News and feature articles relating to recycling, including collection, of end of life tyres.
In addition to yesterday’s revelations that the huge Campsie Industrial Estate, Londonderry tyre fire was storing tyres illegally, Belfast Telegraph is now reporting that as many as 500,000 tyres may have been on fire. The latest estimation of the size of the illegal tyre dump and the impending inferno comes as dwarfs original estimates of 50,000 tyres.
The tyre fire that has been burning since Sunday at a site in Londonderry where tyres were being stored illegally has finally been extinguished. Firefighters arriving to tackle the blaze on Sunday night found four separate fires across the one-acre site at Eglinton. The fire service said tackling the blaze had been a "mammoth task" and the cost of the operation is expected to run into tens of thousands of pounds.
Up to 50,000 tyres reportedly caught fire at the Campsie Industrial Estate in Eglinton, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland at 22:00 on Sunday 5 October. News sources say more than 70 fire-fighters are attending at the scene and residents have been told to keep their windows closed. Local resident John Lamberton sent tyrepress.com the video and photo images alongside this story, having become aware of what he thought were fireworks late on Sunday night.
Meanwhile, Cambridgeshire fire-fighters report that another fire, which has been burning at Murfitt Industries, near Littleport since August is likely to burn out this week. This fire began on 21 August. Customers told Tyres & Accessories that despite the fire they haven’t noticed any interruption of service.
Around 400 guests filled the Deansgate Suite at the landmark Manchester Hilton Hotel to celebrate the 80th NTDA annual dinner and the 2009 Tyre and Fast Fit (TAFF) awards ceremony. The event, held on the evening of 23 September, saw the industry’s brightest and best gather to celebrate the successes of an industry that is determined to tough out the recession. The turnout alone spoke volumes about the attitude of the business’ leaders, with NTDA chairman Peter Gaster’s speech highlighting the challenges and successes of the industry; and the TAFF awards themselves recognising the achievements of companies within the business. This year’s event was sponsored by ECI International (the organisers of Brityrex, Tyrexpo Asia, Tyrexpo Africa and now Tyrexpo India); well known logistics firm DHL and Tyres & Accessories (and website tyrepress.com), the industry’s leading tyre trade publications. The TAFF awards themselves were compered by Mark Harrison on behalf of ECI International and after dinner entertainment was provided by Ian Irving.
Following the publication of 20,000 voting slips by Tyres & Accessories and the NTDA, and after hours of dedicated vote-counting, the 2009 awards were presented to successful candidates with tyre industry equivalent of “the red carpet treatment.” The fifth NTDA TAFF Awards also differed from previous competitions as it was the first time online voting had been included. In addition to the awards decided by the normal one industry member one vote system, and the NTDA nominated chairman’s award, 2009 saw the introduction of an expert judging panel to decide this year’s innovation award. The panel was made up of the representatives from associations and trade publications including NTDA, TIF, GEA and Tyres & Accessories. And now the results…
Tyre recycler, Vellco has announced the appointment of Dave Martin, whose expertise will reportedly aid the organisation of – and bring expertise borne out of long-term employment by the Michelin Group – the company’s Truck & Passenger Car Casing business. Martin had a career spanning thirty years with Michelin, in which he held a variety of positions, most recently working on quality guarantee standards for Remix and Encore products. This experience in process application, training and development – along with his vast technical knowledge – brings an invaluable asset to Vellco, states the recycler. This experience will be utilised as the company maintains its current business and attempts to continue its upward trajectory in the years ahead.
In August, following the acquisition of a new facility in the US state of Colorado, Magnum D'Or Resources procured a multiple stage shredding system for use at the site. On September 28 the company announced the equipment will be shipped to the Hudson, Colorado site “this week” and installed upon final permit approval. This system will allow Magnum to commence initial operations that include acceptance and processing of tyres at the facility.
Following a recent acquisition, Reclaim Industries Ltd has become Australia’s largest tyre recycler. The publicly traded tyre recycler and rubber manufacturing company purchased the Sydney based Renaza tyre processing plant for AU$621,000 from the bankrupted ReVived Rubber Technologies and Renaza Resources – an acquisition that comes at a time when Reclaim is seeing business increase 27 per cent over the 2009 financial year.
The BBC has followed up its investigation into tyre dumping scams in North Wales on the Radio 4 consumer affairs programme, You and Yours including a statement from the secretary general of the Tyre Recovery Association, Peter Taylor. The segment was broadcast on 23 September and can be heard on Auntie’s splendid iPlayer, using the link at the bottom of the page (segment begins at circa 45 minutes).
A report produced by the BBC has highlighted the increase of tyre dumping scams following the implementation of recycling laws and the financial risks unwitting property owners are exposed to should tyres be left on their land. The article, screened on Welsh channel S4C on Tuesday, highlighted the plight of Maria Burt and others who have been left with hefty bills for removing tyres left on their property by tenants operating tyre collection operations.
According to rubber recycler Magnum D’Or Resources and Sekhar Research Innovations, September has been a truly historic month. Magnum SRI has for some time performed laboratory trials to convert its activated compound into a high recycled content “custom compound” that is tailored for blending with various high end applications, and on September 19 Magnum SRI announced it has now successfully produced the custom compound on a commercial production scale using a Banbury mixer at the Malaysian Rubber Research Institute facility in Sungai Buloh. This effectively replicates, explained Magnum, the production parameters and process flow it indents to implement in its Magog, Canada facility and subsequently its plant in Colorado.
Ten people were elected to the TIA Board of Directors in its recent elections, each gaining three-year terms on the board. An 11th member was named to the board to fill an unexpired term. Gaining seats on the TIA board were: Russell Belcher, QMI/Ever-Wear, Lakeland, Florida; Dean Bray Jr., Bray's Recapping Service, Mt. Airy, North Carolina; Eddie Burleson, Central Marketing Inc., Colonial Heights, Virginia; Dick Gust, Liberty/Lakin National Tire Recycling, Chicago, Illinois; Keith Jarman, AME International, Brooksville, Florida; Jim Melvin, Tire Pros of R.I. Inc., North Kingstown, Rhode Island; Glen Nicholson, TBC Retail, Juno Beach, Florida; Jim Pangle, Fountain Tire, Edmonton, Alberta; Freda Pratt-Boyer, Purcell Tire & Rubber Co., Potosi, Misouri; Mike Wolfe, Southeastern Wholesale Tire, Raleigh, North Carolina. Roy Bromfield of Q Tires Inc., of Greenville, South Carolina, was named to fill a one-year vacancy that was created by the election of Larry Brandt, MSB Tires of Lakeville, Minnesota, to the position of secretary. The new TIA board will take office on 2 November, during the SEMA Show, at TIA's Annual Meeting at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. (Tire Review)
Georg Schramm, head of marketing and sales for Apollo Tyres South Africa (Pty) Limited, will be a keynote speaker at the inaugural Tyrexpo Africa Conference alongside next March’s Tyrexpo Africa’10. Schramm is responsible for all marketing and sales for the Dunlop brand in South Africa as well as Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland. He will provide an expert insight into tyre manufacturing in the African market.
He will be joined at the conference by Dr Etienne Human, chief executive officer of SATRP, the South Africa Tyre Recycling Program. Dr Human will outline the work and remit of the not-for-profit organisation that was established to tackle the waste tyre problem in South Africa and support a sustainable waste tyre producer industry. Members of the body include Bridgestone, Continental, Dunlop and Goodyear, Michelin, Pirelli, Maxiprest and Trentyre.
Vacu-Lug Traction Tyres Ltd has renewed its national distribution contract with leading specialist delivery business Nightfreight and further extended its scope to include work previously handled in-house. As part of the new deal Nightfreight has renewed its dedicated 12-strong Vacu-Lug trailer fleet, all of which are fitted with Vacu-Lug Duramold WRE2 super-single tyres. Nightfreight has also taken responsibility for the operation of two specialist crane-equipped vehicles, which offer a nationwide tyre delivery and collection service for operators of earth movers and off-road vehicles.
New Holland in the UK has announced that it is to fit AirBoss segmented tyres as standard on its L160 skid steer loaders for the waste recycling industry. The tyre features puncture-proof segments attached to a specially tailored disc, which AirBoss says will reduce downtime and callout charges for equipment operators. Dave Goddard, senior sales executive at AirBoss said, "If a segment of the tyre does get damaged beyond repair, the operator of the skid steer can easily and safely unscrew the damaged segment and replace it. It is extremely rare for a segment to be damaged, but if it is, the fix doesn't require outside assistance or the replacement of the whole tyre and it can be completed by the operator in minutes".
Fire crews have been tackling flames, thick smoke and fumes and piles of burning material at the premises of Kingpin Tyre in Wem, Shropshire, since Tuesday. Firefighters said several mounds of “waste rubber,” covering an area of around 60 metres had caught fire. A report in the Whitchurch Herald said that plumes of black smoke could be seen up to 20 miles away as 200 tonnes of rubber went up in smoke and that firefighters expect to battle the blaze and control smouldering material for the best part of a week.
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