This March, Puma Energy – an integrated energy company focused on oil products – reports that its bitumen business has announced its first successful demonstration of Puma’s new OLEXOCRUMB® crumb rubber binder on a public road.

A trial organised by Transport for Victoria saw the introduction of OLEXOCRUMB®, the most recent product innovation from Puma Energy’s Global Bitumen Technology Centre in Altona, Victoria (Australia). The new asphalt binder was trialled in close collaboration with Boral Asphalt, as part of the Boral/Puma technology program.

The company reports that OLEXOCRUMB® was specifically formulated to comply with existing Australian roads polymer modified binders (PMB) specifications.

As a hybrid binder, OLEXOCRUMB® combines both tyre-derived rubber with styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) and performs as strongly as conventional PMBs. The company asserts that meeting trusted existing specifications will give authorities and end users the confidence to use purposely designed crumb rubber in high-traffic applications. This, according to the group, will help grow the use of recycled rubber and subsequently reduce the environmental impact of end-of-life tyres.

Dr Erik Denneman, Puma Bitumen Technical Manager in Middle East and Asia Pacific, commented:

“We are committed to solving industry and governmental challenges and finding beneficial uses for waste tyres. Our asphalt binder solution incorporates 10% recycled tyre rubber and for every tonne of OLEXOCRUMB® binder produced – the equivalent of 15 passenger tyres will be recycled.

This trial is part of the effort to drastically reduce the volume of tyres accumulating in landfill sites across Australia.”

The production method for OLEXOCRUMB® results in negligible crumb rubber residue, meaning it can be used in the same way as conventional bituminous binders. “This can only be achieved because we have the support of industry-leading, advanced manufacturing equipment, which is unique to Puma Energy”, says Denneman.

According to Puma, the crumb rubber binder also includes warm mix additive allowing asphalt to be produced at lower temperatures, reducing the amount of emissions emitted and fuming on site. Monitoring these emissions during the trial with Transport for Victoria will be a key metric that is measured to ensure the safety of the workers. The asphalt pavement industry has an excellent track record for sustainability, as asphalt is 100% reusable. Reportedly, the OLEXOCRUMB® formulation responds to the sector’s drive to even more sustainable use resources.

Following the success of this initial demonstration, Puma Bitumen will offer this binder in Victoria and Queensland, and later this year in New South Wales.

About Puma Energy

Puma Energy is a global energy business which supplies, stores and distributes petroleum products in 48 countries across six continents. Founded in 1997, Puma Energy has its headquarters in Singapore and Geneva and regional hubs in South Africa, Puerto Rico, Australia and Estonia, and employs over 8,000 people globally.

Puma Energy reports that it has a network of 100 storage terminals, more than 3,000 retail sites, and a presence at over 80 airports. Puma Energy’s downstream activities include the distribution, retail sales and wholesale of the full range of refined products, with additional product offerings in the lubricants, bitumen, LPG and bunkering sectors.

In addition, the company provides a robust platform for independent entrepreneurs to develop their businesses, by providing a viable alternative to traditional market supply sources. Puma Energy operates a large fleet of asphalt specialised vessels and further owns and operates 28 asphalt terminals of 538kt capacity to service its worldwide customer base. For further information about Puma Energy, visit: https://www.pumabitumen.com/.

Article by Puma Bitumen.