CSRC, Sheico to establish ‘largest’ rCB plant in North America
1 Jun 2024
US facility will have capacity for 30ktpa of recovered carbon black, 35ktpa tire pyrolysis oil, and 2.3ktpa steel wire
Taipei – China Synthetic Rubber Corp (CSRC), the Taiwan-based parent of Continental Carbon Company (CCC), has unveiled plans to establish one of the largest recovered carbon black (rCB) plants in North America.
The project, in partnership with Sheico group subsidiary Eco Infinic Co. Ltd, will be located at the original site of CCC’s plant in Phenix City, Alabama, said CSRC’s announcement.
Slated to start up in 2026, the facility is to be operated by a joint venture, 65%-owned by a Thai-based Eco Infinic, with CSRC and CCC jointly holding 35%.
Under the project plan, the US plant will have an annual capacity for 30,000 tons of rCB, 35,000 tons of tire pyrolysis oil, and 2,300 tons of steel wire.
Current global production capacity for tire-grade rCB is well below that needed to support the net-zero goals of tire producers, said CSRC, noting that less than 1% of carbon black used in new tires comes from recycled tires.
The group went on to cite industry data forecasting the global rCB market to be worth $492 million in 2023, representing an estimated compound annual growth rate of 34.8%.
According to CSRC, its Yilan, Taiwan-based partner Sheico is “among the few companies internationally that possess the capability for mass production of rCB at a high quality.”
Sheico is a global manufacturer of wetsuits and water sports apparel that ventured into waste tire pyrolysis to develop eco-friendly materials for its products.
“The Thai government recognises this initiative as a model project for the circular economy, with an annual processing capacity of 35,000 tons of waste tires that is still expanding,” said CSRC.
CSRC’s developments in this space also include its recently introduced ‘Ouroboros’ technology: an ‘eco-circular’ carbon black that utilises rCB and pyrolysis oil from waste tires, reincorporating them into the production process.’
The performance of the ‘eco-circular’ carbon black is close to virgin carbon black, claims CSRC, pointing to its adoption by tire manufacturer Cheng Shin for use in bicycle tires.
