Titan Tire Reclamation Corp. (TTRC), a subsidiary of Titan International Inc. celebrated the grand opening of its first facility designed to recycle giant scrap mining tires in the oil sands of North America.
During the March 29, 2016, grand opening in Fort McMurray, Canada, Titan's Chairman and CEO Maurice Taylor said the company plans to expand TTRC operations to Chile and Australia.
TTRC has developed a unique environmental solution to process giant scrap mining tires that have been accumulating in Alberta's oil sands. Until now, the recycling of scrap industrial mining tires was not possible because of their size and density.
The TTRC thermal reactors transform mining tires into oil, steel, and carbon black, solving one of the biggest environmental problems these mines face. TTRC came up with the solution using a process originally developed by Green Carbon. Titan partnered with ACDEN (part of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation), Paul Newton, Green Carbon and Suncor to bring this to the oil sands.
At full production, TTRC estimates this operation is capable of converting 240,000 pounds of scrap tires to approximately 13,600 gallons of oil, 52,800 pounds of steel and 76,800 pounds of carbon black — on a daily basis.
These recycled items will be placed back into new products.
All four of Canada's major mines were represented at the opening with several of the mine contractors also present. Attendees were able to tour the facility and view Titan's wheels, tires, and undercarriage products as well as learn more about the company's mining services.
Chief Allen Adam of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN) noted the importance of protecting our environment and the economic benefit of doing so stating that reclamation is a big part of the future of this region.
TTRC currently has 15 people working at the facility and the number could expand to as many as 40 employees. TTRC will be testing and developing the system and ramping up production "over the next several weeks." the company said.
Taylor said, "This system is not just the only one of its kind in the Canadian industry, it's the first of its kind in the world. This venture has taken over seven years to complete from the day Titan first met with Shell Oil, but it's been two years to get it here today with Suncor. I want to thank everyone who has worked on this project and for what they have done to make this new chapter at Titan successful."
