AFP Courts, one of the world’s leading padel court designers and manufacturers, has announced a major expansion in response to this year’s ‘stabilisation’ of the industry after the ‘uncertainty’ of 2022.
AFP (All For Padel), has over 20 years’ experience in the sports industry and is a pioneer in the creation, development and production of adidas and redsport padel courts. This week, it has announced the opening of new 7000sq.m corporate headquarters and production plant in Les Franqueses del Vallès, Barcelona.
The new headquarters has been equipped with cutting-edge technology, including an automated electrostatic painting plant by coating, a double-track robotised welding cell with four servo-controlled tables, two monorail overhead cranes, a CANTILEVER FIFO stocking system and four simultaneous loading docks.
The pre-existing 3,500sq.m in nearby Lliçà de Vall has also been fully upgraded and equipped for the manufacturing of the metal structures, specifically to its mechanical design, manual and robotic welding and assembly.
The expansion has been prompted by what they call today’s ‘stabilised’ padel industry following the ‘boom’ of the sport in Europe during the pandemic. This boom was caused by many countries permitting padel during the Covid-19 lockdowns. People used it as a way of socialising during a time of widespread isolation, which prompted exponential growth during 2021, then what AFP call ‘general uncertainty in the investment markets’ in 2022.
Now, AFP state: “Today, with the industry stabilized, the trend is shifting upwards, which leads to a more sustainable growth in the sector.
“In response to high global courts demand during 2020, AFP COURTS undertook a first phase of expansion by temporarily adding production centres to its facilities. Subsequently, once a global market balance was reached and with a far-sighted approach, the second phase of expansion and stabilisation [has now been] executed.”
By the end of 2023, AFP COURTS has set itself two main objectives: to achieve 15% higher revenues than in 2022 (when turnover amounted to 17.7 million euros) and to consolidate its position in the industry in strategic markets such as the UK, Germany, France, South Africa, Mexico and the US.
With both objectives in mind, 7,000sq.m of the global 10,500sq.m space has been dedicated to different operational areas: corporate offices, technical and R&D department, logistics office and a large packaging and logistics area, two new showrooms for indoor and outdoor courts, the latter located on the roof of the building and which will turn into the new AFP Club.
Other spaces dedicated to staff wellbeing (currently 35 people) and different training areas have been set up for education and to conduct training for the staff, distributors and collaborators.
José Delgado and Jorge Caña, co-CEOs of AFP Courts, said: “The most important fact is that, with this investment, we now have 100 per cent control over the full production process, from design to shipping, with absolute supervision over R&D, product quality and traceability.”
