Germany firm Pyrolyx AG has started construction of a recovered carbon black (rCB) plant in Terre Haute, Ind.

Following its completion, the plant in Terre Haute will produce about 12,900 tons of rCB every year as well as pyrolysis oil and steel. The international Zeppelin Group has planned and will construct the plant and perform overall project management.

The site in Indiana was chosen because of favorable logistics as well as the support of the City of Terre Haute. Once fully operational, the facility will employ 55 full time staff. Following the plant’s completion, Pyrolyx says it will be the first producer of rCB in the world to have two international production sites. Every year, approximately 4 million used tires will be recycled and the factory will save more than 30,000 tons of CO2 compared to traditional carbon black manufacturing.

“By building its second plant – now in the USA, the Pyrolyx Group is emphasizing its global expansion plans,” Pyrolyx Group CEO Niels Raeder said in a statement. “The increase in its production capacity will uniquely allow Pyrolyx to meet the growing demand for recovered carbon black. Even before construction begins, we have signed long-term purchase contracts for Pyrolyx rCB. As a result, we can look to the future with a great deal of optimism.”

“We are delighted to be able to support Pyrolyx with our expertise as the market leader in plant engineering and construction for tire production and to plan and build the entire plant as the general contractor,” Guido Veit, business unit manager, plastics & rubber plants at the Zeppelin Group said in a statement. “By doing so, the Zeppelin Group is making a major contribution to the responsible treatment of natural resources.”