf sets the standard in the synthetic grass industry, creating and installing athletic surfaces for colleges, universities, schools, and park districts across the nation. Surface America is recognized as the playground surfacing leader, developing and installing surfacing systems for playgrounds, as well as trails & pathways, gymnasiums, fitness facilities and specialty areas. For more information visit www.aturf.com or www.SurfaceAmerica.com

Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Game Time Sports Systems provides specialized grounds keeping products used by professional sports teams, schools, municipalities and youth leagues. Game Time will work with A-Turf in developing the A-Turf Louisville Slugger business distribution network. Game Time’s licensing partnership with Hillerich & Bardsby Co.’s Louisville Slugger brand brings additional strength to its products. Louisville Slugger is a registered trademark of Hillerich & Bradsby Co. For more information visit www.gametimesportssystems.com.

5/23/2008 - ECORE International Attracts $29 Million Equity Investment

ECORE International, a leader in manufacturing and marketing innovative, environmentally sustainable products and solutions for the global marketplace, has received $29 million in equity financing from Element Partners, a Philadelphia, Pa., based venture capital fund. Element Partners invests in high-growth companies with clean technology solutions to global resource and environmental constraints.

The investment will accelerate ECORE’s domestic and global expansion as well as support continued development of new products and partnerships on the cutting-edge of sustainability. As North America's largest user of scrap tire rubber, ECORE recycles 80 million pounds of tire rubber each year, helping conserve more than 1 million barrels of oil in the process to convert pliable treads into durable products for the construction, consumer, commercial, industrial, sports, fitness and recreation markets.

With a range of products made from cork, cork/rubber and recycled rubber, ECORE’s portfolio of brands includes national market leaders such as ECOsurfaces commercial flooring, Everlast fitness flooring, QT sound insulation, and PlayGuard playground safety surfacing. Its subsidiary units, A-Turf, SurfaceAmerica and SpectraTurf are leaders in the playground surfacing, gymnasium and fitness flooring, specialty surfacing and artificial turf industries.

“We are entering an extraordinarily exciting period in the life of our company,” said ECORE President and CEO, Arthur Dodge. “Long before green products were fashionable, we were developing energy-efficient, lower-cost manufacturing systems to produce environmentally sustainable products for a number of markets. Our corporate tradition is rooted in doing what's right long-term for the environment. That’s not only the right thing to do to conserve global resources, it is smart business.”

The company has maintained a relationship with Nike Corporation since 1993 through its Nike Grind program. As part of this effort, Nike collects manufacturing scrap, and worn athletic shoes from consumers via a global recycling effort, and processes them into raw materials used in sports surface manufacturing. ECORE blends this raw material with premium recycled tire rubber to create matting and a unique underlayment for poured urethane floors.

“ECORE is a leading company and experienced innovator in identifying and exploiting low cost waste feedstocks that can be converted to high value products which compete against traditional petrochemically derived materials,” said Michael DeRosa, Managing Director at Element Partners. “They have a profitable and growing business with diverse end market applications and attractive potential growth opportunities through new products. We see great potential in companies that have demonstrated these capabilities.” “Today’s announcement proves what Governor Rendell always knew -- there are great companies worthy of investment in all corners of Pennsylvania,” said DCED Secretary Dennis Yablonsky .

ECORE also recently announced an agreement with Laticrete International, a global leader in manufacturing systems for the installation of ceramic tile and stone, to distribute its QT sound control products in markets outside of North America. The partnership will dramatically increase distribution for the product line which is made with recycled rubber.

“With a growing number of people around the world having greater buying power, increasing demand for new products, and rising energy prices, it’s more important than ever that we take advantage of sustainable practices,” said Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen McGinty. “Pennsylvania is national leader in making recycled and remanufactured products. Businesses that put used materials back to work in new products gross more than $18 billion in annual sales and employ 81,000 people. This exciting partnership between ECORE and Element Partners will help grow this industry, as ECORE can leverage these new resources to expand their environmentally sound product lines, reach new markets, and help us protect our natural resources.”

About Element Partners Element Partners is a leading investor in the clean technology sector. Their strategy is to identify and support companies developing promising solutions to economically important resource constraint problems. Their specific focus is on products, services and technologies in the energy and power, water, environmental, materials and chemicals, and manufacturing and industrial sectors. Element’s team has managed over $600 million in five clean technology funds and has completed over 45 investments in the sector. These investments range from early stage investments in developing companies to buyouts of established companies.

5/20/2008 - ECORE Expanding Its Business into Global Markets

After twenty years of developing a solid and successful North American business, ECORE International has begun to aggressively expand its distribution of high quality, sustainable surfacing products to the larger, global market.

ECORE International is a leader in manufacturing and marketing innovative, environmentally sustainable products and solutions. With a range of products made from cork, cork/rubber and recycled rubber, ECORE’s portfolio of brands includes national market leaders such as ECOsurfaces commercial flooring, Everlast performance flooring, PlayGuard playground safety surfacing and QT sound insulation, to name a few.

“As the ‘green’ revolution circles the world, so will ECORE by establishing relationships with reputable distributors and representatives worldwide,” said Laura Dodge, Director of International Sales. ECORE’s global sales efforts have recently introduced ECOsurfaces commercial flooring and Everlast sports surfacing to markets in Africa and Asia.

Optima Furniture Co. Ltd, Shanghai, www.optima-furniture.com, a manufacturer of high end commercial furniture and distributor of Italian designer commercial furniture has signed on to distribute ECOsurfaces. In South Africa, ECORE just secured PolyFlor-PolySales in Edenvale, www.polyflor.co.za, throughout South Africa and Namibia. ECORE is in discussions with additional distributors in Eastern Europe, Australia, and Chile to distribute ECOsurfaces and Everlast performance flooring.

ECORE products have been very well received and international sales are expected to continue to grow. The vast selection of colors and patterns offered by the ECOsurfaces commercial flooring line, opens the door for distributors in foreign markets to now capitalize on a larger variety of application areas such as retail, corporate, institutional, health and fitness, indoor and outdoor. Both ECOsurfaces commercial flooring and Everlast sports surfacing offer the ability to produce custom colors, graphics and logos; an exciting design option not readily available to many international customers until now.

ECORE’s QT sound control products have already gone global. Nearly 2 million square feet of QT impact sound insulation is being used in the Burj Dubai Tower in the United Arab Emirates. When finished in 2009, the Burj Dubai tower will stand as the tallest building on Earth. ECORE has also recently announced an agreement with Laticrete International, a global leader in manufacturing systems for the installation of ceramic tile and stone, to distribute its QT sound control products in markets outside of North America. This partnership will dramatically increase distribution for the QT product line.

ECORE International representatives will be on hand at the NeoCon World’s Trade Fair, June 9 – 11, 2008 at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago, IL. Visit us at booth 7070 on the seventh floor, hear more about international distribution opportunities, see our latest designs for ECOsurfaces commercial flooring and learn how ECORE’s environmentally friendly products can help meet your design and building needs.

For international sales inquiries please contact Laura Dodge, Director of International Sales at 717-824-8207 or via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

1/1/2008 - North America's Largest User of Recycled Tire Rubber Goes Global

Dodge-Regupol announced today that the privately held business with roots that date back to the mid-1800s has taken a new name - ECORE International, and has broadened its strategic and geographic focus.

The company has operated as Dodge-Regupol since 1989, and prior to that as the Dodge Cork Company. As North America's largest user of scrap tire rubber, the organization has made a thriving business out of finding creative ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. It manufactures innovatively designed cork, cork/rubber and recycled rubber products, which had primarily been distributed in the United States.

Although the company is best known for its recycled rubber products sold under the ECOsurfaces commercial flooring and Everlast sports surfacing brands, it has a diverse portfolio of successful products and businesses. The company produces sound control products under the QT brand, load securement materials under the Transmat name, home gym flooring under the Training Ground brand, equine pavers under the PaveSafe name, and playground safety surfacing under the PlayGuard brand. Its subsidiary units, A-Turf, SurfaceAmerica and SpectraTurf, are leaders in playground surfacing, gymnasium flooring, fitness flooring, specialty surfacing, and artificial turf industries.

With a new name, and growing global appetite for products that are environmentally friendly, ECORE has its eyes set on expanding its leadership as a provider of sustainable materials and systems for global markets. "We recognize that sustainable products and processes form the core of what we already do," said ECORE President and CEO Arthur Dodge III, whose great, great grandfather founded the Dodge Cork Company more than 100 years ago.