Hexpol Compounding Enhances Rubber Recycling with New Devulcanization Line in the Czech Republic, Hexpol Compounding, a division of the HEXPOL Group, is set to bolster its recycling capabilities with a new investment in a devulcanization line in Europe. This initiative marks a significant step towards in-house mechanical devulcanization of rubber, aligning with the principles of a circular economy.
For an extended period, Hexpol Compounding has been innovatively processing cured compound scrap and waste, which are inevitable by-products of rubber manufacturing. Traditionally, these materials were disposed of at a cost to the producer, ending up in landfills or incinerated. Occasionally, the rubber waste was recycled as a filler in lower-quality products. The introduction of devulcanization technology presents an opportunity to recycle these materials effectively, reducing the need for new, virgin materials and minimizing waste.
The devulcanization process reverts cured rubber back to a state where it can be remolded and reused. The treated material retains the original compound's polymers, carbon black, fillers, and plasticizers, offering a sustainable raw material for new rubber products. Carsten Rüter, President of HEXPOL Rubber Compounding Europe & Asia, emphasized the company's goal to reutilize cured rubber from industrial waste in mainstream rubber applications, such as in the automotive and construction sectors, thereby lowering the product's carbon footprint.
This eco-friendly process doesn't introduce new chemicals but uses mechanical action - including shear, compression, and heat - to break the sulfur bonds in the rubber, facilitated by a specialized extruder. This investment will enable the production of thousands of tons of rubber compounds containing recycled material annually in Europe.
Ralph Wolkener, President of HEXPOL Compounding Europe & Asia, expressed pride in expanding the company's sustainable compound offerings, highlighting the collaborative approach with customers to repurpose production residuals into valuable raw materials. He also mentioned the potential for expanding this recycling technique to include post-consumer rubber.
Scheduled for installation by the end of 2024 at the Czech Republic site, this new extruder will serve HEXPOL Compounding facilities across Europe, inviting a wide range of clients to participate in sustainable manufacturing. Norbert Niemand, Managing Director at HEXPOL Lesina, added that adjusting compound formulas to incorporate devulcanized rubber and other renewable resources is a key service offering, ensuring performance parity with traditional materials.
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