Michelin, Murfitts in €16m project to recycle waste tires in UK

Stoke-on-Trent, UK – Michelin and UK tire recycler Murfitts have announced plans for the construction of a £14 million (€16 million) end-of-life tire (ELT) pyrolysis plant in Stoke-on-Trent.

As part of the process, Murfitts has submitted plans for a materials recovery facility at Micheli’s factory in Stoke-on-Trent, Murfitts announced 30 June.

The unit will employ the technology developed by Murfitts to process waste tires into recovered carbon black (rCB) and tire pyrolysis oil (TPO), while using the steam generated at the site to power Michelin’s production.

The project will involve Michelin supplying Murfitts with 12.5 kiltonnes per annum (ktpa) of ELTs for recycling, the equivalent of 1.35 million car tires.

While the exact timeline will be dependent on planning, the intention is for the plant to be operational by the end of 2026, Murfitts told ERJ.

As one of the largest tire recyclers in the UK, Murfitts currently reprocesses 20 million ELTs annually producing materials for a wide range of applications including sports surfaces and modified asphalt.

“We believe this plant could be a breakthrough in the life cycle of a tire,” said Mark Murfitt, founder of Murfitts Industries.

According to Murfitt, the company has been developing its pyrolysis process for “a number of years” and test results have shown some of the materials to “perform better than the virgin equivalent for some applications.”

For Michelin, the project will help reduce environmental impact and stay competitive by lowering energy costs, said Christina Peloquin, site director at Michelin UK.

“The team has worked exceptionally hard on this project, and we're looking forward to welcoming Murfitts to our Stoke-on-Trent site," she said.