German end-of-life tire pyrolysis operator Pyrum Innovations AG (Pyrum) has started series delivery of recovered carbon black (rCB) to Ralf Bohle GmbH, manufacturer of German bicycle tire brand Schwalbe. According to Pyrum, the delivery will close the loop “completely” for Schwalbe, which collects end-of-life tires through its recently launched recycling system and supplies them to Pyrum for further processing.

Schwalbe, said Pyrum, is now starting the production of the first bicycle tire to use rCB completely. The tire is to be presented at the bicycle trade fair Eurobike in Frankfurt in June 2023 and will then be launched commercially to be available in stores.

According to Pyrum, the rCB was delivered to Schwalbe as part of the commissioning of the company's pelletiser plant at its plant in Dillingen.

The pelletiser increases the transportability of the rCB and facilitates the further processing of the raw material, thereby increasing delivery volume “significantly”. Pyrum broke ground on the two new lines in October last year and expects to triple waste tire processing capacity at the site from the existing 7 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa) to 20ktpa.

As previously stated by Pyrum, the additional capacity will be supplied to commercial partners, which include BASF, Continental and Schwalbe. Pyrum has developed a "100% energy self-sufficient" process to convert rubber granulate from end-of-life tires into pyrolysis oil, gas, and recovered carbon black (rCB).

Article by European Rubber Journal.