Bulgaria: Innovative and green reuse and production of tires

Medina Med is a medium-sized, family company run by a father and son, Ivan and Ivelin Panchov. Since 2006, the company has offered new solutions: high quality retreaded tires through innovative technologies and processes with an environmental impact. The project has already decreased CO2 emissions with more than 1238.94 tonnes. It has also created new jobs.

Video testimonial

Her from Medina Med in their own words:

Retreading industrial tires

Medina Med is also one of the largest retail sellers in Bulgaria and in the region offering new tires in all the known segments – light vehicle, trucks, bus, agro and heavy industry tires. With funding from the Norway Grants in Bulgari, Medina Med has introduced production for retreading of heavyweight industrial tires as one of the first in Europe. It used an innovative process of delivering heat with steam instead of water. There is a significant green effect. The life cycle of the tires is doubled.

Doubling the durability of tires

Approx. 70% of world consumption of natural rubber (from rubber crops) comes from tire industry. In 2018, the annual demand of heavy industry tires 40/00R57 (largest in Europe) with new tire weight of 3610 kg is estimated at approximately 2000. Only about 250 tires of those are retreaded for a second life. This means that approx. 1750 tires are becoming waste. It is hard recycle them at the weight of 2400 kg.

The project has prolonged the life of 150 tires and prevented them become waste. Prolonging tire life reduces demand for new ones. This saves pollution from production, a the consumption of raw materials for production harms the environment, and the project has had a significantly green effect.

The project introduced a unique retreading line of heavy industry tires size 40 00R57 with new tire weight of 3610 kg, applying steam processing at a temperature of 115 degrees.

The durability of retreaded tires is the same as for new ones. Durability could be increased even further as the company is applying specific grapple on the outer layer for the specificities of the terrain where the tires are used.

Internationalisation

The production line is fully operational and Medina Med has expanded into more international markets. The Norway Grants support of 700,000 euro allowed the family company to penetrate a new market, expand its production capacity and increased turnover, becoming competitive not only in Bulgaria and the Balkans but in Europe.

The Business Development, Innovation and SMEs Growth Programme in Bulgaria

The project is supported by Norway through the Norway Grants. See more opportunities under the SMEs Growth Programme in Bulgaria.

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