Continental partners Pyrum Innovations to recycle carbon black from old tires

The partnership also involves ongoing development to integrate rCB into Continental's tyre production, enhancing sustainability and recyclability in the industry.

Dillingen ,Germany —Pyrum Innovations AG and Continental have signed a framework agreement for the long-term purchase of Pyrum's recovered Carbon Black (rCB). The agreement covers the rCB purchase quantities for at least two Pyrum plants, with a term of ten years.  Continental will also supply Pyrum with end-of-life tyres. In addition, Continental has agreed to make an advance payment for future rCB deliveries.

Mr.Pascal Klein, CEO of Pyrum Innovations AG, said, “The expansion of our collaboration with Continental is a very important step for us. To enable Continental to use our rCB in the series production of car tyres in the future, we are continuously working on its further development as part of a development partnership. Together, we have already succeeded in ensuring that all newly produced forklift tyres at the Continental tyre plant in Korbach, Hesse, contain our rCB.”

Mr.Jorge Almeida, Head of Sustainability at Continental's tyre division, said, "Recycled raw materials are becoming increasingly important in our tyre production. For us, the end of a tyre's service life is just the end of its current use phase. Our aim is to continue to use products, components and materials sensibly after the first utilisation phase. We can only increase the recyclability of our products if we rethink. The end of a tyre's service life must become the beginning of a new opportunity. Together with Pyrum, we are developing highly efficient processes to return as many components and materials as possible from a used tyre back into our production cycle."

The new Pyrum plant is to be built in Perl-Besch on the Moselle by the end of 2025 and will double Pyrum's recycling capacity from 20,000 tonnes to 40,000 tonnes of end-of—life tyres. The final application documents for the early start of construction are currently being prepared and are expected to be finalised and submitted by the beginning of August 2024. Once the application documents have been approved, the ground-breaking ceremony will take place at the new site in Perl-Besch. Construction is currently scheduled to start at the beginning of October 2024.