We recently successfully completed an EPA funded Cleaner Greener Production Project (CGPP). The project was undertaken by Crumb Rubber personnel with the help of experts from UCC. The aim was to find more efficient ways to clean the steel recovered and to fine a way to separate and use the fine powder produced in the recycling process.

The project was a big undertaking and we had to overcome many problems in achieving our aims. A continuing benefit from the project is that the our staff has an increased awareness about our carbon foot print and we now track our footprint on an ongoing basis.

The successful completion of the project produced both savings and revenue generating processes. With our new eco efficient processes we have a higher throughput of tyres. We have doubled the steel we can recover which is also a cleaner product. We have eliminated electricity spikes, keeping production running more smoothly. Overall we have reduced our energy requirements and also created a value added resource from a formerly waste product.

The EPA and UCC have given us invaluable support with this project and we wouldn’t have been able to make such increases in efficiency in our plant without them. Our thanks goes out to everyone on the team, for all their hard work and perseverance in getting this project to work so well.

We received a prestigious nomination for the Green awards, in the Waste to resource category.  Winning the Green Entrepreneur prize in 2010 was a real boost to our business and it’s such an honour to be nominated again.  While we didn’t win the category outright, it is great to get recognition for the work we are doing in the green sector.  It also give us renewed energy to continue to develop new and innovative products from the waste tyres we recycle.

We exhibited at Crufts International Dog Show in the NEC in Birmingham in March. The response to our heated rubber dog mats was way beyond our expectations. The visitors and dog exhibitors loved both our heated and non heated mats, commenting that they were ‘a super idea ‘. We sold mats to UK, French and Belgian dog owners and have taken orders for more mats. We have also had a number of enquiries from people wishing to be agents for our mats. Its great to have such a positive response to a new product and consumer feedback is key to getting the mats out on the market. We have already made some improvements to the mats following from the feedback of people at the show. We are looking forward to a busy season on the dog circuit internationally and have had requests to attend other shows in Europe.

Crumb Rubber won the Green Entrepreneur Award at a gala awards night last Thursday(11th March) at the RDS concert hall. Opening the ceremony Minister for the Environment, Heritage and local government, John Gormley praised all finalists saying the awards represented ‘the best Ireland has to offer in Green technology. ‘ Crumb Rubber held off strong competition to become Ireland first ever ‘Green Entrepeneur ‘in this new award category.

The accolade was well received by the company and MD Leo Kerley stated ‘we are so delighted and very proud to win this award. Recycling is a difficult business and we are in it for the long haul. Our new product range of gardening mulch and rubber matting is selling well. We have had wonderful support from our customers and it’s great to see the valuable resource that is waste tyres, turned into Eco friendly products that can compete with imports and take on exports on global markets. ‘

Winning the award gives recognition to Crumb Rubber for the fact that ‘their business demonstrates long term employment opportunities through providing products in the green business space. ‘ Set up in 2003 to tackle the countries mounting waste tyre problem Crumb provides 23 jobs in a rural border community and is looking to expand our product base and export markets, which will build the need to increase the work force.

Crumb Rubber and recycling were the topic of debate on RTE’s The Business radio programme on Saturday 16th January 2010. John Murray opened the discussion by asking about the stock piles of tyres that are throughout the country. Leo Kerly, MD Crumb Rubber spoke of the huge problem of lack of enforcement in the tyre collection sector and detailed the processes and pitfalls involved in recycling tyres in Ireland.

Crumb Rubber have opened up many new markets for their guaranteed Irish granulate and matting products which are sold into the sports, leisure, equestrian, child care, construction and horticultural sectors in Ireland. They have also secured their first export orders for their matting products.

Kerley went on to say that ‘Rubber is a valuable resource and can provide many more jobs, which are much needed in the current economic hard times. ‘ He also emphasised the fact that the sector will only be able to expand when there is proper policing of the waste collectors, to make sure all waste tyres are completely recycled into new and innovative products.