Overview

Since 2020, Tyromer and Apollo Tyres Ltd. have worked together to devulcanize and produce
high-quality recycled rubber from End-of-Life Tires (ELTs) with a cleaner process that needs no chemicals. The work began as laboratory testing and has resulted in a dedicated commercial facility near Chennai, India, that runs 24/7 and devulcanizes about 570 metric tons of rubber every month.

The Challenge

Apollo Tyres, like many tire manufacturers today, has committed to raising sustainable materials from 20% of its total material consumption in 2020 to 40% by 2030, measured under GRI 301-2 standards. Recycled materials are a key part of that plan. These include ELTs and the resulting devulcanized rubber which Tyromer calls Tire-Derived Polymer (TDP).

Most conventional rubber recovery processes don’t fit that goal well. They rely on chemicals, damage the rubber’s polymer backbone, have a larger environmental footprint and recover limited circular value. Apollo needed a recovery process that was more sustainable and could keep up with its performance standards at scale.

The Tyromer Solution

Tyromer’s proprietary devulcanization technology turns LET rubber into TDP that can go back into high-quality new rubber compounds like tires. Compared with conventional methods, the process:

• Uses no chemicals

• Does the least damage to the rubber backbone, so the material keeps its performance properties

• Has a smaller environmental footprint, which supports a true circular economy for tires

Partnership Milestones

• 2018: First in-person discussions in Canada, through the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada (TRAC)

• 2019: License agreement signed between Tyromer and Tyromer India L.L.P.

• 2020: Formal testing started with Apollo Tyres in India

• 2021: Testing continued and commercial discussions began

• 2022: Formal planning started for the Chennai facility

• 2023: Building and site construction started near Chennai

• 2024: The new Chennai facility became fully operational and now runs 24/7

Scaling for Greater Impact

Capacity is growing quickly to speed up circularity:

• FY24: 100 MT/year

• FY26: 5,000 MT/year

• FY27: 10,000 MT/year+ (target)

Looking Ahead

The Tyromer and Apollo Tyres partnership shows that recycling old tires back into new tires can work commercially and at industrial scale. It turns a global waste stream into a valuable raw material and helps one of the world’s leading tire makers meet its sustainability goals. As far as Tyromer's technology has come, the company is not yet satisfied and believes even further technological and material advancements can be made. The team strives for continuous improvement and further adoption into the mainstream rubber industries.