Tyre Recycling Solutions to build plant in South Korea with LD Carbon

Asian car markets are expanding. The Asian auto industry is growing. Now a factory in South Korea will soon be converting old, disused rubber automobile and truck tires into news ones, strengthening a regional circular economy.

Under a memorandum of understanding, circular economy tech developer and integrator Tyre Recycling Solutions, or TRS, is teaming up with South Korea’s LD Carbon (LDC), an eco-friendly waste treatment company, to construct a new plant that will make TRS’s TyreXol rubber powder and other recycled products for Asian markets. TRS is headquartered in Préverenges in the Swiss canton of Vaud.

"This collaboration is very important for developing additional real circular solutions for the tires and rubber industries,” said TRS Co-Founder and Chief Executive Staffan Ahlgren in a September 5 press release. “The collaboration is born from months of discussions which helped us develop a deep mutual respect. It will be an accelerating step enabling us to supply Asian clients regionally and focus on our water-jet technologies in priority."

The new factory is expected to convert 25 kilotons per annum of end-of-life tires into 5 kilotons per annum of TyreXol powder as well as tire pyrolysis oil, an industrial fuel, and high-quality recovered carbon black, a chemical used for new tires as well as other commercial operations. 

LDC Co-Founder and Chief Executive Baek, Seong-Mun said he had been screening many companies globally to enhance LDC’s product range and differentiate the value his team brought to tire manufacturers.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with TRS,” he said. “Not only are our technologies complementary, but they have a deep understanding of the market, and we share the same ethical and professional values.” ce/jd