Rubber Granulate
The first step moving towards the reuse of scrap tires is to re-process (shred) them into small pieces with textile fibres and metal removed, which is called rubber granulate. Rubber granulate can be used in a wide variety of rubber material applications. The industrial-scale based technology for re-processing scrap tires into rubber granulate started in the 1950`s and became mature in the 1990`s. At present more than 100 European re-processing plants are in operation, and they provide rubber granulate with different size grading as a commercial commodity. Much fewer plants are operational in the Middle Eastern region compared to Europe.
Over recent years the recycling industry has invested in modern technologies to improve the separation of the various tire components, in turn improving the quality and supply of rubber granulate. Rubber granulate has therefore become a more reliable raw material and this has given rise to the increasing number of manufacturers that are willing to explore the possibility of incorporating this material in their products. Currently the biggest customers for consuming rubber granulate are sports pitch construction companies and moulding companies. Other products that consume rubber granulate include solid wheels, floor mats, horse trails, playground surfaces, roofing materials and others.