SMG Machines has been building sports field equipment in Germany for more than 50 years. In early 2024 the company opened its first direct U.S. subsidiary in Dalton, Georgia, moving parts, service, training, and customer relationships onto American soil.
The location was chosen on purpose. As General Manager Steve Pizzi puts it, “Dalton made a lot of sense for us. It’s the synthetic turf capital of the United States.” Contractors in the region can stop by for a machine, a repair, or a single part.
Pizzi came to the role after nearly 25 years in collegiate athletics, managing facilities and capital projects at schools including Villanova and the University of Colorado, followed by a stint running a synthetic turf maintenance division for a New England contractor. He ran SMG machines daily before he sold them.
The Dalton site works as a stocked warehouse and service hub, with new machines arriving weekly from Germany. Refurbished units carry a one year warranty, and a trade-in program supports customers moving up to newer models. Parts for common machines can ship the same day.
Training comes with the equipment. First-time operators get an on-site day with the SMG team covering operation, upkeep, and which spare parts to keep on hand. The U.S. team is four people, deliberately lean, with growth tied to market demand.
