(AGENPARL) - Roma, 2 Settembre 2024 - (AGENPARL) – lun 02 settembre 2024 Bridgestone, Grupo BB&G and Versalis create
closed loop ecosystem that recycles tyres to tyres
Brussels – Fatima – San Donato Milanese (Milan) September 2, 2024 — Bridgestone EMEA
(Bridgestone), Grupo BB&G (BB&G) and Versalis (Eni) today announced the signing of an
agreement aimed at establishing a closed-loop ecosystem to transform end-of-life tyres into new
tyres. The agreement will bring together the innovation, experience and technological skills of all
three companies. The partnership aims to develop a model for the creation of a scalable and
increasingly sustainable supply chain.
Around one billion tyres reach the end of their useful service life every year, according to the
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)’s Tire Industry Project 1 .
Bridgestone, BB&G and Versalis are seeking a solution that provides innovative and more
environmentally responsible ways to address increased sustainability in the synthetic rubber
business, helping to maximise the complete lifecycle of a tyre. The partnership between the three
companies will contribute to achieving their environmental goals.
End-of-life tyres (ELTs) will be transformed, through pyrolysis, into tyre pyrolysis oil (TPO) to
create high-quality elastomers comparable to those obtained from traditional feedstock for the
production of new tyres. The three companies’ collaboration aims to boost the development of
pyrolysis technology and TPO, as well as market scaling the polymers as a valuable circular
resource for new tyres. The partnership will leverage BB&G’s thermomechanical process of
pyrolysis to recycle end-of-life tyres on a commercial scale.
BB&G has built and operated two generations of pilot plants in the past 10 years and has also
recently commissioned its first commercial scale tyre pyrolysis production to validate the feasibility
and quality outputs of the process. BB&G’s TPO unit is located in Fatima, Portugal and has been
successfully up and running since 15 July 2024. Over the next months, a first amount of BB&G
oil will be fed into Versalis’ plants to manufacture the circular elastomers that Bridgestone will use
to create a first batch of tyres in early 2025. The BB&G TPO commercial plant will help improve
the circular tyre ecosystem and play a crucial role in facilitating global tyre circularity.
Versalis, Eni’s chemical company, has been developing circular technologies and processes
through polymer recycling. This includes complementary mechanical and chemical recycling. The
company is also engaged in the diversification of feedstock, with both renewable sources and
End-of-Life Tires (ELTs) – World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
secondary raw materials. Through this collaboration and based on its own technological expertise
for recycled materials, Versalis will integrate BB&G’s pyrolysis oil into its own supply chain thus
expanding the Balance® – ISCC PLUS certified – product range. Versalis’ elastomers are designed
to ensure high performance. Bridgestone, a global leader in tyres and sustainable mobility
solutions, can transform these elastomers into tyres with an enhanced percentage of rubber
obtained from secondary raw material.
As part of the collaboration, all three companies will be working together to research and realise
the best technical solutions to establish a successful ecosystem for future recycling of end-of-life
tyres on a large scale.
Laurent Dartoux, Group President Bridgestone EMEA and Global Sustainability Initiative Lead
Bridgestone Corporation, explains: “At Bridgestone, we have set a goal of working with 100 per
cent sustainable materials by 2050, and recycling and reusing products is an important part of
this. The partnership with industry leaders Grupo BB&G and Versalis to research, implement and
overcome the challenge of recycling tyres will contribute towards this target. The collaboration
also supports Bridgestone’s corporate E8 commitment, along with our global EVERTIRE initiative,
which focuses on co-creating new and environmentally responsible ways to maximise the
complete lifecycle of our tyres.”
Adriano Alfani, CEO of Versalis (Eni), commented: “In line with our strategy for circularity, we have
developed lower-carbon solutions which perfectly fit in the value chain we’ve established with our
industry partners Bridgestone EMEA and Grupo BB&G. This agreement aims at delivering
maximum value to our customers and an innovative boost to the tyre industry, furthering our
commitment towards a more sustainable mobility.
Germano Carreira, CEO of BB&G, concluded: “This strategic partnership with industry leaders
Bridgestone and Versalis is a huge step towards achieving our visionary goal of accelerating tyre
recycling worldwide. It confirms the value of our patented technology and acknowledges the
persistence that has brought us to this crucial point, enabling us to expand our technology across
different regions. This collaboration is not just about advancing our products; it is a joint effort to
increase circularity in the industry, aligning with global sustainability goals.”
About Bridgestone in Europe, the Middle East and Africa
Bridgestone in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (Bridgestone EMEA) is the regional Strategic Business Unit of
Bridgestone Corporation, a global leader in tyres and sustainable mobility solutions. Headquartered in Zaventem
(Belgium), Bridgestone EMEA employs more than 14,000 people and conducts business in 35 countries across the
region.
Bridgestone offers a diverse portfolio of premium tyres, tyre technologies and advanced mobility solutions. The
company’s vision is to provide social and customer value as a sustainable solutions company. The Bridgestone E8
Commitment is a broad, global corporate commitment that clearly defines the value the company is promising to
deliver to society, our customers and future generations in eight focus areas: Energy, Ecology, Efficiency,
Extension, Economy, Emotion, Ease and Empowerment. These provide a compass to guide strategic priorities,
decision making and actions throughout every area of the business.
For more information about Bridgestone in EMEA, please visit our newsroom and www.bridgestone.com. Follow us