Conti to expand circular tire efforts with Pyrum Innovations

HANOVER, Germany—Continental A.G. has signed an agreement with German waste tire pyrolysis start-up Pyrum Innovations A.G. to further expand its circular economy efforts in the tire industry.

As part of the deal, Continental's tire waste disposal subsidiary, Reifen-Entsorgungsgesellschaft (REG), will begin supplying end-of-life tires made by the manufacturer to Pyrum for recycling, Conti said in a March 14 statement.

The deliveries, it said, will start as early as March and will aim to further optimize and expand the recycling of ELTs with the long-term goal of developing closed-loop recycling concepts for tires.

The recent agreement builds on Continental's earlier investment in Pyrum, when it acquired a minority stake in the start-up in September last year.

Through collaboration with Pyrum, the German tire maker aims to establish a long-term circular economy concept, with the target of producing high-quality recovered carbon black for use in the production of new tires.

"In Pyrum we have found a partner who has developed a particularly efficient pyrolysis process," said Andreas Topp, head of materials and process development and industrialization at Continental Tires.

"Our goal is to recover valuable materials and high-performance raw materials on an industrial scale in the future," he added.

The recent collaboration is part of Continental's ambitious sustainability goals which include the production of tires using 100 percent sustainable materials by 2050 "at the latest."