News: Tire Recycling & Pyrolysis

Carbon black has been used since ancient times in China and Egypt, yet today it remains a high-tech material worthy of scientific interest. This is due to the numerous ways it can be engineered to serve as an essential component in a variety of everyday products – from paint and textiles to tires, power cables and batteries. To explore both the fundamentals and the latest innovations, Orion S.A. scientists have authored a new resource: “Carbon Black” in the Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology Online, available via the Wiley Online Library.

Smithers’ highly regarded Recovered Carbon Black (rCB) Conference is returning to Asia in 2025! This year’s event will take place on 4–5 September in Bangkok, Thailand, with an option to attend online for global accessibility.

The European Commission launched an investigation to assess whether anti-dumping measures are warranted on imports of tyres for passenger cars and light lorries from China. The launch follows a complaint from the EU tyre industry, which alleged that dumped Chinese imports are harming EU tyre producers. The tyre industry directly employs 75,000 people across fourteen EU Member States, and feeds into the EU’s considerable automotive industry.

Prismore Capital, BDI-BioEnergy International GmbH, and JR New Horizons (the investment arm of the Rieckermann Group) have joined forces to acquire Grupo BB&G’s advanced tire pyrolysis technology. The acquisition includes patents, operational know-how, a demonstration plant located in Portugal, and an existing collaboration with major industry players, including Bridgestone EMEA and Versalis (ENI).

Scandinavian Enviro Systems (Enviro) has renewed a delivery agreement concerning pyrolysis oil from the Åsensbruk facility with a leading American oil company. The ISCC EU certified oil will be used by the oil company for the production of biofuel. The order accounts for 100% of the annual production of 750 tons of ISCC EU certified oil at Åsensbruk and the oil company has expressed a demand for substantially larger volumes.

The AZuR network had a strong showing at the 2025 Recircle Awards ceremony in Bologna, taking home seven awards. The international expert jury recognized AZuR partners Genan, Marangoni, and Italmatic for their innovative solutions in retreading and tire recycling. In addition, AZuR network coordinator Christina Guth received the Women’s Award for the Tyre Retreading Sector. “This award is a recognition of the commitment of all AZuR partners in recent years to advancing the circular tire economy,” said Guth at the awards ceremony.

The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) and its members express strong support for H.R.3401 to strengthen domestic tire retreading. The bill, reintroduced by U.S. Representatives Darin LaHood (R-IL) and Emilia Strong Sykes (D-OH), proposes tax credits for fleet purchasers of American-made retreaded commercial tires, aimed at strengthening domestic manufacturing, job creation, and sustainable tire solutions.

Weibold is pleased to announce our participation in this year’s Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) Briefing Day, taking place on Tuesday, 16th September 2025. As a Vienna-based consulting company specializing exclusively in end-of-life tire (ELT) recycling and pyrolysis since 1999, Weibold last contributed insights at the 2023 edition of the event.

Bolder Industries Belgium, an affiliate of US-based Bolder Industries, LLC, the circular solutions provider for the rubber, plastics, and petrochemical industries, formally signed a landmark €32 million grant agreement with the European Commission’s EU Innovation Fund, one of the world’s largest funding programs supporting the deployment of innovative, low-carbon technologies at scale. The grant award was confirmed following rigorous due diligence by the EU Innovation Fund and will support the construction of Bolder’s new, state-of-the-art facility in Antwerp, Belgium. This milestone further solidifies Bolder's position as a global leader in circular economy solutions and supports the company’s continued expansion following a transformative growth investment by Tiger Infrastructure Partners earlier in the year.