VTTI, Pyrum to establish major waste tire processing plant

Rotterdam, The Netherlands / Dillingen, Germany – Energy storage and infrastructure company VTTI and Pyrum Innovations AG are to jointly develop a tire recycling plant at VTTI’s Antwerp Terminal (ATPC).

The partnership deal announced 26 Feb covers the construction of an end-of-life tire (ELT) ‘thermolysis’ plant with a processing capacity of up to 90 kilotonnes per annum of ELTs – implemented in two phases of 45ktpa.

VTTI will hold full ownership of the plant, with Pyrum acting as the development partner, providing its proprietary and patented thermolysis technology, said the joint statement.

Dillingen-based Pyrum’s thermolysis process will transform waste tires into valuable by-products, including tire pyrolysis oil (TPO) and recovered carbon black (rCB).

According to the German company, it was selected as the development partner due to its “advanced, proven thermolysis technology and successful track record of industrial-scale operations in Europe.”

The project is part of VTTI’s strategic plans to expand its infrastructure footprint in sustainable energy solutions, towards achieving 50% of its earnings from transitional and sustainable energies.

Describing the ELT processing plant as “a key milestone in diversifying its portfolio,” VTTI said it aims to develop similar plants across its existing sites worldwide.

“By integrating cutting-edge thermolysis technology into our existing infrastructure, we are not only diversifying our energy portfolio but also contributing to the circular economy,” said Guy Moeyens, CEO of VTTI.

For his part, Pascal Klein, CEO of Pyrum Innovations AG, said the collaboration with VTTI “marks the next important milestone in modern tire recycling and offers great potential for the future.”

With the construction of Pyrum’s largest recycling plant to date, “we are collectively making a strong statement for the circular economy in Europe,” added Klein.

The new plant will be situated at ATPC within the Port of Antwerp and Bruges (PoAB), one of Europe’s key industrial hubs and home to the largest integrated chemical cluster in Europe.

VTTI Antwerp’s position within the PoAB “ensures connectivity through an extensive pipeline network and proximity to both upstream and downstream industrial hubs,” said the joint statement.

Furthermore, it noted, the location provides close access to Europe’s largest ELT markets, including Germany, the UK, and France, making it an ideal site for a large-scale recycling initiative.

VTTI has already allocated land at its Antwerp site for the project, and preparations for the permit application process are underway, with market consultations about feedstock and offtake of TPO and rCB to follow.

With the signing of the contract, Pyrum will now start the engineering phase, during which the plant design for a capacity of 20ktpa of ELTs will be revised and expanded.