Michelin and Murfitts Industries have announced a joint initiative to build a tyre recycling plant at Michelin’s Stoke-on-Trent factory, aimed at recovering energy and materials from end-of-life tyres. The proposed facility, using Murfitts’ pyrolysis technology, is expected to cut CO2 emissions from the factory by 1,500 tonnes per year.
Under the new plan, Murfitts will establish a dedicated tyre reprocessing facility on Michelin’s Campbell Road site. The facility will process around 12,500 tonnes of tyres annually—equivalent to approximately 1.35 million passenger tyres. The resulting energy and steam will be used directly by Michelin’s retreading operations, replacing fossil fuels and supporting circular manufacturing.
The project also aims to recover key materials: recovered carbon black (rCB) and tyre pyrolysis oil (TPO). These can be reused in new tyre production and other industrial applications, reducing dependency on virgin raw materials.
Murfitts has filed a planning application and committed approximately £14 million to the Stoke facility, which is expected to be operational by the end of 2026. Around 16 to 18 full-time jobs are anticipated to be created once the plant is live.
The pyrolysis process involves breaking down tyres in an oxygen-free environment. This enables the recovery of valuable compounds with minimal emissions. The site’s output will be sufficient to reprocess a pair of tyres for every car currently registered in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.
Michelin’s participation in the project reflects its broader commitment to sustainability in the tyre and rubber industry. The company views the initiative as a step toward reducing environmental impact while improving competitiveness.
Murfitts, which processes around 20 million tyres a year across the UK, has been refining its pyrolysis techniques to maximise material recovery. According to founder Mark Murfitt, the new facility will allow the reintroduction of recycled materials directly into the tyre manufacturing supply chain.
This project represents a tangible move toward a circular economy model for tyres. By integrating pyrolysis at the manufacturing site, Michelin and Murfitts demonstrate how legacy factories can adopt sustainable processes without outsourcing waste. As pyrolysis technology matures, such initiatives could become standard practice for reducing emissions and raw material use across the tyre sector.
Tagged with: Michelin, Murfitts Industries, pyrolysis, recovered carbon black, TPO, tyre recycling, Stoke-on-Trent, circular economy, tyre reprocessing
Disclaimer: This content may include forward-looking statements. Views expressed are not verified or endorsed by Tyre News Media.
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