English (UK) 
Deutsch (Sie) Dillingen /Saar, 7 October 2022 – Pyrum Innovations AG (“Pyrum”) has won the MATERIALICA Design + Technology Award 2022 together with BASF SE, Mercedes-Benz AG and WITTE Automotive GmbH. The jury presented the four companies with the Best of Award in the Material category for the innovative new door handles for the Mercedes S‑Class and EQE, in the production of which fossil raw materials are replaced by biomethane and pyrolysis oil from recycled old tyres. Together, this closes the material cycle and actively promotes the development of innovative recycling processes.
Pascal Klein, CEO of Pyrum Innovations AG: “We are delighted to receive this award. It is a confirmation for the entire team that has worked tirelessly on this development. Pooling our expertise to minimise the consumption of natural resources and use as many recycled raw materials as possible in production is another important milestone towards a sustainable circular economy.”
To close the recycling loop for used tyres, Pyrum produces pyrolysis oil from used tyres using its own innovative pyrolysis process. BASF then feeds this into its Verbund at the start of production. In addition, BASF utilises biomethane from agricultural waste, a renewable raw material. The two raw materials are used to produce a completely new plastic. The combination of pyrolysis oil from used tyres and biomethane is being used for the first time as part of the collaboration between Pyrum, BASF, Mercedes-Benz and WITTE. The plastic is certified according to the so-called “mass balance method”: An independent certification confirms that the partner has replaced the quantities of fossil resources required for the end product with renewable raw materials and pyrolysis oil from recycled old tyres.
The use of secondary materials reduces both the use of fossil resources and the CO2 footprint in the manufacturing process. The innovative recycled plastic therefore has the same properties as new plastic made from fossil raw materials for the first time. This makes chemical recycling particularly suitable for the production of components that are subject to high quality and safety requirements.
