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Industrial equipment distributor Bliss & Reels is entering the recycling equipment market and aims to take on one of Australia’s largest waste streams in partnership with French manufacturer MTB
Bliss & Reels has a wealth of experience in supplying, commissioning, and servicing a variety of production machinery for steel, concrete, asphalt and timber industries.
Now it’s using its expertise to help create a smarter, greener Australian economy. The company is entering a new era, partnering with French recycler and recycling equipment manufacturer MTB.
Martin Kesselring, Managing Director Bliss & Reels, says the strategic move comes on the back of regulatory changes in Australia’s waste and recycling landscape and aligns with the company’s vision for resource recovery.
“We’ve got to stop looking at waste as waste, instead treating it as a valuable resource,” Kesselring says.
“With other countries no longer accepting our rubbish, and the Australian Government introducing waste export bans, it creates a lot of opportunity here in Australia.”
Stefan Reiling, Business Development for Recycling and Automation, says secondary mining of metal and copper from Australia’s “mountain” of waste tyres is an ideal introduction into the industry.
Reiling will head Bliss & Reels recycling division, working closely with MTB to bring its containerised solutions for tyre recycling to Australia.
He says one of the attractions of MTB is that it not only manufactures recycling equipment for metal recovery but operates its own nonferrous recycling plants.
“The idea thatMTB carries out practical production is very attractive,” he says. “They use the machines they develop.”
MTB’s range of equipment extends from full recycling lines to turnkey and compact lines but it’s the recycling line in a container that Reiling believes will be suited to the Australian market.
“It’s a range of ready-to-use lines made up of a series of MTB machines contained in one or various containers,” he says.
“It’s plug and play. When we talk to customers about their recycling challenges, this seems like a good solution, especially for remote areas.”
MTB continually expands its equipment range to provide a variety of solutions for all types of waste. New equipment is designed to respond to market challenges and to perfect solutions.
“Innovation is really a key factor for us,” explains MTB Sales Manager Romain Doeppen. “We take our role of advising our customers very seriously, so that together we can design the most technically efficient recycling lines, but also the most profitable and energy-efficient.
“The evolution of our range and the integration of new technologies enable us to meet ever more complex demands.”
Ragn-Sells and technology developer Inrigo are mutually investing in technology capable of recovering raw materials from rubber in worn-out tyres
“If we are serious about building a sustainable society, we must use the resources we have already extracted, over and over again. In this case, we are developing advanced technology with the aim to enable tyre manufacturers to replace virgin oil with recycled raw materials, said Pål Hansen”, CEO at Ragn-Sells Dekkgjenvinning AS.
Pyrolysis technology makes it possible to break down tyre rubber into reusable raw materials. This way, old tyres can replace fossil alternatives in manufacturing as well as the climate-intensive practice of incinerating disused tyres. The raw materials extracted can also be used in, for example, asphalt; an application with similar effects of mitigating emissions which is also suitable for lower quality products.
“Ragn-Sells has committed to providing circular solutions ensuring that a minimum of two million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions is prevented as early as 2030. Putting recycled resources from worn-out tyres back on the market is an important step toward this goal”, said Hansen.
Every year, around 140,000 tonnes of tyres no longer in use are collected in Sweden and Norway. Today, they are typically incinerated to provide energy for cement production. For this reason, investing more in pyrolysis technology has the potential to save large emissions.
“Only together with our partners can we create the best circular solutions. The collaboration with Inrigo will enable us to make use of waste in a sector where material recycling has previously been a challenge”, added Hansen.
The Ragn-Sellsand Inrigo collaboration is currently at a pilot stage and will gradually be scaled up in the next year. The project has received a grant from Innovasjon Norge, Norway’s governmental programme for supporting sustainable growth and innovation.
Footnote: This Norwegian government support comes at a time when similar projects in the UK are struggling to find that support
Toyoda Gosei says it is doubling its rubber recycling capacity at the Morimachi Plant in central Japan to accelerate the recycling of rubber used in automobiles
Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. Has announced that it is doubling its rubber recycling capacity at its Morimachi Plant in central Japan to accelerate the recycling of rubber used in automobiles.
Toyoda Gosei said it began operations of its first recycling line in 2021, using its proprietary devulcanisation technology that can recycle rubber products into high-quality raw materials.
A second line is now being put into operation that will double the previous rubber recycling capacity to 1,200 tons annually. The new line, which is scheduled to start mass production in 2025, incorporates improved technology to raise the quality of the recycled rubber. This enables to increase the percentage of recycled material mixed into new material from several percent up to 20 per cent, which is with this almost all of the waste from opening trim weatherstrips manufactured at the Morimachi Plant can be recycled, Toyoda Gosei said.
Going forward, Toyoda Gosei states it will collaborate with automakers and other bodies to lead the world in rubber recycling.
Tana Oy is pleased to announce a new distributorship with GMC Engineering Co., Ltd. in Thailand
Based in Bangkok, GMC Engineering is an international trading and service company specialising in waste management solutions, with a focus on municipal solid waste, industrial waste, and the waste-to-energy sector. With decades of experience as a distributor and after-sales partner for waste management machinery, GMC is well established in the industry.
This collaboration allows GMC to distribute TANA recycling machines and landfill compactors throughout Thailand.
Enviro has received MSEK 17.6 in additional milestone compensation of which half is in shares in the joint venture company
Scandinavian Enviro Systems has received MSEK 17.6 in compensation from the joint venture company after achieving a second milestone linked to the construction of the plant in Uddevalla. Half of the compensation consists of cash and the other half of shares in the joint venture company.
Fredrik Emilson, CEO Enviro.
“The compensation is linked to progress at the site but also to completed procurement of critical equipment”, says Fredrik Emilson, CEO.
The compensation is received after achievement of the second of several predefined milestones linked to the construction of the site in Uddevalla. As previously communicated, Enviro will continuously receive compensations linked to the achievement of certain predefined milestones. As Enviro also previously announced, the company will communicate individual transactions linked to these compensations.
The compensations linked to the milestones will consist of half cash and half shares in the joint venture company until a certain share compensation cap is reached. Once the cap is reached, the compensation will continue in cash only.
Enviro’sstake in the joint venture company will fluctuate in pace with the capitalisation process for the joint venture. As Enviropreviously communicated, current ownership in the joint venture will be communicated with the frequency that follows from current accounting requirements, however at least once a year in connection with the year-end report.
Enviro has an option that gives the company the right to buy into the joint venture company for an ownership stake that ultimately corresponds to approximately 30 per cent. Enviro intends to exercise this option in full.
Leonoticias celebrated the third edition of its Agro Awards with trophies made from recycled rubber and aluminium, highlighting its commitment to sustainability and the use of waste from the sector itself
In the heart of the province of León, where livestock and agriculture are the backbone of rural life, the Agro Awards have celebrated for the third year their recognition of those who sustain the vitality of this important sector.
Organised by Leonoticias, this annual event seeks to pay tribute to the great professionals of the countryside. These protectors of the countryside, through their daily work, are the driving force of a legacy that nourishes both people and the planet.
What made this edition held in Boñar unique was the heart of Leonese agriculture and livestock represented in the presentation of sustainable trophies, a conscious commitment to closing the circle of production and recycling. These awards, designed by the Leonese brand Neusus Urban, are made from recycled rubber from end-of-life tyres, an innovative solution that transforms industrial waste into valuable objects.
It is a symbolic tribute to this sector; the tyres of tractors, harvesters and other agricultural machinery that have reached the end of their useful life are returned to the hands of farmers in the form of these trophies.
Known under the name “Twist“, they rest on a base made of recycled aluminium, obtained from the recycling of cables from agricultural machinery which, after being processed, are reincorporated into the industry in the form of high-quality aluminium and copper shot.
This choice by Leonoticias not only underlines the importance of the circular economy, but also returns to the agricultural sector a part of the resources it produces and consumes in the form of a tribute. In addition to recognising the work of these professionals, these trophies are a tangible testimony of the commitment to sustainability and responsible management of resources. Each one reflects the dedication not only to work in the field, but also to the protection of the environment and the reduction of waste. By choosing this type of award, Leonoticias becomes a pioneer within the province, being the first media outlet to give out awards of this type, thus aligning itself with the values of a more conscious and environmentally friendly future.
This event highlights how the agricultural sector, so essential in our lives, can be an example of circularity, where yesterday’s waste is transformed into tomorrow’s achievements.
Mars Mineral has named Matt Sylvester project manager/technical sales to further develop the company’s operations
Sylvester brings with him over 16 years of experience in production management (PM), logistical planning, and customer relations.
Before joining Mars Mineral, Sylvester was operations manager at Forney LP., a construction materials testing equipment company. His PM, lean manufacturing, and supply chain oversight expertise complements Mars Mineral’scommitment to providing industry-leading pelletising solutions.
President of Mars Mineral, Clayton Woodward, said, “We are thrilled to have Sylvester join our team. His extensive experience and dedication to quality-driven processes will be instrumental as we continue to innovate. Sylvester’s hands-on approach and focus on customer satisfaction align with our mission to provide top-tier solutions in pelletising technology.”
Birla Carbon, one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of high-quality carbon-based solutions, has released its 12th annual sustainability report titled – Sustainability In Action
The 2024 report highlights the company’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 through substantial advancements in Continua™ Sustainable Carbonaceous Material (SCM) and prioritizing the focus on its net zero 4Rs strategy – Research, Reduce, Replace, and Repurpose to achieve lower carbon emissions.
Sharing his thoughts on the release of the report,John Loudermilk, President & CEO, Birla Carbon, said, “In our 12th annual sustainability report, ‘Sustainability In Action,’ we reflect on our journey over the last year on our progress as a company, driven by innovation in sustainability. Looking ahead, we are excited about the opportunities to further grow our company with a focus on sustainability”. He further added, “This year, we have made significant strides in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting circularity, and enhancing energy systems through strategic acquisitions like Nanocyl. These initiatives not only contribute to a sustainable future but also align with our customers’ evolving needs in critical industries”.
Joe Gaynor, Chief Legal, Sustainability, and Risk Officer, Birla Carbon, said, “We are excited to embark on the next chapter of our sustainability journey with our ‘Share the Future’ strategy. This approach is grounded in innovation and corporate social responsibility, allowing Birla Carbon to fulfill its aspirational commitments and those of its stakeholders. By embodying these principles, we are integrating sustainability into the mainstream conversation around corporate stewardship and responsibility, and by doing so, we continue to ‘Share the Strength.’”
Key highlights of the report –
ISCC Plus certification for all 16Birla Carbon plants
Set interim greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets to reduce Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions intensity by 22% by 2030
Continua™ SCM was recognized with a Gold Award at the Aditya Birla Group’s 7th Sustain-Ability Conference in 2024
Achieved a 40% reduction in its total recordable incident rate (TRIR), emphasizing its strong safety culture and commitment to zero workplace incidents
The 2024 report covers the full scope of Birla Carbon’s global operations and shares an analysis of performance against the ‘Share the Future’ sustainability strategy. The 2024 report states the various targets Birla Carbonhas achieved during the year to fulfill its sustainability goals and establish its leadership in the industry for the years to come.
Green Rubber Recycling Company is the eco-friendly part of Almailam Group, which is the biggest distributor of car products in Kuwait
However, after sixty years of being in business, there is also a big responsibility to take care of people and the Earth, according to Engineer Waguih Moenes, the Technical Manager of the company’s tyre recycling factory.
Engineer Waguih Moenes, the Technical Manager at Green Rubber Recycling
Engineer Waguih added; “We decided that seeing piles of scrap tyres grow was not acceptable to us. We are now working hard to achieve our goal of a circular economy. Almailam Group has been a top company in Kuwait’s car business for almost sixty years, our story is about hard work, love for what we do, and not giving up. The group started as one tyre shop, and now we are a well-known name in retail and corporate distribution. We have built our success with hard work, good quality, fair prices, a committed team, and the support of our loyal customers.”
Engineer Waguih Moenes explained that Almailam Group was the first operator to start waste tyre Recycling in Kuwait, that was in the year 2013. The objective was to give the waste tyres a new life, so the board of Directors chose Alghara area due to its near to old tyre symmetries. The area of the factory is ten thousand square metres; this includes the production line area in addition to a huge area for storage.
“The journey was filled with challenges,” added Eng. Waguih. “Numerous mistakes were made and difficulties faced, like equipment and product failures, working at very high temperatures, also because this was a new experience for us, it came at the cost of learning and understanding, which led us to finally make it succeed.
“At Green Rubber Recycling we shred totally the tyre and isolate the different components, rubber, steel and fibre. Steel and fibre go into other recycling applications. Most of the machines originate from Germany, the material additives “the Binder” the Rubber Binding material, is from Swiss origin. We trust in high technology,” added Eng. Waguih. “The labour power is sixty people, split between technicians and administrative employees. The energy implemented is only electrical energy, and it fully conserves the environment.
Green Rubber Recycling’s insulation rolls
One of Green Rubber Recycling’s most important products is rubber crumb, which is utilised to form an assortment of flooring applications, which can be used in playgrounds, nurseries, car parks, walkways and medical applications. The operation also generates fine rubber powder, which is used as a filler in select sorts of rubber fabrication. In terms of sustainability, rubber flooring as a fabric is eco-friendly and recyclable, with a very minor effect on the environment. The company’s product is Green Rub Play, produced under the strapline, “Now safety is child’s play,” with which the company is saying the fear of falling and hurting oneself ought to never get within the way of play.
“When it concerns our children, we need to assure their utmost safety and wellbeing,” confirmed Eng. Waguih. “At Green Rubber Recycling Company, we have actualised rigid measures for each phase of the fabrication procedure. The MDI Binders are premium quality, and crumb rubber is carefully chosen and sorted by size, much obliged to our modern technological laboratory equipment. To avoid injury our rubber tiles are subjected to thorough testing using the TRIAX Impact testing system, the most superior technology in this field worldwide. TRIAX 2015 framework is completely compliant with universal benchmarks, for the measurement of Shock and Head Injury values (DIN EN1177 and ASTMF-1292), and is known as the benchmark in the testing of surfaces in playgrounds and sports fields. The HIC (Head Injury Criterion) test is one of the most successful test to estimate the likelihood of head damage happening from surface impact, and the related critical top height, this help us choose the tile thickness.
“Our second product line is called Green Rub Infill,” Eng. Waguih continued. “The expansion of new generation sports turfs, and the need for proficient sporting facilities, has led to an increase in high quality fields in difficult climates, at low operational and maintenance costs. Our product applications are classified into; kids’ play areas, sports and fitness halls, parking and walkways, health and wellness, animal flooring, synthetic turf infill, shooting ranges, private homes, and noise reduction flooring. Lately we have presented two new products. Firstly, “Green Rub Auto”, is the best choice for a longer enduring tyre, for cars that are parked for long periods of time. Our second new product is the Rubber Insulation Sheets which incorporate “Noise Reduction Technology”. This premium technology was designedto reduce noise transmissionfrom foot activity and hardware in multistore buildings.
It is always important to discuss marketing issues with the Recycling Factory Official, so Eng. Waguih explained that Green Rubber Recycling sell their products locally in Kuwait, and export to all Gulf states, due to special commercial ties between the GCC countries, and as their product is needed in those countries.
“At Almailam Group, Green Rubber Factory managed to handle all challenges from the beginning,” explained Eng. Waguih, this enables us to concentrate in Research and Development and explore new markets.”
Asking Eng. Waguih to summarise company’s vision, mission and core values, he explained that “our mission is to build a business that positively contributes towards minimising waste. Our dedication to the ecosystem is an important part of our business ethos. Our vision is to make Kuwaita leader in producing innovative green products from recycled tyre waste, and our core values are contributing to environment conservation, holistic customer approach, being an Inspiring and creative business partner, adopting cutting edge recycling technology, and being an honest and caring employer.”
Tyre and Rubber Recycling has been contacted by a few tyre collectors who have reported that Stapletons are collecting tyres for free
Several collectors have lost customers to this collection service, and it is disrupting their market. However disruption of the export market is perhaps exactly what is needed.
Hetherington was clear that Stapletons were indeed collecting tyres. However, although they were baled, they were only baled for transport to processing for TDF or other end products in the UK. “We absolutely do not export tyres,” said Hetherington.
It has long been argued that wholesalers ought to be utilising return capacity to collect tyres from their clients. If done on a one in one out basis, that goes a long way to addressing rogue collections.
Hetherington could not say exactly what the economics of the collection service from Stapletons were, but he did take time to explain that the export of tyres from the UK had put a strain on the feedstock for UK operations, Credential, like many others were struggling to obtain the feedstock they needed. This was an issue reported to Tyre and Rubber Recycling in 2023 by several larger operators.
The security of feedstock has been an issue for some up and comping pyrolysis projects in the UK. Wastefront had to sign a feedstock deal with Dubai-based Gatewayto ensure their feedstock for the upcomingSunderland plant.
The ETEL Group is in a position to take better control over its ELT feedstock by using its distribution network as a collection service.
The feedstock shortage for recyclers (as opposed to collectors) is a growing issue throughout Europe and even in the USA. At the recent AZuRretread event in Germany, retreaders were bemoaning the lack of casings because there were huge volumes being baled and shipped out of the country rather than valorising and recycling and retreading in Germany. AZuR has been campaigning for restrictions on exports, and improved support for retreading and recycling.
At the recent Tyre Recovery Association Forum, the same issue was discussed and there were also calls for better enforcement of the waste rules in both the UK and in India.
Hetherington did comment that since the collectors shipping tyres out in containers were paid by the containerload, they could, potentially, collect for free.
There is a tide of change coming to tyre recycling in the UK: This collection of tyres by Stapletons is just one indicator of change.
