Przemysław Zaprzalski, R&D Director at Poland’s Grupa Recykl, joins The Tyre Recycling Podcast for Episode 91. Przemysław sits down with Ewan Scott to discuss the company’s major success in commercialising tyre-derived materials for the road construction sector. He explains how controlling input tyre streams allows Grupa Recykl to produce high-purity, chemical-grade crumb rubber powders that meet exact viscosity demands, moving the industry past raw “sub-sieve” waste left over from standard granulation.
Przemysław also details the development of SMAPOL, a patented, pelletised reinforcement material clean-processed from 100% of the aramid, polyester, and polyamide textiles recovered during tyre recycling. Designed to replace weak cellulose agents traditionally used to stop hot bitumen drainage, SMAPOL stays inside the pavement structure as a dispersed, high-tensile matrix that extends road lifespans and reduces rutting by 40%. The discussion outlines their expanding manufacturing footprint into Sweden and their strategic shifts to professionalise distribution via major international players like Ingevity.
Dispersed Reinforcement & Standardisation: Przemysław Zaprzalski on Enhancing Bitumen Performance
Przemysław Zaprzalski covers all this and more in Episode 91. So please join us as we learn all about the latest technical advancements in the rubberised asphalt sector.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction to Episode #91 with Ewan Scott
1:00 Introducing Przemysław Zaprzalski & Grupa Recykl
1:15 Mechanical Tyre Recycling: Grupa Recykl’s 150,000-Tonne Collection Footprint
2:00 European Collection Infrastructure & Baltic Expansion Assets
2:39 Overcoming the Ambiguous Technical History of Rubberised Asphalt
3:27 Processing Breakdown: Field Blending vs Terminal Blending of Bitumen
3:58 Declining Bitumen Quality, Crude Oil Price Spikes, and Geopolitical Pressures
5:39 Challenging the Costs of Rubber Powderisation Feedstock
6:11 The Sub-Sieve Fallacy: Granulation Leftovers vs Intentional Powders
9:27 Polymer Breakdown: Controlling Passenger and Truck Tyre Proportions with Strabag
9:58 Standardising Progress: Establishing a Unified Polish Road Norm with the PKN
11:07 Far East Low-Cost Import Casings vs Premium European Tyres
12:34 Road Infrastructure Demands in Eastern Europe: Military Logistics vs Climate Resilience
14:35 What is SMAPOL? Replacing Weak Cellulose with High-Tensile Tyre Textile Pellets
17:35 The Structural Payoff: Dispersed Dispersed Textile Reinforcement to Limit Rutting by 40%
18:37 Overcoming Textile Recycling Barriers: Expanding Production Capacity to Sweden
21:04 Professionalising Distribution: Marketing Construction Products with Ingevity
22:04 The Cost-Benefit Sweet Spot: Outpacing Polymer-Modified Bitumen Parameters
24:09 Confronting Bureaucracy: Getting Conservative Highways Authorities to Change Habits
25:47 Poland Takes the Lead: Ewan Scott’s Closing Thoughts and Takeaways
