Despite decades of presence and proven sustainability benefits, the global truck tyre retreading industry remains mired in perception problems and systemic inertia. As raw material costs rise and environmental pressures mount, retreading should be a no-brainer. Yet, it continues to be sidelined by outdated mindsets, customer ignorance and a lack of cohesive industry messaging. Tirecore CEO Garry Drisdelle, in a candid interview with Tyre Trends, paints a picture of a sector at risk – not because it lacks value, but because it has failed to communicate it. The stakes, he warns, are too high for complacency.

Despite decades of existence, the retreading industry still wrestles with fundamental challenges across the world – not least the stubborn perception among customers and stakeholders about the true value of retreaded truck tyres. Tirecore Chief Executive Officer Garry Drisdelle pulls no punches in diagnosing the sector’s issues and outlining the uphill battle ahead.

Speaking to Tyre Trends, he said, “Tirecore is primarily a supplier of quality truck tyre casings to the retread industry. But while retreading should logically form the cornerstone of sustainable tyre use, the industry remains far from mainstream acceptance.”

“Educating the customers really as to how much upcycling, how much can we save – it’s beyond the pennies or pounds you save on the initial purchase,” Drisdelle said. Yet, frustratingly, many customers remain fixated on upfront costs instead of the total lifecycle value of a tyre.

This fixation, he implies, represents a systemic failure within the industry. “The industry has to do a better job towards educating the consumers, which primarily are fleet owners, beyond the initial purchase,” said Drisdelle. The inability to shift consumer mindset threatens to leave retreading as a niche rather than a necessity.

Tirecore positions itself primarily as a global supplier of high-quality truck tyre casings to the retread industry, operating across markets that include the United States, Canada and India. Rather than manufacturing or retreading tyres directly, the company serves as a critical node in the circular economy of commercial tyres, ensuring that valuable casings find extended life through retreading.

“We are in the business of preserving 85 percent of the tyre components existing material’s value saving valuable resources,” said Drisdelle.

The company’s operational model is rooted in the principle of upcycling over replacement, focusing on longevity and material reuse rather than disposability. While Tirecore’s precise logistical affiliations remain unspecified, its strategic direction is clearly aimed at aligning with sustainability mandates and evolving global market demands.

DISPOSABLE TREATMENT

Drisdelle highlights a critical contradiction. Tyres are one of the most safety-critical components on the road, yet they are taken for granted at a staggering scale. “Picture a truck is rolling down the highway at 100km/h pulling 20,000 kilogrammes of freight, riding on just 6-8-10 rolling rubber contact points. Tyres are one of the most critical transportation components, yet we treat them like disposable goods. How taken for granted is that product?”

Even as raw material prices surge and truck tyre costs climb, the entrenched perception treats tyres as disposable consumables. “We need to reframe the conversation – a tyre should be seen as an asset and not a consumable,” Drisdelle emphasises.

This disconnect reveals deeper issues prevalent within the industry. Retreading has not been effectively communicated as a financial and environmental beneficial in the long tome. Moreover, legislative inconsistency and lack of incentives for the industry as a whole is a deterrent that needs to be addressed immediately.

Drisdelle insists that retreading should be the environmental rallying point for the sector. “We have 85 percent of the material in the original product that is quite capable of being reprocessed and upcycled many times,” he said.

He contrasts upcycling favourably with recycling, which he argues requires more energy and effort than the original production process, especially in plastics and other materials: “By the time you just recycle something, the energy to recycle it is more than the process.”

Yet these arguments come with an implicit critique that the industry has failed to effectively translate this environmental rationale into a compelling value proposition for customers and regulators alike.

LEGISLATIVE MOMENTUM

Drisdelle points to potential legislation requiring truck tyres to be recyclable or retreadable as a possible catalyst for change. “Picture if legislation comes out that you’re not allowed to sell truck tyres unless they’re recyclable from their ingredients unless they’re retreadable,” he noted.

However, he quickly tempers this with realism stating, “We can never get to zero. That’s a cool little marketing thing but it’s an impossibility in the world of physics and science.”

This admission highlights the gap between aspirational sustainability goals and practical realities, a gap that leaves retreading vulnerable to accusations of greenwashing or insufficient progress.

ADAPT OR STAGNATE

Looking to the future, Drisdelle’s plan is pragmatic but cautious. “Our future plans are to keep up with the market demand, to evolve as the market evolves. Pivot and prosper,” he said.

Such a measured approach reflects the uncertainty and fragmentation within the industry. The promise of retreading remains strong, but without decisive action on education, regulation and innovation, the sector risks losing ground to cheaper, new tyres or alternative technologies.

The recurring theme throughout Drisdelle’s commentary is education, or rather, the lack of it. “The education of the fleet owners is primary to everything. The education of the industry to build a better tyre is somewhat secondary,” he stated.

This stark admission speaks volumes. Despite retreading’s environmental and economic advantages, a fundamental communication failure continues to hobble the industry.

Drisdelle points out the irony stating, “Without a widespread cultural shift in perception, retreading will struggle to move beyond a cost-saving niche for price-sensitive fleets to a mainstream standard.”

Drisdelle’s blunt assessment of the retread industry reveals a sector caught between its potential and its persistent shortcomings. Tirecore’s role as a global supplier to retreaders is clear but the wider challenge remains.

Without significant progress on education and regulatory backing, the retread industry risks remaining on the margins, overshadowed by the convenience of new tyres and the pressures of market inertia.

Retreading’s promise is substantial. But, as Drisdelle’s comments underscore, fulfilling that promise demands a candid reckoning with the industry’s educational failures and a relentless push for change or face stagnation in a rapidly evolving tyre market. n

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The Rubber Board of India has announced the opening of an application window for financial aid for sulphur dusting to combat powdery mildew disease in rubber plantations for the year 2026. The scheme is open to all Rubber Producers’ Societies (RPS) operating in both traditional and non-traditional growing regions.

From 10 to 20 February 2026, eligible societies must submit their applications online through the 'ServicePlus' portal on the official Rubber Board website. Societies requiring help with the submission process are advised to contact their nearest Rubber Board regional office or field station, or to consult the board's website for further guidance.

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Pyrum Innovations AG has welcomed the official recognition by French authorities on 17 January 2026, which classifies tyre pyrolysis oil (TPO) as a legitimate raw material for the chemical sector. This pivotal regulatory milestone for pyrolysis oil derived from end-of-life tyres substantially enhances the product’s integration into established chemical value chains. It also provides greater predictability for future purchase and partnership frameworks, thereby accelerating the development of industrial material cycles.

For Pyrum, which processes scrap tyres through pyrolysis to recover pyrolysis oil, industrial carbon black and steel, this decision underscores the critical need for standardised and reliable regulatory conditions. Such clarity is fundamental for scaling investments, production volumes and supply chains, particularly as the chemical industry and circular economy converge. The establishment of clear product categories is essential to ramp up the market for high-quality recycled raw materials.

The company remains committed to tracking further developments in France and the wider European dialogue regarding the classification and application of recycled feedstocks. Pyrum’s overarching objective is to expand industrial-scale recycling solutions for scrap tyres. This regulatory progress directly supports the company’s mission to secure long-term, quality-assured supply agreements with partners across the chemical industry, thereby advancing a more sustainable and circular economic model.

Pascal Klein, CEO, Pyrum Innovations AG, said, “The decision in France is an important step for the industrial use of pyrolysis oil from waste tyres. It supports a trend that we are seeing in many markets, where the chemical industry is seeking reliable, technologically robust and clearly classified alternative raw materials.”

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In pursuit of its strategic vision, ‘Michelin in Motion 2030’, Michelin is expanding into high-value adjacent markets, including the development of its Polymer Composite Solutions. A key step in this growth is the acquisition of Flexitallic, a global leader in sealing solutions based in Houston, Texas. This move is set to substantially enhance Michelin’s sealing portfolio and extend its market access, particularly within the aftermarket sector.

Flexitallic serves critical industries such as energy and chemicals, providing high-performance gaskets, sheet products and specialty filler materials known for exceptional reliability and resistance in extreme, safety-critical environments. The company, which operates 17 facilities worldwide and employs about 1,200 people, reported sales of approximately USD 220 million in 2025.

The acquisition is a strong strategic fit, uniting two global organisations with a shared commitment to innovation and quality, thereby creating significant synergies for future growth. The transaction, for an undisclosed amount, will be fully financed from Michelin’s available cash. Subject to standard regulatory approvals and closing adjustments, it is anticipated to be finalised in the first half of 2026.

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Birla Carbon has inaugurated a dedicated production line at its Trecate, Italy facility, specifically engineered for the finishing and packaging of its Continua Sustainable Carbonaceous Material (SCM). This industry-leading circular material is produced from end-of-life tyres, and the new line enables its manufacture in large, consistent volumes. This expansion directly strengthens long-term supply security for the company’s worldwide customer base.

The Continua SCM range, including the 8000 series for tyres, rubber goods and plastics, provides a scalable sustainable solution. It allows customers to increase recycled content while gaining functional benefits such as blending flexibility and lower homologation costs. Importantly, it delivers assured regulatory compliance and consistent quality, supporting industries in their transition toward enhanced product circularity and reduced environmental impact.

John Loudermilk, President and CEO, Birla Carbon, said, “This is a pivotal moment for Birla Carbon. Continua SCM represents the most consistent, high-quality, circular material in the carbon black industry today and replaces a portion of carbon black in most rubber and non-rubber applications. It also reflects cross-industry collaboration for sustainability, with raw material sourced from our partner Circtec’s newly launched tire pyrolysis facility in the Netherlands and finished and packed at our state of-the-art processing line in Trecate. The launch of this line is a key milestone in our ambition to put back into industry 300,000 tonnes of end-of-life tyres annually by 2030, contributing to our aspiration to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.”

John Davidson, Chief Sales, Marketing and Sustainability Officer, Birla Carbon, said, “The launch of the Continua SCM processing line in Trecate ramps up the availability of our circular product portfolio for customers globally. Continua SCM enables our customers to increase the use of sustainable materials in their products while maintaining the performance standards they expect. This expansion reinforces our commitment to supporting customer sustainability goals at scale.”

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