Fornnax, a global leader in recycling machinery, debuted its innovative SR-200 HD Dual-Shaft Primary Shredder at the prestigious India Rubber Expo in Mumbai. The launch marks a significant advancement in recycling technology and showcases Fornnax's commitment to engineering excellence and sustainability.

Industry Leaders Witness Unveiling

The SR-200 HD's unveiling was a major milestone, with prominent figures like Ajay Shah, President of Reliance Industries, and Vishnu Bhimrajka, chairman and chief convenor of the India Rubber Expo 2024, in attendance. Additionally, a consortium of key Fornnax clients, including representatives from Rathi Rubber, Tyre Collection Australia, Vinora Industries, Valencia Rubber Tech, Unity EcoGreen, Earthman Rubber, Oyster Industries, and Earthmet Resources, participated in the ceremony, highlighting industry collaboration.

Responding to Market Demand

Driven by rising customer demand for high-capacity pre-shredders, Fornnax developed the SR-200 HD, an enhanced model of the existing SR series. This new model boasts increased power and the highest input capacity within the SR range.

Applications beyond tyres

While the SR-200 HD excels at tyre shredding, its versatility extends to various applications, including high-volume municipal solid waste, wood pallets, and industrial and commercial waste processing.

Addressing global recycling needs

The introduction of the SR-200 HD aligns with the growing global demand for efficient pre-shredders due to stricter waste treatment regulations. This solution presents significant opportunities for industries in the Middle East, Australia (facing full-tyre export bans), and Europe, where advanced recycling solutions are increasingly sought.

Targeting Large-Scale Operations

The SR-200 HD is designed for large-scale recyclers and cement plants requiring high-capacity machinery. Fornnax has already secured pre-launch orders from India, Australia, the Middle East, and Europe, reflecting the company's established global reputation.

Focus on R&D and customer needs.

Fornnax prioritises developing innovative solutions tailored to specific input types rather than offering one-size-fits-all models. The company is steadily increasing its R&D budget to focus on customer-specific solutions and continuously improving existing models based on user feedback. This commitment extends beyond tyre applications. Fornnax actively develops solutions for various recycling needs to achieve a broader customer base and solidify its leading global shredder manufacturer position.

Advanced Features and Options

The SR-200 HD has various proven Fornnax-developed knives to cater to diverse customer requirements. The robust cutting chamber design and slow-speed shafts generating up to 2,00,000 Nm of torque enable the SR-200 HD to handle the most challenging materials. A quick shaft change system also facilitates an efficient transition between different applications.

Meeting Diverse Output Needs

The SR-200 HD offers a variety of output configurations to meet specific downstream equipment requirements. The SR-200 with disc classifier provides 60–150 mm output sizes. The SR-200 HD with a Trommel screen caters to the cement industry by producing 60–80 mm of TDF alternative fuel. Finally, the SR-200 HD without a screen offers single-pass rough shreds up to 400 mm.

The SR-200 HD's 750-mm-diameter knives and larger shaft centre provide increased discharge space for processing bulky and high-thickness materials like agricultural, truck, and OTR tyres.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Vaculug, Europe’s largest independent retreader producing high-quality OTR and truck retread tyres for fleets across the UK and Europe, has expanded its UK presence by acquiring Tyrefair in Kinross, Scotland.

This strategic acquisition extends the company's award-winning service further north, ensuring Scottish customers receive the same high-quality OTR and truck retread tyres Vaculug has supplied for 75 years. Since the purchase, the Kinross location has already grown by 25 percent, with an ambitious target to double its business within a year and then double it again.

This move is a key part of Vaculug's 2026 growth strategy, focused on strategic acquisitions that enable better, faster and more sustainable customer service. The acquisition reinforces Vaculug’s long-standing environmental mission, marking a new chapter of sustainable growth with a strengthened Scottish operation.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Nokian Tyres is expanding its US presence through a new nationwide partnership with American Tire Distributors (ATD). This agreement provides Nokian access to ATD’s vast network of over 110 distribution centres, serving roughly 80,000 customers.

The collaboration will efficiently supply tyre shops with Nokian’s complete product lineup, enabling dealers to broaden their inventory. Both companies bring 90 years of experience and a shared dedication to innovation, safety and sustainability. This partnership will offer drivers more choices, supported by Nokian’s award-winning Tennessee factory and ATD’s technology-driven logistics.

This enhanced distribution capability ensures that consumers will have greater access to a full spectrum of high-performance tyres, meeting diverse driving needs and conditions. The alliance strengthens both brands' market positions by combining premium products with an unparalleled delivery system, ultimately improving service for dealers and drivers alike across the country.

Chris Ostrander, SVP, North America, Nokian Tyres, said, “The partnership with ATD enables us to reach more tyre shops and more drivers than ever before. ATD’s robust distribution network, customer service and responsiveness strengthen our agility to serve both new and existing customers.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) has announced a new webinar series designed to advance the circular economy for end-of-life tyres (ELTs) in collaboration with the Tire Recycling Foundation. Titled ‘The Road to 100% Tire Circularity: ELTs Going Full Circle’, the initiative aims to foster the development of scalable and profitable markets for recycled tyres. The series will launch in September 2025 and continue through February 2026.

Hosted by John Sheerin, USTMA’s Senior Director of ELT Programs, each session will convene industry experts, recyclers and state policymakers. Their discussions will focus on the latest research and real-world applications that transform waste tyres into valuable resources, thereby diverting them from landfills and generating environmental, industrial and economic benefits.

The programme will explore three of the most promising markets for end-of-life tyres. It begins on 23 September 2025 with a session on tyre-derived aggregate (TDA), examining its use in civil engineering projects like structural fill and stormwater management. A subsequent webinar on 30 October 2025 will cover the growing market for moulded and extruded products made from recycled rubber.

A significant portion of the series will be dedicated to rubber-modified asphalt (RMA), a material known for creating longer-lasting and more sustainable roadways. An introductory session on 20 November 2025 will review the overall performance and benefits of RMA. This will be followed by two regional deep dives: one on 14 January 2026, focusing on practical applications in Midwestern states like Michigan and Ohio, and another on 28 January 2026, exploring its adoption in Southern states including Kentucky and Georgia. The series will culminate on 24 February 2026 with a capstone session providing a comprehensive overview of grant and funding opportunities available to support the growth of these ELT markets.

This initiative addresses a critical need. While tyres are one of the most recycled products in US, and stockpiles have been reduced by 94 percent over the past three decades, the generation of end-of-life tyres continues to outpace their consumption in recycling markets. The webinar series is presented as a strategic pathway to bridge this gap by promoting innovative and sustainable end-use applications.

Those interested in shaping the future of tyre management are encouraged to register for any or all of the webinars through the USTMA website. Attendees will receive a resource kit after each session to help facilitate further discussion and action.

Anne Forristall Luke, President & CEO, USTMA, said, “We view these webinars as a crucial opportunity to connect key leaders across the country and show them that sustainability and economic growth go hand-in-hand. By showcasing proven applications and providing the tools to act, we can collectively turn ELTs from a waste challenge into an economic engine.”

Sheerin said, “As we look to expand ELT markets and unlock the full environmental and economic potential of end-of-life tyres, collaboration is essential. And no one can do it alone. State DOTs, regulators, recyclers and manufacturers must work together to help grow ELT markets through targeted investment, supportive policy and continued research.”

Comments (1)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

• 

  - CNJ SUPPORT September 11, 2025 15:03 PM

  How can we enroll on this Webinar

  Reply

Continental is accelerating its commitment to sustainability by integrating a growing proportion of renewable and recycled materials into its tyre manufacturing. The company’s current average of 26 percent is projected to rise by several percentage points within the year, with a strategic goal of reaching at least 40 percent by 2030. A central pillar of this initiative involves rethinking the sourcing of two essential components: rubber and resins.

Rubber is a fundamental material, constituting up to 40 percent of a modern high-performance tyre’s weight. Continental utilises a complex blend of up to 100 different raw materials, engineered into numerous customised rubber compounds for each tyre. The portfolio includes both natural rubber, prized for its durability and resistance in critical areas like truck treads, and synthetic rubber, which enhances braking performance and rolling resistance in passenger vehicles. The company is now progressively replacing conventional fossil-based synthetic rubber with more sustainable alternatives. This includes synthetic rubber derived from used cooking oil and pyrolysis oil from end-of-life tyres, sourced from certified partners like Synthos and TotalEnergies Cray Valley.

Complementing rubber, specialised resins are vital for optimising a tyre’s performance characteristics. These resins help fine-tune the balance between elasticity and resilience, which directly improves wet grip, abrasion resistance and energy efficiency. Continental is incorporating circular resins, also certified under the ISCC PLUS standard, which originate from renewable feedstocks like vegetable oil or used cooking oil.

Furthermore, the company is adopting sustainable alternatives for key additives. For instance, it is the first tyre manufacturer to use a certified biocircular version of the antioxidant TMQ. Produced from waste materials such as recycled cooking oil, this additive achieves a carbon footprint over 30 percent lower than its conventional counterpart.

To systematically track and scale the use of these sustainable materials, Continental employs a mass balance approach. This method allows fossil-based, renewable and recycled feedstocks to be mixed in production while accurately attributing the sustainable content to the final product. This system provides verifiable documentation and enables Continental to continuously increase its use of certified materials across its entire tyre range.

Jorge Almeida, Head of Sustainability at Continental Tires, said, “We’re closing the loop: Continental is ramping up its commitment to a circular economy and mapping out its path for the future. Innovative solutions enable us to use more sustainable raw materials, such as synthetic rubber made from used cooking oil or resins based on certified renewable feedstocks originally derived from vegetable oil.”

Matthias Haufe, Head of Material Development and Industrialisation at Continental Tires, said, “The mass balance approach enables us to efficiently manage the complexity of the raw materials portfolio and track how these raw materials are used at multiple production sites in a wide range of markets. In this way, we can steadily increase the share of renewable and recycled materials in our tyre production – and transparently document the progress we make.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!