Conti, Pyrum convert Extreme E rubber into forklift tires

Hanover, Germany – Continental, in partnership with Pyrum Innovations, has converted Extreme E series racing tires into materials used in the production of ‘super elastic’ solid tires for forklift trucks.

The solid tires incorporate recovered carbon black (rCB) produced via Pyrum's pyrolysis of 300 CrossContact tires used in the 2022 Extreme E season, Continental announced 11 Dec.

“Since September 2023, Continental has been producing solid tires - whose main application is on forklifts - with rCB at its plant in Korbach, Germany,” the German tire major added.

According to the Hanover-based group, the project is part of its strategy to raise awareness about the “significant potential” of tire-pyrolysis technology.

Pyrolysis processes "will make an important contribution to increasing sustainability in the tire industry,” said Matthias Haufe, head of material development and industrialisation at Continental Tires.

Continental has set itself a target of using 100% sustainable materials for the production of tires and becoming carbon-neutral by 2050.

By then, according Haufe, the group also aims to achieve “60% tire-to-tire circularity”.

“Our goal is to use fossil raw materials evermore sparingly and at the same time further reduce our CO2 emissions,” the Continental manager added.

Continental’s CrossContact Extreme E racing tires for the 2022 Extreme E series are said to comprise up of 43% recycled and renewable raw materials.

These include silica from the ash of rice husks and polyester fibre reinforcement produced from recycled PET bottles.

The tire maker added that, with Pyrum, it aims to develop “processes that will continue to improve and expand the recycling of end-of-life tires through pyrolysis.”