Bridgestone said it is putting millions of pounds into upgrading its retread factory in Bourne, Lincolnshire, underlining its commitment to be more sustainable.
The global try business said retreads – second-hand tyres which have had the old tread replaced – are kinder on the environment and better value for commercial fleet companies. It said the investment will see the launch of 17 new products from the Lincs Bulldog plant, under its new Bandag Hotread brand.
The new brand has been developed to cover the HGV, bus and coach markets – with retreads currently accounting for around a quarter of commercial tyres sold in the UK.
Last year, the Bulldog Factory recycled 520 tonnes of rubber dust and 4,400 tonnes’ worth of scrap tyres – equivalent to 4 million litres of oil, 2,000 tonnes of rubber and 900 tonnes of steel. It said that was close to 4,000 tonnes of saved CO2 emissions versus the equivalent production of new tyres.
A spokesman said: “Retread tyres use less than one-third the amount of raw materials used in new tires and enable the reuse of other tyre components, such as the casing. The retreading solution significantly contributes to the reduction of discarded tyres as well as the reduction of waste in communities.”
Bridgestone north region commercial business unit director David Almazán said: “There is a move towards the lowest total cost of ownership of product, combined with increasing awareness of the need for a more sustainable and circular economy where recycling is standard.
"Bridgestone is fully committed in this regard, which is why we have made such a significant expansion of our retread range.
“A sustainable future fits with our company ethos, and retread is economically good for the customer and takes a central role in our commitment to develop sustainable tyre technologies and solutions that preserve the environment for future generations."
