Bolder advances European waste tire pyrolysis plant after receiving final permits

Bolder Industries has secured final permits to construct its first European waste tire pyrolysis facility at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Belgium. The plant will focus on producing recovered carbon black (rCB) and pyrolysis oil under the BolderBlack and BolderOil brands, respectively. Supported by the EU Innovation Fund and Tiger Infrastructure Partners, the facility will have a design capacity of 86 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa) and will be built in two phases.

The initial phase will process 43ktpa and create over 50 jobs in the Antwerp region. The second phase will double the plant's capacity. The facility aims to recycle nearly 6 million end-of-life tires (ELT) annually, significantly reducing lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by up to 85% compared to traditional carbon black production. Over its first decade, the plant is expected to cut 606 kilotonnes of CO2e emissions.

Bolder Industries claims its continuous thermal pyrolysis process can recover 98% of the material content from each tire. The project faced no public objections during consultation periods. This development marks a significant expansion of Bolder's operations, which currently include facilities in Maryville, Missouri, and Terre Haute, Indiana. According to CEO Tony Wibbeler, the permit is a crucial milestone in the company's European growth strategy.