The European Rubber Journal reports that Bolder Industries has secured an additional €1 million in funding from the Flemish government in Belgium to support the development of its planned tire recycling and pyrolysis facility at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges.

The latest funding package supplements the €32.3 million grant previously awarded through the European Union Emissions Trading System (ETS) Innovation Fund, managed by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA).

The Antwerp project will be Bolder Industries’ first industrial-scale facility in Europe and is expected to play a significant role in the recovery of materials from end-of-life tires.

Large-scale tire recycling capacity planned

According to the company, the facility is designed to process approximately six million end-of-life tires annually once operating at full capacity.

The project is expected to produce around 18,000 tonnes per year of recovered carbon black (rCB), which will be marketed under the BolderBlack brand.

The facility is also expected to generate approximately 21,000 tonnes annually of tire-derived oil through the company's pyrolysis process.

Recovered carbon black is increasingly being evaluated by tire manufacturers and rubber producers as a circular alternative to virgin carbon black used in rubber compounds and industrial applications.

Focus on circular economy and sustainability

Bolder said the recovered carbon black produced at the site is expected to have a significantly lower carbon footprint compared with conventional carbon black production.

The project aligns with broader European efforts to increase material recovery, reduce waste, and expand circular economy solutions within the tire and rubber industries.

Advanced tire recycling technologies such as pyrolysis can recover valuable materials from end-of-life tires, including recovered carbon black, tire-derived oil, steel, gas streams, and pyrolysis char.

These recovered materials are increasingly being incorporated into sustainability strategies across the rubber, chemicals, and manufacturing sectors.

Construction planned for 2026

Bolder Industries expects construction of the Antwerp facility to begin during 2026, with commercial operations targeted to start in 2027.

The company estimates that the project will create more than 50 direct jobs and contribute to emissions reduction efforts over the coming decade.

The development further strengthens Belgium’s position as a growing hub for tire recycling, recovered carbon black production, and circular manufacturing initiatives within Europe.

Article source: ERJ.