INNOVATIVE WATER SOLUTIONS TAILORED TO SPORTS AND GOLF SECTORS

In sports and golf, irrigation and drainage management plays a crucial role in maintaining optimal playing conditions. Due to climate warming and associated extreme weather conditions, this has become a major challenge. Ever since 1966, Smits BV from the Dutch town of Veldhoven has been meeting that challenge. The family business has been a specialist in innovative water solutions for almost sixty years. We visited general manager Jan P. Smits.

How it all began...

The roots of Smits BV lie in 1966. In that year brothers Henk and Jan Smits started constructing sprinkler systems and performing well drilling. Originally, the company was active in the agricultural sector. In recent decades the scope expanded to innovative water solutions for the industrial and sports sector. In 2002 Smits BV came into the hands of the second generation, with managing director Jan P. Smits at the helm together with two nephews.

"Since 1976 - the year with the iconically hot summer - we have been active only in irrigation systems for sports and golf facilities and the agricultural and horticultural sectors," Smits confirms. "Our annual turnover is almost equally divided between both sectors, where we strive to maximize the cross-pollination of new ideas within our field of expertise. This is immediately one of the strengths of our family business: thanks to a flat structure, our 65 employees - each with their specific expertise and experience - exchange a lot of innovative ideas that literally and figuratively trickle down from one niche to another. This makes for an inspiring work environment, from which our customers ultimately reap the benefits." 

Expert advice in water management

At Smits BV, a dedicated sales and consulting team of five employees helps each customer make the right choices when it comes to water management. "With separate sales managers for sports and golf, we are the ideal partner for administrators of sports associations and golf clubs who want a professional approach to the maintenance of their turf and other sports facilities," says Smits. "In doing so, we offer numerous modern sprinkler solutions, from well systems and pumps to sprinkler systems and advanced water treatment techniques. Think for example of de-ironing, aerating, filtering and softening of source water."

Extensive assortment

Rolling out all these solutions successfully obviously requires reliable machinery and parts. Smits BV's product range is impressively long, from pump sets, nozzles and hoses to PVC fittings, valves and sensors. For this wide range of solutions, the family business counts on some major manufacturers. 

"We have been working with some of them for more than half a century," Smits said. "Thanks to this bond of trust, we are perfectly attuned to each other and have built up a large stock of spare parts. 

Our customers greatly appreciate that we are always on the ball. In fact, we often receive exciting suggestions from them for the development of new applications. This regularly provides us with great leads for pilot projects with manufacturers."

New trends and evolutions

That substantive interaction between professionals, Smits BV and manufacturers creates a win-win situation for all parties. "And it ensures that we keep pace with new trends and evolutions in our field," Smits points out. "For example, we have been a trendsetter for years in the development of smart irrigation systems. This advanced technology uses sensors, weather data and automated control systems to accurately measure and regulate the water needs of sports facilities and golf courses. This results in more efficient water use and minimizes waste."

There is also a growing focus on sustainability. "Many irrigation and drainage projects use rainwater harvesting and reuse systems, reducing dependence on precious drinking water. In addition, our manufacturers use environmentally friendly materials and techniques to minimize ecological impact."

Finally, there are innovations in drainage design and materials. Smits explains, "Advanced drainage systems provide faster drainage of excess water, allowing playing surfaces to recover faster after rainfall. New materials offer better water permeability, extending the life of sports and golf infrastructure. Moreover, more and more customers are looking for solutions to capture and reuse excess water as much as possible to save water during dry periods."