In a joint appeal, tyre manufacturers Michelin and Bridgestone believe that there is the potential for an annual total market of up to 1 million tonnes of recovered carbon black by 2030. The appeal was made at the Smithers Recovered Carbon Black Conference in Berlin, which tyre recycler Scandinavian Enviro Systems attended and where the company’s chairman, Alf Blomqvist, was one of the speakers.
Both Michelin and Bridgestone have set a goal that by 2050, their tires will consist of 100 percent sustainable materials. At their appearance in Berlin, both companies stated that the capacity to produce recovered carbon black that meets manufacturer specifications is small compared to the total carbon black market.
They also stated that the specifications for current recovered carbon black make its use as a replacement for all types of virgin carbon black impossible. At the same time, however, they believed that continued development of recycling technology could lead to a drastic increase in demand for recovered carbon black as well as to an annual total market for recovered carbon black of up to 1 million tonnes in 2030.
The conference in Berlin devoted a great deal of attention to the issue of how the tyre industry is to achieve increased sustainability; the speakers included Alf Blomqvist, Chairman of the Board of Enviro. Blomqvist’s speech touched on matters including Enviro’s role in the transition, and the company’s view of what would be required for the tire industry to achieve increased circularity.
“The industry is beginning to realise that increased circularity is a must, and that the technology Enviro has developed will be crucial for the transition. Michelin’s and Bridgestone’s assessment of future needs for recovered carbon black is clear evidence of this,” Alf Blomqvist said.