Page 45 - Logistics News - Issue 02 - 2024
P. 45
NEWS
benefit of recycling. You take old tyres and convert them rubber crumb for different end uses at the same time.
into a usable product. It is a win-win,” he notes. The specific rubber crumb size that is used for rubber
modified bitumen is of the finer quality. The coarser
This win-win has extended to the point where grades are used as infill for artificial turf and as elastic
bitumen rubber has now been generically specified by layers for sports applications. The material that is finer
government and other road authorities and owners for than that used in rubber modified bitumen is utilised
use in the construction of roads throughout the country. in non-slip paints, automotive brake pads and to
Mathe Group’s role goes beyond simply producing manufacture new tyres,” he explains.
rubber crumb through ambient grinding of radial truck
tyres for Tosas. Together with Tosas, it designed and He adds that there is room for growing the amount
developed a second plant to produce what is known of rubber crumb utilised in the roads industry, although
as New Crumb Rubber Technology (NCRT). This this is largely dependent on SANRAL awarding tenders
involves coating the rubber crumb with aromatic oil for infrastructure projects and having the available
and specialised waxes to produce a pre-swollen rubber funding to follow through with these projects.
crumb that is bitumen rubber for asphalt mixes and
spray seal applications that have greater longevity and “From a production perspective, we have the
much lower mixing temperatures. flexibility of only manufacturing the grade of rubber
crumb utilised in rubber-modified bitumen or, if the
Zarrebini, who is now looking to install a further demand is lower, then we can switch to manufacturing
line that will double output at Mathe Group’s a combination of grades of rubber crumb for other
Hammarsdale factory, is confident that the company industrial uses. During 2023, we implemented
can accommodate the growing need for rubber crumb machinery upgrades, which enhanced output. We
for roads as well as other applications. continue to invest in maintaining and upgrading our
equipment. In 2024, we will see further enhancements
“The recycling plant that we have designed is flexible to the plant, which will result in greater output,” he
and we can manufacture different particle sizes of concludes. •
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