News: Tire Recycling & Pyrolysis

UK-based Virdis Chemicals Ltd has acquired the rubber curatives and additives business of J. Allcock & Sons, a Manchester-based rubber recycler. This acquisition does not affect Allcock’s other business operations. The deal strengthens Virdis’ rubber chemicals portfolio by adding the Intercure® range of curatives for FKM, carnauba wax, and other essential rubber chemicals.

Pyrum Innovations AG has successfully completed the mechanical assembly of its new grinding plant in Dillingen. Developed by Hosokawa, the jet mill has an input capacity of 1,650 kg/h and an output of 1,350 kg/h, making it the world's largest grinding plant for recovered carbon black (rCB). The process recirculates unused material to minimize waste and enhance efficiency.

In 2024, Sunshine Coast Council launched a demonstration project to test the use of off-the-road (OTR) tyre-derived crumb rubber in road construction and repairs. Now, 12 months on, the results are in—and they reveal a promising future for this innovative material. The project not only confirmed that crumb rubber from OTR tyres can replace traditional crumb rubber in bitumen blends and asphalt mixes, but also provided valuable technical data on performance, constructability, and durability.

The Recircle Awards, organized by Retreading Business and Tyre & Rubber Recycling, has unveiled the final nominees for this year's event, recognizing sustainability and innovation in the tyre retreading and recycling industry. The shortlist includes four new award categories, with winners selected by the Nominations Committee, which consists of 13 independent industry experts.

Gradeall has reported record sales in the United States as more companies adopt advanced tire recycling equipment to cut disposal costs and meet environmental regulations. The surge in demand spans key markets like Texas, California, and Florida, where businesses are increasingly turning to Gradeall’s tire balers, sidewall cutters, and other machinery to process end-of-life tires efficiently.

This week, Tyrecycle's recycling facility in East Rockingham, located 40 kilometers south of Perth, received its first delivery of off-the-road (OTR) tyres from Alcoa’s mining operations.

Tyros B.V., a start-up specializing in end-of-life tire recycling, is set to launch a 2-hectare pyrolysis plant at the Port of Ostend, Belgium. Backed by €1 million in strategic ecological support from the Flanders regional government, the company is investing in an electric pyrolysis reactor capable of processing 9,125 tonnes of rubber granulate annually into recovered carbon black, pyrolysis oil, and syngas.

The German Tyre Retail and Vulcanisation Trade Association (BRV) has revised its general terms and conditions (AGB) recommendations for the first time since 2021, introducing key updates relevant to tire dealers, particularly in the retreaded tire sector. One major change is the elimination of the shortened one-year statute of limitations for retreaded tires.

Bolder Industries, a leading innovator in circular-economy solutions for rubber, plastic, and petrochemical industries, has secured a strategic investment from Tiger Infrastructure Partners. The funding will support Bolder’s expansion, including the construction of new tire recycling facilities in the U.S. and Europe.