A notable feature of CONICA floorings is that those who use them are often doing so at speed: for example, athletes competing in one of the many track and field stadiums around the world or players going head-to-head in an indoor arena. The components for all these world-beating flooring solutions are developed and manufactured in Schaffhausen. Conica AG Managing Director Chirag Shah is understandably proud of the company’s achievements: «Athletes around the world compete on our tracks and break records. That requires dedication and performance which also characterises our team of around 90 staff in our facility in Schaffhausen.» Components for the functional polyurethane floorings are produced and prepared for installation at the company’s plant in the Herblingen district of Schaffhausen. A key aspect of product quality is installation by specially trained staff who ensure a seamless and even finish. That’s how Conica AG ensures the exacting demands on its polyurethane surface coverings are met and guarantees high durability irrespective of the substrate, climatic conditions and frequency of use.

«We benefit from the supply of highly-skilled staff here in Schaffhausen. Without this, we would not be able to develop products at the level we achieve.» Chirag Shah, Managing Director

The company’s track surfaces are fast, so too the reaction time of the Conica team, as Shah explains: «The Development Department and Test Center are just a few metres apart. That means new ideas can be prototyped and move into production very quickly. As a result, we can respond to customer requirements and ensure high levels of quality with very short lead times. We benefit from the supply of highly-skilled staff here in Schaffhausen. Without this, we would not be able to develop products at the level we achieve. We also operate a highly automated production process which means we are very competitive in terms of price and delivery times. And we do it all with Swiss quality, of course.»

Conica: continuous product development 

Conica AG’s continuous product development is not just driven by responding to customer requirements, however. The company sets itself tough challenges and is constantly working to improve its products: «One example is our collaboration with a number of Swiss universities to identify further ways of improving our track and field event surfaces», Chirag Shah sets out. «At the same time, we are attuned to trends in our market, such as sustainability, and are working with sports equipment company Nike on a number of projects to explore how running tracks and playground surfaces can be made from recycled sports footwear.» The company is also working on new uses of its products, for example via cooperation with a leading US manufacturer of skate parks, where Conica AG sees an opportunity for its polyurethane surfaces to reduce the risk of injury.

«In Schaffhausen, the whole package works for us.»

Chirag Shah, Managing Director

Surface treatments for a range of settings

Interestingly, Conica’s polyurethane flooring solutions are also found in more everyday settings than the high-profile ones which host elite athletes. For example, the company's products are used in a range of recreational facilities from activity tracks to cycle lanes and playgrounds. You also find flooring made-in-Schaffhausen in industrial premises, in car parks and in public buildings and spaces. The Conica-system is ideal for the health sector, too, as flooring needs to be germ-free and avoid the build-up of static charge. Conica can handle the increasing demand for its polyurethane flooring because of historic and on-going investment in the plant at its HQ in Schaffhausen. The company has also undertaken a series of development projects which are benefitting its manufacturing capability. Chirag Shah is in no doubt that the network among the business community in Schaffhausen and support available to innovative businesses have also been a great help to Conica AG: «We are very happy with Schaffhausen as a business location and know we can depend on the support of the municipal and cantonal authorities. In Schaffhausen, the whole package works for us.»

Conica: deep roots in Schaffhausen

The production of polyurethane flooring in Schaffhausen has a long history: Conica has specialised in the development of polyurethanes and epoxy resins for more than 40 years, starting to produce high-quality liquid plastics for synthetic sport tracks in 1977. The company was taken over by the Degussa Group in 2004 and was later acquired by BASF. Following a number of restructurings within the company, the sports track and flooring activities division in Schaffhausen was bought by the Serafin Group in Germany in 2013 and launched as Conica AG.