Plannex Recycling has partnered with French tire technology company REGOM to support the development of a closed-loop tire recycling model in India. The partnership will use REGOM’s AI-based tire identification and sorting systems to improve material classification, contaminant detection, traceability and downstream routing of end-of-life tires. The companies said the cooperation is intended to support a “from tire to tire” recycling ecosystem by helping Indian operators move from manual sorting toward data-driven processing, where tire streams can be directed toward reuse, retreading, mechanical recycling, pyrolysis or material recovery based on condition, composition and application suitability.

Partnership addresses sorting and traceability challenges

The companies said India’s tire recycling sector faces pressure from labor shortages, inconsistent manual sorting and safety risks linked to hidden contaminants. Manual tire sorting can make it difficult to maintain consistent output quality, while embedded components such as batteries, TPMS sensors, metal rim fragments and other materials can damage shredders, cause unplanned shutdowns and create fire hazards at recycling plants. Plannex and REGOM said the absence of digital traceability can also create compliance risks under extended producer responsibility systems, particularly where credit claims are inaccurate or difficult to verify.

REGOM technology to support automated tire identification

Under the partnership, Plannex will deploy REGOM’s automated AI-based tire sorting and identification systems for light vehicle tires as well as truck and bus tires. The technology uses AI vision systems to classify tires by type, condition and potential application. By automating the identification process, the system is designed to reduce subjectivity in sorting and improve the consistency of material streams entering tire recycling operations.

X-ray system targets hidden contaminants

The REGOM system also includes an integrated X-ray contaminant detection unit that scans tires before they enter shredding equipment. The unit is designed to identify hidden metal components, battery materials and other embedded contaminants that could damage machinery or create safety incidents. The companies said this can help reduce downtime, improve plant safety and limit worker exposure to hazardous contaminant-related events.

Data collection supports EPR compliance

The system automatically captures real-time data for every tire processed, creating a structured and time-stamped record of material flows. According to the companies, this audit-ready data can be mapped to extended producer responsibility portal requirements, reducing the risk of inflated or unverifiable credit claims. The data layer is expected to support greater transparency in tire recycling by linking tire identity, condition and processing route to downstream material outcomes.

Sorted tire streams can improve downstream value

Plannex and REGOM said certified sorting can improve the value of downstream tire streams by providing clearer information about quality and composition. Tires identified for reuse or retreading can be separated from those better suited for mechanical recycling, pyrolysis or other material recovery routes. Such classification can support higher-quality feedstock for applications including rubber recycling, crumb rubber production, recovered carbon black, tire-derived oil and other circular economy uses, depending on processing technology and market demand.

Companies cite move toward data-driven recycling

Yashraj Bhardwaj, Co-Founder and CSO of Plannex Recycling, said India’s tire recycling infrastructure has potential to scale but requires appropriate tools and systems. He said the partnership with REGOM will help move operations from reactive manual processes toward a verifiable, data-driven model where the quality of output streams can be demonstrated.

Arthur Wagner, Director of REGOM, said the cooperation creates a data backbone for a circular tire economy. He said identifying, tracking and routing each tire according to its condition and composition can make the tire recycling system more efficient and transparent.

System designed for RFID and digital product passport readiness

The technology deployed through the partnership is designed to integrate with RFID infrastructure and support Digital Product Passport requirements being introduced under the European Union’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation. The companies said this could help Indian recycling operators prepare for future international partnerships and regulatory requirements as global supply chains increasingly require structured lifecycle data.

Model to be scaled across sites and markets

REGOM and Plannex said they plan to scale the model across multiple sites and markets. The companies aim to build a connected recycling system in which tire identity, condition data and material destination are traceable throughout the process. The partnership reflects growing interest in digital tools that can improve sorting, compliance and material recovery in the tire recycling sector.

Article source: Business News for Profit.