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.