Contributed photo / AstroTurf is made in the company's Dalton, Ga., manufacturing facility.* Company: AstroTurf Corp.
* Headquarters: Dalton, Ga.
* Owner: Germany-based SportGroup Holdings
* Product: AstroTurf for athletic fields and SYNLawn for landscape use
* History: AstroTurf borrows its name from the Houston Astrodome, where it was first used in a professional sports venue 50 years ago. AstroTurf was bought last year by SportGroup Holdings after AstroTurf LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Bankruptcy reorganization was sought after a court granted a $30 million judgment against the company stemming from a patent infringement lawsuit brought by rival FieldTurf USA.
* Production changes: AstroTurf is merging all its manufacturing under one roof as it moves to meet rising demand for its products, officials say. Sales have jumped by 40 percent so far in 2017 and it's undertaking a multimillion- dollar investment in equipment. The consolidated AstroTurf production facility on Callahan Road in Dalton is equal in size to about seven football fields, according to the company.
* Sales: AstroTurf North American revenues are in excess of $300 million, the company says. Looking ahead, the company is expecting rapid growth domestically and abroad, with plans to expand operations to Europe, India and Asia.
* Employees: More than 400.