ECO-FLEX Breaks Ground on its Newest Tire Recycling Plant, Bringing Jobs and Environmental Solutions to Texas

Canadian tire recycling firm expects to create 200 jobs at a new U.S. recycled rubber products manufacturing plant

Eco-Flex – a pioneer in recycling and repurposing tire derived crumb rubber into an extensive line of commercial, residential, agricultural and industrial recycled rubber products, breaks ground on a 25,000-square-foot manufacturing, distribution, and sales center in Lampasas, Texas this month. The project will bring up to 200 jobs to the area while supporting the state’s progressive economic growth plans, Mike Cour, President of Eco-Flex U.S. Operations said.

Eco-Flex has earned a global reputation as an innovator in the recycling of passenger car tires and manufacturing recycled rubber products. Each year, the business repurposes crumb rubber from approximately three million discarded tires for use in new construction and remodeling, sidewalks, access ramps and more. Its customers range from municipalities to segments of the commercial, industrial, residential and agricultural industries.

Three of the company’s major products include sound barrier protection walls, sidewalk blocks, and patio blocks. These products are one-of-a-kind and exclusive to Eco-Flex.

In Vancouver, B.C. city councilor Heather Deal, said Eco-Flex products were an asset to the community she represents. “We have the greenest city initiative and these sidewalks made of recycled tires are a great alternative to concrete.” Deal said the Eco-Flex sidewalk blocks installed several years ago have been a “very successful product” for the city.

We have a lot of people of different abilities in this city and we want to make sure our sidewalks are comfortable for pedestrians and people in wheelchairs,” she said.

Texas is the perfect place to showcase Eco-Flex products, Cour said. He cited the state’s forward-thinking plans for an integrated transportation system and the more than 8,000 planned associated projects as a primary reason for the company’s decision. Likewise, the state is a hub for tire recycling and ranks second in the country for most automobiles on the roads.

Texas is also home to Genan, a large tire recycling company that breaks down tires into the raw material that Eco-Flex then uses to produce its recycled rubber patent-protected products.

Alberta, Canada-based Eco-Flex began manufacturing recycled rubber products under its parent company Champagne Editions over 28 years ago. From the outset, Eco-Flex’s mission centered on a commitment to safeguarding the environment. Today its products help contribute solutions for two major ecological issues: excessive timber use in construction leading to deforestation; and overuse of concrete, which is responsible for up to eight percent of the world’s CO2 emissions, leading to harmful greenhouse gases, the company said.

“Texas is the ideal location for our new facilities. Its strong economy, green-friendly attitude, and the willingness of officials at all levels to collaborate with us made our decision a no-brainer,” Cour said. “Every day, Eco-Flex helps transform discarded tires into a collection of innovative solutions for public and residential applications. The state, business community and Texans, in general, are on board with that.”

To date, Eco-Flex has been responsible for recycling over 50 million passenger car tires. Manufacturing at the new Lampasas plant is expected to begin in August with products available for purchase directly from the U.S. operations office. The company will continue its strong operational presence in Canada and also has manufacturing operations in a 30,000 sq. ft. facility in Ballico, California.

© Scrap Tire News, June 2020