Conti using Tyromer recycled rubber in tire production

WATERLOO, Ontario—Continental A.G. is using recycled rubber material produced by Waterloo-based Tyromer Inc. in the production of tires, the result of a multi-year collaboration between the two companies.

Tyromer, founded in 2009, said in a Nov. 14 news release that its rubber is produced via environmentally sustainable, non-chemical extruder devulcanization of end-of-life tire rubber that will cut carbon dioxide emissions from tire rubber compounds by more than 90 percent.

Tyromer was formed using an open innovation business model to allow it to collaborate with tire industry leaders, and the company said it has been working with Continental for several years to develop technology to allow ELT rubber to be reused in the production of new tires.

"Tire-to-tire recycling represents in many cases the most direct and energy efficient way to reuse what is still largely considered and treated as a waste," Tyromer said in its release.

Conti said that Tyromer is a trusted partner in supplying the German-based tire manufacturer with recycled rubber material, according to Andreas Topp, head of materials and process development and industrialization at Continental Tires.

"At Continental, we focus since many years on technologies that generate high-quality feedstock derived from end-of-life tires to produce new tires," he said in a statement. "Our goal is to gradually use 100-percent sustainably produced materials in our tire products by 2050 at the latest."

Tyromer said that tire rubber compound generates more than 80 percent of the CO2 emissions from raw material production for a tire. But the firm claimed that replacing virgin rubber with tire-derived polymer can cut those emissions by 90 percent.

"We could never have done it alone," said Tyromer CEO Sam Visaisouk. "Our collaboration with Continental Tires has taught us lessons in quality, reliability and consistency, among many others. We are grateful for the support and the guidance to tailor the specifications of our recycled rubber material according to Continental's specific needs."

The firms didn't give details on which tires will use the Tyromer materials and in what amounts.