ReOil contracts Zeppelin Systems for major expansion

Polish end-of-life-tyre (ELT) recycler ReOil is increasing its pyrolysis activities in Bukowno and has contracted Zeppelin Systems to build a second plant there. Construction is scheduled to start in February 2024 and when completed the new plant will treble plant capacity at the 11-hectare (27-acre) site to around 60,000 tonnes of ELTs annually. Zeppelin Systems intends to provide solutions it can later offer as part of license arrangements.

ReOil is the longest-running and largest continuous pyrolysis plant operator in the European Union. The Bukowno plant utilises a continuous pyrolysis process to break down waste tyres and scrap rubber products into recovered carbon black (rCB), which is reused in a multitude of new rubber products such as new tyres, as well as recovered fuel oil (rFO) that is sold back into the refinery sector and recovered syngas (rSG) which is used to energise the pyrolysis process.

Construction of the original plant began in 2014 and ReOil commenced operations in 2016. Carbon Resource Recovery GmbH (CRR), a firm that became a wholly owned subsidiary of Klean Industries in August 2019, provided technology for phase one of the Bukowno project. In 2019 ReOil entered into a cooperation relationship with Zeppelin Systems, who provided engineering for expanding the plant up to an annual production capacity of 20,000 tonnes.

Due to ReOil’s “high level of customer satisfaction” with Zeppelin Systems, the German company has now been “rewarded with the completion contract.” As the main responsible engineering partner, Zeppelin Systems will deliver turnkey solutions ranging from plant technology to process engineering and final plant planning.

Future licensing opportunities

“A flagship project for Zeppelin Systems with a signalling effect,” comments Dr Markus Vöge, chief executive officer of Zeppelin Systems. “Only a few companies can implement such complex and extensive projects virtually anywhere in the world.

“The aim is to offer process solutions in the future that can be provided as part of license models,” Vöge continues. “For example, the ELT pyrolysis plant as a turnkey product from Zeppelin Systems.”

“ReOil’s engineering contract is the first project as part of the Zeppelin Sustainable Tire Alliance,” adds Guido Veit, vice-president Sales, Plastic and Rubber at Zeppelin Systems GmbH. “This makes us proud and demonstrates the strength of the alliance. In addition, we will continue to work hard to bring additional processes to technological maturity and strengthen the network in terms of the circular economy.”

Paweł Mikuśkiewicz, managing director of ReOil, is also pleased with the successful partnership between Zeppelin Systems and ReOil. “We knew that this major project could only be planned and built with the help of an experienced and internationally active plant engineering partner. That is why we chose Zeppelin Systems, and we really appreciate our long-standing, trusting business relationship.”

More than 70,000 tonnes processed

The ReOil plant was originally built without any offtake contracts. In fact, tyre pyrolysis char had yet to gain its now familiar name of recovered carbon black when the project first got underway. Since its commissioning and initial trial run, the ReOil facility has recycled over 70,000 tonnes of old tyres and much has been learned about the product offtake market. As of today, this fully automated tyre pyrolysis plant continues to operate in a process-stable and profitable manner.

Zeppelin Systems has been providing engineering services and equipment to the rubber and tyre industry for many decades. In March 2023, it launched the Zeppelin Sustainable Tire Alliance to shape a “sustainable future for the tyre industry.” ReOil joined the Alliance on 13 March.