Pyrum starts supply of rCB to Schwalbe for new bicycle tires

Dillingen, Germany – Waste tire pyrolysis company Pyrum Innovations AG has started series delivery of recovered carbon black (rCB) to Ralf Bohle GmbH, manufacturer of German bicycle tire brand Schwalbe.

The delivery will close the loop “completely” for Schwalbe, which collects used tires  through its recently launched recycling system and supplies them to Pyrum for further processing, said the German recycler in a statement 28 Nov.

Schwalbe, said Pyrum, is now starting the production of the first bicycle tire to use rCB completely.

The tire is to be presented at the bicycle trade fair Eurobike in Frankfurt next June and will then be launched commercially to be available in stores. 

According to Pyrum, the rCB was delivered to Schwalbe as part of the commissioning of the company's pelletiser plant at its factory in Dillingen.

The pelletiser increases the transportability of the rCB and facilitates the further processing of the raw material, thereby increasing delivery volume “significantly”.

In addition to the start-up of the pelletising plant, Pyrum said it expected to start operations at the currently under-construction additional production lines in Dilingen in the first half of 2023.

Pyrum broke ground on the two new lines in October last year and expects to triple waste tire processing capacity at the site from the existing 7 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa) to 20ktpa.

As previously stated by Pyrum, the additional capacity will be supplied to commercial partners, which include BASF, Continental and Schwalbe.

Pyrum has developed a "100% energy self-sufficient" process to convert rubber granulate from end-of-life tires into pyrolysis oil, gas, and recovered carbon black (rCB).

"One of our declared goals is to achieve a circular economy concept for recycling used tires,” said Pyrum CEO Pascal Klein.

“Together with our partner, Ralf Bohle GmbH with its Schwalbe brand, we are now a big step closer to this goal in terms of bicycle tires,” he added.