Pyrum Innovations AG achieves breakthrough in recycling carbon fiber-reinforced plastics

• Pyrum develops first automated, semi-industrial recycling plant for carbon fiber-reinforced plastics ( CFRP)
• This is the first time in the world that a company has succeeded in recycling CFRP in its entirety
• Breakthrough opens up new market with enormous growth potential

Dillingen / Saar, 3 May 2023 – Pyrum Innovations AG ("Pyrum", the "company", ISIN: DE000A2G8ZX8), a pioneer in the sustainable recycling of end-of-life tyres (ELT) based on its patented pyrolysis technology, has commissioned the first automated, semi-industrial recycling plant for carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP) after almost four years of development. This is the first time CFRP has been holistically recycled worldwide. The plant is located at the main factory in Dillingen/Saar and will serve as the cornerstone for the construction of an industrial plant.

This opens up another promising market for Pyrum alongside the recycling of used tyres. Fiber-reinforced composites, which include CFRP, are used in a wide variety of areas, including the transport industry in the production of passenger cars and commercial vehicles, aviation and public transport. They are also used in construction and the electronics and electrical industries. Due to their diverse use, an acutely increasing waste problem has arisen in recent years. A holistic recycling in the sense of a complete material recovery of CFRP is not yet possible. Disposal currently takes place via waste incineration or landfill. Pyrum wants to make a decisive contribution to solving this problem in the future. Europe's share of the CFRP world market, like America's, is about 25%. Asia currently accounts for about half of the global CFRP volume.

Pascal Klein, CEO of Pyrum Innovations AG: “Pyrum is committed to developing and promoting a sustainable and circular economy. In the future, we want to contribute to this not only through ELT recycling but also through the recycling of CFRP. The commissioning of the first automated, semi-industrial plant is a milestone for the recycling industry and an important step for us on our way to building the first industrial plant.”

The current Pyrum model has a capacity of 1 kg of CFRP per hour. In addition to the recovered fibers, the recycling process also produces pyrolysis oil, which Pyrum already sells profitably to the chemical industry when recycling ELT. The investment in the plant so far amounts to about EUR 170,000, a large part of which was subsidised by government grants. In addition to Pyrum Innovations AG, a number of other partners are involved in the project (“Infinity”) under the direction of the Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, Composite and Processing Technology (IGCV).

About Pyrum Innovations AG

Pyrum Innovations AG is active in the attractive recycling market for end-of-life tyres with its patented pyrolysis technology. Pyrum's pyrolysis process is energy self-sufficient and, according to the Fraunhofer Institute, saves significantly more CO₂ emissions than today's standard recycling processes for end-of-life tyres - especially compared to incineration in cement plants - and produces new raw materials such as pyrolysis oil, gas and recovered carbon black from the waste used as input materials. In this way, Pyrum closes the recyclable material loop and pursues a completely sustainable business model. As a pioneer, Pyrum Innovations AG was the first company in the end-of-life tyre recycling sector to receive REACH registration from the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) for the pyrolysis oil it produces. This means that the oil is recognised as an official raw material that can be used in production processes. In addition, Pyrum has received ISCC PLUS certification for the pyrolysis oil and the recovered carbon black. Both products are thus considered sustainable and renewable raw materials. In addition, Pyrum has received ISO 14001 certification for its environmental management system and ISO 9001 certification for its quality management system. These achievements have also been recognised by international experts in the tyre industry. For example, Pyrum won the Best Tyre Recycling Innovation category at the inaugural Recircle Awards and has been nominated for the “Grand Prix Mittelstand” (“Großer Preis des Mittelstandes”) from the German state of Saarland.

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Pyrum Innovations AG
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