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Description
Medina Med Ltd., an esteemed partner of global leading tire producers, operates from the city of Stara Zagora, with repair centers strategically positioned across Bulgaria. The company is poised for expansion, seeking to diversify its operations into the retreading of cargo, agro, and industrial tires, thereby enhancing its role as a comprehensive supplier of light and heavy industrial tires.
The primary objective of the supported project is to introduce an innovative production process, a first in the region, focused on retreading heavyweight industrial tires. This process employs steam instead of water for heat delivery and streamlines the casing process into a one-step operation. The investment in this project holds significant environmental benefits, extending the life cycle of industrial tires and addressing the environmental challenge posed by waste from worn tires.
The tangible outcomes of this project include the establishment of a fully operational production line tailored for retreading heavyweight industrial tires using steam process technology. This will be accompanied by necessary construction works and the creation of four new job opportunities.
In a strategic move aligned with sustainable practices, a new project component has been approved. The primary aim is to introduce an innovative, environmentally friendly approach to retreading worn Rubber Tracks for Agricultural Machines, providing them with a second lease on life. Key features of the production process include the complete regeneration of the rubber track using a clean carcass and the implementation of internal bottom scraping, coupled with a comprehensive vulcanization process on both sides of the rubber track. This initiative underscores Medina Med Ltd.''s commitment to green practices and the responsible utilization of resources in the tire industry.
Summary of project results
The overall demand for heavyweight industrial tires size 40/00R57 in Europe is estimated at 2000 tires/ year. If not retreaded they are transformed into waste each year. tHE retreading production capabilities in Europe have the production capacity of 250 heavyweight tires / year. Therefore, at least 1750 tires (equals 4 200 tons of waste) per year are transformed into waste. Major part of these 1750 tires might be retreaded. Problem with dealing with waste from worn industrial tires have significant environmental impact. 70% of world consumption of natural rubber (produced from rubber crops) is devoted to tire industry. Heavyweight industrial tires size 40/00R57 ( in Europe) with worn tire (end-of-life) weight 2400 kg are among the tires with major impact over environment.
The company developed and implemented of the first in Europe production for retreading of heavyweight industrial tires 40/00R57 by using an innovative process to deliver heat with steam instead of water in a one-step casing process. The main innovative aspect of the production process developed by Medina Med Ltd. is to use steam instead of water in the process of delivering heat to the autoclave for the vulcanisation of the rubber as currently this approach is not used in production in Europe. This simplified solution offers several advantages: increases the temperature in the process up to 115 degrees Celsius (instead of up to 98 degrees Celsius using water), which allows better vulcanisation and a faster process. Additional innovative aspect of the production process to be implemented with the realisation of the project is the ability to peel, buff and grove the tire with a single machine-part of the production line (after new lair of rubber have been laid on the tire casing). This approach additionally speeds-up the production process and allows full automatisation.
- one fully operational production line for retreading of heavyweight industrial tires (size 40/00R57) using steam process technology;
- completed construction works on the production building where the new production line will be situated;
- one Product Life Cycle Assessment and Environmental Impact feasibility study;
- four new jobs.