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Asphalt of the Future Arrives in Balvano – Italy

Ewan Scott
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Asphalt of the Future Arrives in Balvano – Italy

Laid at the TRS Tyres Recycling Sud plant in Balvano, the new stretch of asphalt is the result of the Rubberap project, which combined the technical-scientific skills of the Innovative Start-Up Rub-Lab and the use of recycled rubber from ELT managed by Ecopneus

TRS Tyres Recycling Sud, in collaboration with the innovative start-up Rub-Lab and Ecopneus, inaugurated at its plant in Balvano (PZ), a new stretch of asphalt made using rubber powder obtained from ELT. This project, part of the Rubberap initiative, marks a significant step forward in innovation and sustainable use of resources.

The use of this solution, the result of advanced scientific research, promises safety, environmental sustainability and optimal mechanical performance.

For its construction, a specifically engineered powder made of recycled rubber from ELTs was used, which improves the compatibility of the powder with bitumen, guaranteeing superior performance. The technology used does not require any adaptation of the asphalt plants, nor specific machinery for paving and compacting and has already been successfully tested for the construction of municipal road sections in Alcamo and Castelvetrano in the province of Trapani.

Thanks to the presence of rubber, the flooring guarantees environmental sustainability and superior resistance to the stresses deriving from traffic, while ensuring long-lasting acoustic and mechanical performance.

The project was made possible thanks to the technical-scientific collaboration of Rub-Lab and using rubber from the supply chain managed by Ecopneus, while the installation works were carried out by Turlione from Baragiano (PZ).

Giovanni Zagaria, Commercial Director of TRS Tyres Recycling Sud declared; “Today, with the inauguration of this new surface at our headquarters in Balvano, TRS Tires Recycling Sud concretely demonstrates its commitment to innovative and sustainable solutions. Specialising in the recovery of End-of-life tyres, our commitment focuses on the transformation of these materials into high-quality rubber granules. The collaboration with Rub-Lab and Ecopneus was fundamental in enhancing our work, allowing us to create, at our own headquarters, a living example of the extraordinary potential offered by recycled rubber”.

Serena Sgarioto, Innovation manager of Ecopneus, underlined that; “Ecopneus is proud to support initiatives like these, which demonstrate the positive impact of recycling in the infrastructure sector, a sector with enormous potential. This technology not only allows us to reduce the environmental impact and promote sustainability but also offers tangible economic benefits. In the specific sector of road paving, the use of asphalt containing recycled rubber powder is a high-quality and performance solution that significantly improves the durability, resistance and safety of roads, thus embodying a virtuous model of sustainability and positive impact for the territory and the community.”

Doctor Antonino Pellicane, Founding Partner of the Innovative Start Up RUB-LAB highlighted; “The results of the industrial research conducted by our start-up, in synergy with important Italian and European research bodies, have made it possible to validate the performance of road pavements made with “rubberised” asphalt mixtures. Starting – in fact – from the mixtures commonly used in any bituminous conglomerate packaging plant, the modification technology of the asphalt mixtures adopted for paving, called ECR (Engineered Crumb Rubber) or engineered rubber powder, allows for effective and efficient use of granular vulcanised rubber in the asphalt while optimising the mechanical performance of the pavement, reducing rolling noise emissions and reducing installation temperatures. In short, eco-performance combined with better durability and road safety performance.

The new flooring made with ELT rubber in Balvano is an excellent example of how the synergy between industry and research can generate innovative solutions. These solutions are not only environmentally friendly but also offer high-performance standards, as demonstrated by the excellent results obtained from the use of modified asphalts on the national road network.

To date, in Italy, asphalts modified with recycled rubber are emerging as one of the most effective solutions and a valid choice for the national strategic road network.

This technology, already used in over 680 km of Italian roads, combines safety, environmental sustainability and high-level mechanical performance. They contribute to reducing traffic noise by up to 5 dB and last up to three times longer than traditional asphalts, better-resisting wear and the formation of cracks and potholes, an aspect which also leads to lower maintenance costs in the medium-long term.

Pyrum Innovations AG Publishes Financial Figures for Nine Months of 2023

Ewan Scott
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Pyrum Innovations AG Publishes Financial Figures for Nine Months of 2023

Pyrum sales of EUR 842 thousand, above the previous year’s level (9M 2022: EUR 714 thousand)

Pyrum Innovations AG has published its consolidated financial report for the period from 1 January to 30 September 2023. The company’s results and net assets in the first nine months were primarily influenced by the high level of investment at the company’s headquarters in Dillingen/Saar, the further increase in personnel, as well as the lower-than-expected sales development due to the still unsatisfactory throughput in the plant for rCB milling and pelletising.

Sales in the first nine months totalled EUR 842 thousand, around 18 per cent higher than in the same period of the previous year (9M 2022: EUR 714 thousand). Own work capitalised amounted to EUR 9,828 thousand (9M 2022: EUR 13,171 thousand) as construction of the plant expansion in Dillingen progressed according to plan. The decline corresponds to the reduction in the cost of materials required for the generation of own work as the plant expansion draws closer to completion. As expected, total output fell by around 24 per cent year-on-year to EUR 10,722 thousand (9M 2022: EUR 14,156 thousand) due to a decline in own work.

In the reporting period, other operating income totalling EUR 456 thousand was generated (9M 2022: EUR 1.074 thousand), mainly resulting from investment grants of EUR 160 thousand and research grants of EUR 122 thousand. In the prior-year period, other operating income was dominated by research grants for the BlackCycle project. The consolidated net loss for the period amounted to EUR -6,853 thousand (9M 2022: EUR -5,675 thousand). Cash and cash equivalents as of 30 September 2023 amounted to EUR 4,410 thousand (31 December 2022: EUR 12,519 thousand).

Pascal Klein, CEO of Pyrum Innovations AG commented; “With the successes achieved so far in terms of commissioning our new pyrolysis plants, developing the project pipeline and expanding the partnership with BASF, we have taken decisive steps, the foundations of which were largely laid in the third quarter. The new financing framework with BASF will enable us to maintain our technological lead and make rapid progress with current projects. Parallel to the commissioning of the plant expansion in Dillingen, we are currently working on the realisation of our concrete rollout plans following our successful project acquisition phase of the last few months in order to create additional recycling capacities at other locations in the short and medium term and to meet the high demand for our products. The letter of intent with REMONDIS and the agreements we have concluded for the approval planning of new plants in Greece and the Czech Republic have enabled us to make significant progress.”

In the current fourth quarter, the focus will be on the hot commissioning of the new plants in Dillingen/Saar, the preparation of approval documents for the consulting contracts already signed, as well as the continued implementation of the targeted financing structure. Another task is the planned new plant in Saarland. In the course of preparing the authorisation documents and the detailed review of the existing new plant location, it became apparent that water protection requirements for the site would lead to considerable additional investment, which would jeopardise the economic viability of the location. An alternative, logistically ideally located site, was identified some time ago, and Pyrum is currently in advanced negotiations with the landowner. The first phase of the approval process for the new site will begin next week when the construction project is presented to the local council. The aim remains to submit the application for approval in the short term and to break ground in the first half of 2024.

For the full year 2023, the management is currently expecting sales of between EUR 1.1 million and EUR 1.5 million. The sales targets previously set for the full year in the range of EUR 1.8 million to EUR 2.5 million can therefore no longer be realised from today’s perspective. Expectations for total output are now also slightly lower than the previous forecast (EUR 14 million to EUR 16 million) with a range of EUR 13 million to EUR 15 million.

Pyrum Innovations AG will be represented at this year’s Deutsches Eigenkapitalforum of Deutsche Börse AG from 27 to 29 November at the Steigenberger Airport Hotel Frankfurt, where CEO Pascal Klein and CFO Kai Winkelmann will present the company’s current business development (28 November, 5:25 – 5:55 pm (CEST), room New York) and will be available for 1on1 meetings with interested investors and analysts.

The consolidated interim report for the period from 1 January to 30 September 2023 of Pyrum Innovations AG is available on the company’s website.

Environment Agency Acts on Illegal Tyre Operation

Ewan Scott
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Environment Agency Acts on Illegal Tyre Operation

The Environment Agency has seen aA North East company and its director ordered to pay fines and costs totalling almost £13,000 for running an illegal waste tyre site in Gateshead

GLM Technical Ltd, of Wardley, Gateshead, and Gareth Hunter, 41, of Jarvis Drive, Crawcrook, pleaded guilty to running an illegal waste site, illegally depositing tyres at other sites, and making inaccurate statements in waste transfer notes.

They appeared at South Shields Magistrates’ Court at the end of last month, where the company was fined £4,615 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £4,096, and Hunter was fined £2,769 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £1,458.

Mark Rumble, Enforcement Team Leader at the Environment Agency in the North East, said; “Environmental permits are in place to protect people and the environment and the unsolicited storage of large amounts of tyres can pose a serious fire risk.

“Our officers worked hard to ensure this site was brought back into compliance and that the company and director were put before the courts for their illegal activity.

“We hope this sends out a message to others that we take waste crime seriously and will take action.

The court heard that in early August 2022, GLM Technical Limited started trading from Newcastle Road in Gateshead. The company collected waste tyres from paying customers and took them back to the Newcastle Road site, where they were processed and disposed of via a third party.

Either an environmental permit must be in place for this activity, or the company must register a ‘waste exemption’ for the site, which means limited activity can take place without the need for a permit. The company had neither.

Two months later, in October 2022, Environment Agency officers attended and saw a large quantity of tyres were being stored on the site. During an investigation officers obtained waste transfer notes from several companies which were largely inaccurate or fabricated, including covering for transfers of waste which never happened, and one that confirmed tyres had been deposited at the GLM Technical site illegally.

On 1 November 2022, a waste exemption was registered for the site, but a week later when the Environment Agency carried out an inspection, there was over 190 tonnes of waste tyres on site, almost five times the 40 tonnes allowed under an exemption.

GLM were advised to stop operating and clear the site by 2 December 2022. Further investigation into waste transfer notes revealed that GLM Technical had illegally deposited 2,000 tyres at another location at Maiden Law in County Durham.

On 5 December 2022, a follow up visit by the Environment Agency estimated the number of tyres on site had reduced to 40 tonnes. In February 2023 this was down to just over 14 tonnes and in compliance with the registered exemption.

Illegal waste activity can be reported to the Environment Agency’s Incident Hotline on 0800 807060.

Retyre Brings a Technology that Could Change the Recycling Model

Ewan Scott
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Retyre Brings a Technology that Could Change the Recycling Model

Retyre is a new brand in the tyre recycling market, and it comes with a new approach to recovering materials

The broader technology of water jetting is not in itself new, there are already players in the market. However, Retyre’s process is compact, efficient, and portable, capable of fitting in a 20ft container.

The detail of the technology has not been completely revealed at this stage, but Tyre and Rubber Recycling has seen the pre-production unit, and it lives up to the claims made by Retyre. The output is an activated rubber, called AcitvR™, and a clean steel. Textile is removed in the classifier process.

Retyre’s Managing Director, Ken Jones, advises that top tyre manufacturers have shown a keen interest in the project and says that they are more than happy with the end product. Within the first couple of weeks of revealing the technology to key market players, there are already several potential orders on the books from independent regional recyclers, and tyre manufacturers are looking at how the Retyre business model can fit in their business plan.

Ken Jones and Shravan Bansal of Retyre
Ken Jones and Shravan Bansal of Retyre

And this is where the Retyre model diverges from the norm. Retyre aims to maintain ownership of the technology and establish installations where they have licensing agreements with the operators.

Rather than the recycler buying the equipment outright, they will buy an installation licence. Once the machinery is installed, they will take responsibility for producing the end product, but Retyre will manage the end product sales through its agreements with tyre manufacturers, in particular.

Company Chairman Shravan Bansal explains; “We don’t want to process; we want to manage the installation and manage the sales of the end product. At all times, we will retain the ownership of the technology. One tyre company offered to buy the technology outright. We declined because we want to offer a global solution to tyre recycling. Selling to one company would restrict the benefits. So, we want to see anyone interested in tyre recycling able to access this technology. It could be a tyre manufacturer, a tyre recycler, or anyone with the funds to cover the installation and set up a tyre recycling business. Once it is set up, it takes just two staff to operate. This is a low-cost to operate system, and we believe that there is a massive market capacity for this technology.”

The concept is one that Ken Jones has been playing with for several years. Jones has a history in the recycling sector, and his interest is deeply held. The project itself involves some big names and is being built by a Bosch Rexroth company, and has control systems from Siemens, so no expense is being spared in creating a technology that could have a remarkable impact upon the recycling sector.

Asked about the output, which is currently from the tyre tread and includes the SBR tread, the rubber from the casing, and the butyl liner. Jones explained that the output could be adjusted to exclude the butyl if required. The output can be controlled to generate the optimum quality of activated rubber for any particular market.

Bansal adds; “We want to change the tyre recycling market. This technology can be installed anywhere, by anyone with a suitable location. The equipment is designed to be installed in multiple locations to produce material locally. Shipping tyres is like shipping air, and air is one of the most expensive elements to transport. I envisage local sites taking in tyres from their area, processing them, and shipping out the finished product. There will be no need to export waste tyres with this technology. Instead, those handling tyres can make generous returns just by operating this technology.  The ROI on this equipment could be very quick indeed. Our business model for Retyre is disruptive and could change the face of tyre recycling in the OECD markets.”

Recircle Awards 2023:  Award Winners Revealed at Futurmotive Expo & Talks

Ewan Scott
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Recircle Awards 2023:  Award Winners Revealed at Futurmotive Expo & Talks

Recircle Awards ceremony combines in-person Award announcements with live streaming for the first time

Valebridge Media Services (VMS), the Crewe, UK and Madrid, Spain-based media services agency, has announced the winners of the 2023 Recircle Awards, the global industry awards event recognising sustainable innovation, production processes, management and services within the tyre retreading and recycling sectors.

The Awards were announced and presented to the deserving winners during a live ceremony conducted on 16 November during the Futurmotive Expo & Talks in Bologna, Italy. The ceremony was also streamed live to viewers around the views on the Youtube Channels of Media Partners Retreading Business and Tyre & Rubber Recycling, the leading global specialist publications for the global tyre retreading and tyre recycling industries.

Jaime Durán Martinez from Duramos receives the Mechanical Tyre Recycling Award from David Wilson

David Wilson, Managing Director of Valebridge Media Services, commented; “We are once again delighted to have been able to celebrate the contribution made by the tyre retreading and recycling sectors to the Circular Economy and are pleased to report that over 6,500 individuals cast their vote in those categories that were open to the public vote. We once again saw exceptional engagement from all corners of the globe, and we congratulate the worthy winners of this year’s awards, who hail from as far apart as Colombia to Canada and from Italy to India.

“We would also like to express our gratitude to our main Sponsors Autopromotec, trophy designers Neusus Upcycling and to all our sponsors and collaborators for their kind support of the Recircle Awards,” he added.

The winners of the 2023 Recircle Awards in order of their announcement were as follows:

  • Best Passenger Retreader: FEDIMA
  • Best Truck & Bus Retreader: MARANGONI
  • Best OTR Retreader: MARANGONI
  • Best EPR Scheme: VALORPNEU
  • Best Tyre Recycling Research Project: BLACKCYCLE
  • Best Tread Rubber Supplier: VIPAL
  • Best Retreading Equipment Supplier: VIPAL MACHINERY
  • Best Tyre Recycling Industry Supplier: FORNNAX
  • Best Tyre Derived Recycled Product: MICHELIN
  • Best Retreading Accessory and Consumables Supplier: VIPAL
  • Tyre Pyrolysis Award: SCANDINAVIAN ENVIRO SYSTEMS
  • Tyre Devulcanisation Award: TYROMER INC.
  • Mechanical Tyre Recycling Award: DURAMOS SAS
  • Employee of the Year Award: FABRICIO NEDEFF (VIPAL)
  • Best Company Director: MATTHIAS LEPPERT (MARANGONI)
  • Business Breakthrough Award: BLACK STAR
  • Spirit of Retreading Award: TYRESOLES
  • Industry Achievement Award for the Tyre Retreading Sector: PRESTI INDUSTRIES
  • Industry Achievement Award for the Tyre Recycling Sector: REGOM
  • Lifetime Achievement Award in the Tyre Recycling Sector: JEAN-PAUL BOUYSSET

Renzo Servadei, CEO of Promotec Srl, the organisers of Futurmotive Expo & Talks, commented; “The Recircle Awards have rapidly become the foremost awards event in our sector, celebrating the efforts of the many individuals and companies who have contributed towards raising the status of tyre retreading and tyre recycling as a significant contributor towards the sustainability of the tyre industry. It is entirely appropriate that this year’s ceremony was held at Futurmotive Expo & Talks, our new event focusing on sustainability, energy transition and innovation in the automotive sector.”

The fourth edition of the Recircle Awards will take place during Autopromotec 2025, which takes place in Bologna from 21-24 May, 2025.

Saskatchewan Tyre Recycler Calls Time

Ewan Scott
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Saskatchewan Tyre Recycler Calls Time

Saskatchewan based long-standing tyre recycler, Shercom Industries, has decided to close its doors for the last time due to changes in the Tire Stewardship programme

Saskatchewan is a large western Canadian Province covering 251.700 sq miles, with a population of just 1.22 million.  Half of the population lives in Saskatoon or Regina, which creates logistical issues for tyre recycling from the more remote areas.

Shercom not only collected tyres and processed them, but it also made end products from the crumb rubber it produced. The change in the Saskatchewan tyre programme has created insurmountable challenges for Shercom. The opening of a CRM plant in Moose Jaw has heightened these. CRM is said to be the USA’s largest producer of crumb rubber, with markets in the rubberised asphalt and artificial turf sectors.

Tyre and Rubber Recycling has visited CRM’s Ontario plant in Brantford, and it is an efficient operation. CEO Barry Takalou is a dedicated player in the field and a member of the TRAC board in Canada.

The Moose Jaw plant is not, at this stage, producing crumb rubber. It is shredding tyres and exporting them, according to news reports.

Shercom’s president, Shane Olson is quoted as saying; “This is a direct result of the direction that the tyre programme is taking with regards to the penalisation of value-added products in this province.”

Olsen adds; ““We can’t even buy crumb rubber from them [CRM] because they’re not making any,” he said. “They are simply taking the tyres from Saskatchewan, shredding them into large chunks and exporting them out of the province.”

Shercom is reported to have had to import crumb rubber to meet the demands for its end products.

Olsen pointed out that Tire Stewardship Saskatchewan (TSS) has a study that supported two processors, but they did not make that public. Shercom used the Freedom of Information Act to access the 22-page report, but, according to Olsen, the report had been 100 per cent redacted and they received 22 blank pages.

This story has been unfolding in the Saskatchewan press for some time, and it has now come to a head. Tyre and Rubber Recycling’s editorial comment on this story is that if a Quango in the UK, or Europe were to 100 per cent redact a document, we are pretty sure that it would raise more questions than it answered.

Fraunhofer Institute Confirms CO2 Savings of Pyrum Process

Ewan Scott
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Fraunhofer Institute Confirms CO2 Savings of Pyrum Process

The Fraunhofer Institute in a first data analysis of the entire process chain confirms Pyrum’s pyrolysis process saves significantly more CO2 compared to conventional recycling methods

Pyrum Innovations AG has once again proven the sustainability of its business model. A scientific study by the Fraunhofer Institute recently published in the renowned journal “Resources, Conservation and Recycling” proves that Pyrum’s pyrolysis process offers significant CO2 savings compared to conventional methods.

The comprehensive “Life Cycle Assessment” (LCA) in the study compares the environmental impact of the pyrolysis of ELT using the Pyrum process with other conventional disposal methods, including incineration in cement plants and material recycling. For the first time, data from the entire process chain of line 1 of the Pyrum plant in Dillingen was used for this purpose. The results show that the recycling of ELT through the Pyrum pyrolysis process is significantly more environmentally friendly than other methods in the categories of global warming, particulate matter and resource use. Overall, the Pyrum pyrolysis process results in a CO2 saving of 703 kg CO2 equivalent per tonne of ELT. By comparison, the current recycling mix in Germany achieves a saving of 561 kg CO2 equivalent per tonne of ELT.

Pascal Klein, CEO of Pyrum Innovations AG said; “The pyrolysis of ELT using the Pyrum process is superior to conventional utilisation methods. In addition to the LCA already carried out by Fraunhofer UMSICHT last year, the study results now published include real operating data from the mill and agglomeration. This means that the database is very robust and the results underline the enormous potential of the Pyrum pyrolysis technology in ELT recycling.”

Environment Agency Action Sees Tyre Dealer Fined £1,325

Ewan Scott
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Environment Agency Action Sees Tyre Dealer Fined £1,325

The Environment Agency has prosecuted a tyre dealer and repairer for failing to submit waste transfer notes when he removed 844 tyres from his Derbyshire base

In what seems like an ongoing move by the Environment Agency to reinforce Duty of Care in the tyre sector. Wayne Rogers, operator of Eco Tyres, Swadlincote was fined for failure to produce records. Rogers admitted the offence and was fined £518, ordered to pay costs of £600 and the victim surcharge of £207 coming to a total of £1325.

The court was told that Environment Agency officers visited his premises on 5 September following information that a large number of tyres were being stored around the premises. The officers visited the site again on 11 October to find that the tyres had been removed. However, Rogers then failed to produce the waste transfer note. 

Further attempts to contact Rogers via mobile phone and email were ignored.  Rogers was issued with a fixed penalty notice for failing to produce waste transfer notes which he failed to pay. Every person who produces, carries, keeps or disposes of waste is subject to duty of care legislation to ensure the waste is managed appropriately, which includes ensuring the transfer of waste is recorded. 

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: “The requirements to keep and produce waste transfer notes are in place to protect the public and environment.

“Failing to comply with legal requirements to keep and produce records undermines legitimate businesses that work hard to operate within the regulations. The regime is intended to ensure that waste is disposed of correctly. The production of transfer notes is an important aspect of that regime.

“We hope this sentence sends out a clear message to others that proper records as required under the law must be maintained and produced when required.  

“Illegal waste activity can be reported to the Environment Agency on 0800 807060.” 

IRC2023 a Success in Beijing China

Ewan Scott
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IRC2023 a Success in Beijing China

The IRC2023 (International Rubber Conference 2023) was successfully held in Haikou, China, over the 7th to 9th Nov. 2023

Liqun Zhang, the chairman of the IRC2023, academician of the CAE Member and president of South China University of Technology, hosted the opening ceremony and emphasised the importance of low-carbon and intelligent technologies in the rubber industry.

Over 1000 delegates from 20 countries attended IRC2023

Michael Clayton, Executive Chairman of the International Rubber Conference Organisation, and Toh Heng Guan, Secretary General of ANRPC, attended the opening ceremony and gave speeches. The relative representatives from the Chinese government also gave speeches at the opening ceremony.

On 7th Nov., a total of 12 reports were presented at the main theatre of the conference. 12 professors and scholars from China and abroad spoke about their academic achievements in different fields, including rubber technology innovation, bio-based materials, special functional materials, natural rubber substitutes and rubber recycling economy.

On 8th and 9th November the IRC2023 was divided into 4 parallel sessions, with a total of 164 representations covering different topics, including Modeling, Simulation and Characterisation of Rubber Materials, Digital Design and Intelligent Manufacture of Rubber Products; Functional/intelligent/Bionic Rubbery Materials,  Design Synthesis and Chemical Modification of Rubbers/Elasomers, Functional/Intelligent/Bionic Rubber Materials，Reinforcing Materials and Additives for Rubber & their greening, Special Environment Serviced Rubber Materials. 

Global Audience tunes in for 2023 Recircle Awards Live from Futurmotive, Expo & Talks

Ewan Scott
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Global Audience tunes in for 2023 Recircle Awards Live from Futurmotive, Expo & Talks

The 2023 Recircle Awards received a global audience as it live streamed its awards ceremony from Futurmotive, Expo & Talks on the 16th of November 2023 as 20 winners were announced adding to the two initial winners that were revealed during the launch of the 2023 awards programmed at TyreXpo Asia.

Watch the 2023 Recircle Awards on YouTube

Hosted by Richard Wilson, Business Development Director for Retreading Business Ltd, the Recircle Awards announced the winners live in person for the first time as well as providing a live stream so that nominees and interested parties could tune in from around the world.

You can tune it to watch the action the 2023 Recircle Awards Ceremony here on the Retreading Business YouTube Channel.

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