keepitgreen.be
ENG
Platform for soccer and golf course managers.
Line marking can be much more circular, smarter, and more economical
Anyone who maintains sports fields has known this for a long time: innovations in line marking are not a luxury, but a necessity. Fields are being used more intensively, volunteers are becoming scarcer, materials are becoming more expensive—and meanwhile, the bar for sustainability is being raised higher every year.
In this reality, Expo-Line will take a major step forward in 2026 with the Tankunit Next Generation, a circular Bag-in-Box system that drastically reduces paint consumption, eliminates plastic waste, and reduces maintenance to almost zero. This is not a standalone innovation, but the latest step in an evolution that began more than twenty years ago.
In 2002, Expo-Line was the first player in Europe to introduce fixed tank units to soccer clubs. The idea was radically innovative: delivering paint in bulk and letting clubs tap what they needed themselves. The result? Less packaging, less waste, and a much more efficient workflow.
But pioneering work also comes with limitations. Temperature fluctuations, half-full tanks, condensation, oxidation, and bacterial growth made it clear that the technology would need to evolve over time. The foundation was solid, but the sector was ready for the next step.
Circular packaging only makes sense if the paint itself becomes much more efficient. That is why Expo-Line developed Brilliant Performance, now one of the highest-rated line marking paints in Europe. Groundsmen—including Luke Russell of Leicester City—particularly praise:
The effect is impressive. Clubs that used to consume 1,000 to 1,500 liters per season now often consume only 250 to 500 liters. However, this low consumption has created a new problem: traditional packaging has suddenly become the least efficient part of the line marking chain.
That is why Expo-Line is introducing the Next Generation Tank Unit in 2026: a fully circular system with a reusable outer container and a vacuum-sealed inner bag (liner) that does not allow oxygen to pass through. Advantages compared to IBCs and jerry cans:
The system is therefore the logical successor to the tank units from 2002—but circular, modular, and tailored to today's paint consumption.
The Next Generation Tank Unit does not stand alone. Together with Brilliant Performance, the E-Marker, Expo-Line's electric line marking machine with digital pressure control, forms a single integrated ecosystem. This gives clubs a line marking process that is accurate in dosage, economical in consumption, and reliable in line quality. Because the pressure and atomization are continuously monitored, lines remain consistent—regardless of weather conditions—and there is less waste. The data function also gives clubs insight into the number of lines, consumption, and efficiency, while maintenance is limited thanks to the diaphragm pump and unique spray technology.
The challenges facing sports clubs are real: rising costs, stricter sustainability criteria, pressure on volunteers, and fields that are used more intensively than ever before. A system that generates less plastic waste, reduces the physical strain on volunteers, causes less transport and CO2 emissions, and at the same time improves the quality of the lines, therefore offers direct added value. Clubs working with the prototypes describe the process as simpler, cleaner, and more consistent. It is a step forward that is in line with the reality of modern sports infrastructure.
The first clubs are now running with prototypes of the Next Generation Tank Unit. The feedback is remarkably unanimous: it is more intuitive to use, the environment stays tidier, and waste is drastically reduced. The official rollout will follow in 2026, via selected dealers and subscription formulas for clubs.
