PITTSBURGH (July 29, 2009)—Liberty Tire Recycling L.L.C., which claims to be the largest tire recycling firm in the U.S., has further expanded its reach by acquiring tire disposal firm Able Tire Co. L.L.C. for an undisclosed amount.
Able Tire will continue to operate under its own name, according to Bob Scarlata, president and chief financial officer of the March Group, the firm that coordinated the sale. Gary Humphreys, founder of Able Tire, will continue as that firm's CEO, managing Liberty Tire's considerable holdings in Texas as well as all Able Tire sites, he said.
Founded in 1993, Able Tire collects scrap tires throughout Texas and is the exclusive supplier of scrap tires as fuel for cement kilns in the state. It also landfills tires and provides used tires for sale, and it has operations in Houston, San Antonio and the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
Under the acquisition agreement announced June 26, Able Tire will supply scrap tires for Liberty Tire's operations in Dallas and Houston. Liberty Tire will use those tires to make finely ground crumb rubber for a wide range of applications, including rubberized asphalt, molded rubber goods, artificial turf, hoses, brake linings and truck tire retread compounds.
Scarlata declined to give employment figures for either Liberty Tire or Able Tire, but said employment at both companies will remain about the same.
Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Liberty Tire recycles nearly 25 percent of the scrap tires generated in the U.S., according to company publicity. It has a total of 14 facilities in Pennsylvania, Texas, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Indiana and Florida.