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Allianz Zukunft Reifen (AZuR) initiative aims to promote and utilize the potential of retreaded tires for environmental protection. Backed by the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU), AZuR refutes common stereotypes about retreaded tires with recent studies and scientific facts. Modern technologies are used in the production of retreaded tires. Despite technological progress, prejudices persist, but AZuR is striving for an image change and would like to establish retreaded tires as the standard.

The Alliance of Future Tires (AZuR) together with representatives from the press, the Federal Environment Agency, the DBU and the Ministry of the Environment visited the modern Michelin retreading plant in Homburg at the beginning of December. The plant retreads up to 620,000 truck and bus end-of-life tires every year. For AZuR network coordinator Christina Guth, the Michelin factory is proof that the "retreading of commercial vehicle tires is a promising, forward-looking concept that not only works economically, but also ecologically and socially."

German AZuR has announced it had been nominated for the German Sustainability Award 2024. The German Sustainability Award 2024 (Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis), Europe's biggest award for environmental and social commitment, will be presented for the 17th time in 2024. This award recognizes pioneering contributions that are shaping our future more sustainably.

The Alliance of Future Tires (AZuR) is continuing to drive cooperation in the field of end-of-life tire recycling. Since 2020, the AZuR network has been working to make tire disposal more cost-effective and environmentally friendly. For ten months, the network was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), and since June 2021, it has been self-funded under the auspices of the WDK. There are currently 43 diversified partners in the network.

At the Tire Technology Expo from March 19th to 21st, 2024, the Allianz Zukunft Reifen (AZuR) initiative impressed with numerous technical presentations in the conference program and with the large international turnout at the AZuR booth and the clear presence of the topics of Circular Economy and Sustainability throughout the event, confirming the network's efforts towards a sustainable tire circular economy.

The initiative Alliance Zukunft Reifen (AZuR) presents itself as a pioneer in tire circular economy at the heart of the "Circular Economy" theme at THE TIRE COLOGNE 2024. From June 4th to 6th, 2024, the international tire and wheel industry will gather at the fair in Cologne to showcase new developments in the field of tires and rims. This year, for the first time, there will be a dedicated section for the "Circular Economy" theme on the platform. 16 AZuR partners will inform visitors about all segments of sustainable tire circular economy at the joint stand in Hall 7.

AZuR network coordinator Christina Guth moderated a kick-off meeting of authorities, road construction companies, science and research, as well as the tire and recycling industry representatives that decided to found an official project group on the subject of rubberized asphalt. The Alliance Future Tires (AZuR) network wants open up funding opportunities and commission studies in order to install significantly more rubber asphalt in the future. In this meeting, the project group discussed the current status, obstacles, objectives and how to proceed, explore the potential of rubber-modified asphalt and shape the future of an infrastructure.

The second AZuR colloquium at the TH Köln Gummersbach campus brought together 18 scientists to discuss innovative methods and possibilities for recycling end-of-life tires (ELTs). Scientists from various universities and institutes presented current studies and research projects in areas such as microwave-assisted devulcanization of rubber, ecosystem development for a circular tire replacement business, and the activation of rubber waste for secondary raw material production.

The German AZuR (Allianz Zukunft Reifen – “German Tyre Future”) – an organization engaging in the design of end-of-life tire management practices – has initiated a study on end-of-life tires in the country. From retreading to tire pyrolysis, the research by AZuR will examine at different components of end-of-life tire value chain, including tire collection and recycling. The goal is to discover the actual facts pertaining to the reality of waste tire management.