Synthos: ELT rubber powder to fill Russia, Green Deal gaps

O?wi?cim, Poland - Synthos expects a sharp rise in demand for powdered rubber from end-of-life tires (ELTs), as supplied via its collaboration with Tyre Recycling Solutions (TRS) of Préverenges, Switzerland. 

The synthetic rubber major obtained a minority stake in “scale-up company”  TRS following its acquisition of Trinseo’s synthetic rubber business at the end of 2021,” Synthos noted in a 14 April release.

Synthos and TRS, it stated, have since have made progress together in the market, including approvals from global tire manufacturers as well as “initial commercial sales” for tire applications. 

Moreover, the partners have seen a spike in interest in their TyreXol-branded recycled rubber, due largely to pressure on synthetic rubber and carbon black (CB) supplies since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Another important factor, they say, is around the EU Green Deal, with upcoming regulatory changes likely to mandate the use of recycled-content in tire production.

While Europe produces about 1,000 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa) of CB - in Germany, Hungary and Italy - it remains dependent on imports of CB and of the main feedstocks for this product. 

With total CB consumption in Europe estimated at 1,600ktpa, Russian and Ukrainian supplies account for about 38% of the market, said Synthos, noting that tire and rubber-product makers now need to find alternative supplies.

“We are faced not only with significantly higher demand for synthetic rubber from our strategic customers,” reported Matteo Marchisio, business unit director, Synthos Synthetic Rubber. 

At the same time, he added, “the tire market is increasingly looking to diversify its raw material supply strategy, especially in the area of sustainable alternatives, to structurally reduce its dependence on supplies from Russia and Belarus.”

In particular, the Polish group said the Ecodesign Regulation, recently announced by the European Commission, will help to accelerate market uptake of high-quality rubber powder from ELTs. 

With the upcoming legislative changes in the EU regarding a potential minimum content of recycled material in tires, rubber powder offers a good alternative, especially when available on a large scale, said Synthos.

“High-quality recycled rubber powder is a viable alternative to virgin material in high-performance rubber applications,” said Staffan Ahlgren, CEO of TRS, which aims to establish a total recycling capacity of over 200ktpa of TyreXol rubber powder by 2026.

“Our plan is to ensure a secure supply of recycled rubber powder in geographic areas close to our tire customers that fills the market gap [and] enables the industry to offer products with a smaller environmental footprint,” explained Ahlgren.