In August, US-based provider of circular solutions for the rubber industry Bolder Industries Inc. announced a strategic partnership with Liberty Tire Recycling that would give new life to old motorsport tyres. Rob Coker spoke to Bolder Industries CEO and Founder Tony Wibbeler to learn how.
Bolder Industries
Tony Wibbeler (centre), speaks with Liberty Tire's Amy Brackin, Vice President, Sustainability & Market Development, and Michael Murray of Bolder Industries during a tour of the Bolder Industries Maryville facility.
It's great news that US-based rubber industry stakeholders are taking more and more steps towards recycling and circularity. How many used tyres do you estimate will be diverted from landfill/incineration due to this partnership alone?
More than three million annually, starting in 2023 at the Bolder Industries Terre Haute facility – which is expected to increase to six million in the coming years. The total number of tyres diverted will increase dramatically upon further expansion of our facilities to other states that are ideal for the Liberty Tire partnership, based on supply and other factors.
To which industries/applications would the rubber recyclate then go?
Bolder Industries’ proprietary process turns end-of-life tyres into circular raw materials for the rubber, plastics, and petrochemical industries. Our primary products consist of a sustainable carbon black, BolderBlack, used in the manufacturing of consumer goods, automotive applications, and industrial materials. BolderBlack is now in over 3,000 product applications – everything from phone cases to conveyor belts, and from tires to bumpers. Our sustainable petrochemical, BolderOil, is used in solvents, renewable fuels, and for industrial manufacturing.
With motorsport such a huge part of the US leisure economy, how are motorsports industry stakeholders involved in such initiatives?
We’ve had incredible success within the motorsports and automotive industries and their supply chains. While the adoption of sustainable carbon black in passenger tyres has been slow, there’s been a significant and growing appetite for BolderBlack in other automotive applications such as weatherstripping, gaskets, motor mounts and, due to growing demand and the exceptional technical performance and consistency of BolderBlack, our product is now in a number of tyres with major tyre manufacturers – and that list is growing.
Which other industrial/academic/governmental bodies are involved in the collaboration and how do you anticipate expanding the consortium?
Bolder Industries has forged important partnerships with several industry-leading companies including Liberty Tire, Tauber Oil, Pirelli, and more. We’ve expanded our facilities to Terre Haute, Indiana, and the Port of Antwerp, in addition to doubling our output in our Maryville, Missouri plant. We have the support of those local governments, who are aligned with our sustainability efforts and appreciate our impact on local jobs and economies.
How has the American public reacted to or embraced the concepts of sustainability and circularity?
America has embraced sustainability and circularity in the last 10 years. With rising consumer demand for more sustainable processes and products, it’s becoming an important part of business for brands, regardless of their size or location.