Tapping into road maker needs

Tyrecycle explores how the road construction and maintenance sector is building stronger and sustainable roads as demand for Australian crumb rubber increases.

As one of Australia’s leading tyre recyclers, Tyrecycle remains at the forefront of helping the road construction and maintenance sector build better roads.

Established and based in Somerton, Victoria, Tyrecycle shreds end-of-life truck tyres in Australia, turning them into granules and powders to manufacture crumb rubber for use in road surfacing, including sprayed seals or in asphalt.

Tyrecycle’s National Sales Manager Clinton Habner says there has been a notable spike in interest for the product, which is manufactured at its Somerton processing facility in Melbourne – Australia’s largest crumbing plant.

“Growth in the rubber crumb market is being driven by the increased interest in the properties of the rubber when included in applications, and the need to use recycled product from waste tyres generated in Australia,” Mr. Habner says.

Mr. Habner says Tyrecycle’s work is about providing a quality recycled product that delivers enhanced performance while also minimising environmental impact.

“Tyrecycle is particularly seeing a strong uptake in Queensland of rubber modified binder off the back of successful local trials of the product there,” Mr. Habner says.

Tyrecycle forecasts the market to continue its rapid expansion over the short to medium term as regulators, councils and road authorities increase their understanding of the benefits of rubber in the resurfacing of roads.

“We proudly deliver and guarantee full chain of custody for all the materials we process and supply, ensuring that our raw materials are used in an environmentally sound way. This is becoming a number one priority in what our customers are looking for in the product,” Mr Habner says.

Tyrecycle assists a variety of large infrastructure construction and roadworks companies, including Fulton Hogan, delivering more than 1000 tonnes of crumb rubber to the company over the past year.

Fulton Hogan’s Surfacing Operations Manager Damian Sullivan says they work on a variety of major projects across the country with Tyrecycle including its Eastern Region Alliance, aimed at improving regional roads in Victoria.

“Fulton Hogan is firmly committed to reducing our environmental footprint and the use of recycled materials that might otherwise go to landfill in our roadworks is a major focus for us,” Mr. Sullivan says.

He says that in delivering local and main roads projects that require resurfacing including the use of spray seal, having a full chain of custody assurance with the crumb rubber Fulton Hogan is purchasing and using from Tyrecycle is paramount.

“The consistency of supply and assurance the same material is delivered on time is crucial as we strive to deliver high quality roads to connect the community,” he says.

“When resurfacing Australia’s roads, you also need flexibility when it comes to lead-in times for a particular job or you may request a delivery at short notice where more product is needed.”

Tyrecycle says supplying crumb rubber as a matter of urgency is often required by customers and it has a seamless manufacturing and supply structure in place.

“We deliver to many remote locations in Australia that don’t have regular transport routes for the handing over of our product and use roadside stands or civil works yards as drop-off points,” Mr. Habner says.

“Flexibility is vital and Tyrecycle has even delivered half loads in small trucks on a Saturday, just to get a customer through a weekend.”

Tyrecycle continues to work with government and industry to increase awareness of the importance of tyre recycling and why it should be mandatory for Australian recovered tyres to be used in road construction.