Pennsylvania-based rubber flooring manufacturer Ecore International plans to invest $25.5 million to open a regional manufacturing facility in Ozark, Alabama, where it will create 84 jobs.

Ecore specializes in transforming reclaimed materials into high-performance flooring and surface products. The privately held company based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is the largest converter of reclaimed rubber in North America, and its largest raw material is scrap truck tires.

“Ecore is a great addition for Alabama’s business community, and its decision to locate an advanced manufacturing and recycling facility in Dale County will have a major economic impact on the rural area,” said Alabama Governor Kay Ivey. “This project in Ozark will bring good manufacturing jobs to the citizens there and spark new opportunities throughout the region.”

As part of the project, Ecore is purchasing an existing building in Ozark, which it will equip to reclaim the rubber from used truck tires and use the rubber to manufacture flooring and surfacing products.

Ecore CEO Art Dodge said, the company is pleased to be partnering with the city of Ozark, Dale County and the State of Alabama to establish the world-class manufacturing and recycling facility.

“Since its inception, Ecore has transformed over 2 billion pounds of rubber waste into surfaces that make people’s lives better. All Ecore manufacturing facilities are certified ‘Zero Waste’, amplifying the company’s commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Dodge.

“Ecore invests in more than its facilities — we invest in our people and in our communities because we believe that when our people and our communities prosper, we prosper,” he added.

In 2021, the company upcycled over 100 million pounds of truck tires — equivalent to approximately 1 million truck tires destined for landfills or illegal dumps — into high-value manufactured products shipped nationally and internationally.

Markets for Ecore products include nursing homes, hotels, fitness centers, recreation centers, retailers and schools.

“Its new tire recycling and manufacturing facility in Dale County will help this impressive company extend its mission while also providing good-paying jobs for citizens there,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce.

Press release by Ecore International.