Doublestar builds smart plant for scrap rubber recycling

Zhumadian, China – China’s tire maker Doublestar broke ground on its smart plant for scrap rubber recycling in Zhumadian, Henan province last December, the company told ERJ.

Located in the city’s Runan county, the site covers 200,000 square-metre total area with €77 million (600 million yuan) investment earmarked, and will be able to handle 200,000 tonne scrap rubber annual when in full operation.

The site contains two phases, each including 100,000 tonne annual capacity. Phase one is scheduled to come on stream by the end of 2018, Doublestar told ERJ.

It claims to be the world’s first “Industry 4.0” site for scrap rubber recycling, with smart technology used in processes such as sorting, rinsing, drying, conveyance, pyrolysis and storage. The plant also boasts zero emission using Doublestar’s own waste treatment technology.

In 2016 China had 15 million tonne scrap tire, said the company. With machinery developed by Doublestar, the site will be able to fully recycle scrap tire, generating primary oil, carbon black, steel wire and gas, the last of which will be used to fuel the plant.

The new site will be the first step of Doublestar’s expansion into the scrap rubber recycling sector. The company plans to build three additional sites as well as a research centre, although more details are not disclosed.