Bekaert and CITIC Special Steel have signed a strategic cooperation agreement to explore the use of recycled steel recovered from end-of-life tires in the production of new tire reinforcement products.
Under the agreement, the two companies will conduct joint technical studies, industrial trials and material evaluations to assess the technical and commercial feasibility of producing wire rod and tire reinforcement steel using recycled material from used tires.
The partnership combines CITIC Special Steel’s expertise in steelmaking and wire rod production with Bekaert’s capabilities in tire reinforcement technologies. The companies said the collaboration aims to advance circular material flows while maintaining the quality and performance standards required by the tire industry.
The agreement was signed in Jiangyin, China, and forms part of both companies’ efforts to develop more sustainable solutions for the automotive, steel and tire sectors through increased use of recycled materials and circular manufacturing practices.
CITIC Special Steel, a subsidiary of CITIC Group, is China’s largest producer of special steel and one of the world’s leading manufacturers of specialty steel products, with annual crude steel production capacity exceeding 20 mln tons
Founded in 1880 and headquartered in Belgium, Bekaert is a global leader in steel wire transformation and coating technologies, serving industries such as construction, automotive, and energy with products including Dramix steel fibers and tire cord.
