54 | MANUFACTURING Treadlite New Zealand N E W Z E A L A N D Turning End-of-Life Tyres Into Real Solutions Treadlite is New Zealand’s leading tyre recovery and recycling specialist, transforming end-of-life tyres into high-performance materials for arenas, infrastructure and industry. From nationwide collection to refined recycled products, we’re closing the loop - responsibly. 161 Hannon Road, Cambridge | 0800 430 800 | treadlite.co.nz Innovation driving tyre recycling forward The company now collects more than 2.4 million tyres every year from more than 2000 customers nationwide, converting them into more than 5000 tonnes of recycled rubber products. T T Anne Boswell “We’d love to see every tyre recycled into New Zealandmade products or incorporated into our roads, rather than ending up in landfill.” When Brad Pierce and Blake Richardson launched a tyre recycling business in Cambridge seven years ago, they simply wanted to solve a local problem – but what they quickly discovered was that New Zealand’s waste tyre challenge stretched far beyond the Waikato. Today, Treadlite NZ has grown into the country’s largest tyre collector, recycling around 50% of New Zealand’s waste tyres, and leading the charge to transform an industry that has struggled with poor practices and little accountability for environmental outcomes. Proudly 100% Kiwi owned and operated, the company now collects more than 2.4 million tyres every year from more than 2000 customers nationwide, converting them into more than 5000 tonnes of recycled rubber products. Treadlite NZ head of commercial, Tracy Smith, says the company’s mission is to solve New Zealand’s waste tyre problem. “We’d love to see every tyre recycled into New Zealand-made products or incorporated into our roads, rather than ending up in landfill,” she says. In Treadlite’s early days, contractors supplied waste tyres to Treadlite and they focused on producing Arena Mix, a premium equestrian arena surface made from triple-treated, refined recycled rubber. However, one particularly busy silage season exposed a weakness in the model. “Our feedstock dried up, and we had to shut the plant down,” Tracy says. “It became obvious that we needed control of the collection process as well.” The company responded by acquiring several small-to-large tyre collection businesses around the country. From its modern processing facility and head office in Cambridge, Treadlite now recycles tyres collected from consolidation and export facilities in Hawke’s Bay, Wellington and Christchurch. It has collection hubs in Nelson, Dunedin, Palmerston North and New Plymouth. Innovation continues to drive the company’s growth. Its recycled rubber granules are already being used in playgrounds, sports fields, gym flooring and moulded rubber products, but one of the most exciting developments is the potential use of recycled tyre rubber in New Zealand roads. By incorporating refined rubber into bitumen, roads can become more flexible, quieter and more resistant to cracking under heavy traffic. Treadlite has already been involved in two trial road projects and is preparing for wider adoption as interest in more durable and sustainable roading materials grows. “It’s a really exciting space,” Tracy says. “We’re ready for it.” The company prides itself on embracing new ideas and working alongside organisations looking to develop practical circular-economy solutions. “We’re a forward-thinking and innovative business,” Tracy says. “We love coming up with new ideas and working with people who bring new ideas to the table.” Equally important is the culture within the company itself, which comprises 70 staff. “We’re very much about our people. We champion everyone, and when you walk into our office, it’s obvious people enjoy coming to work. It’s a great environment.” With more than 7.75 million tyres reaching the end of their useful life in New Zealand every year, Treadlite believes solving New Zealand’s tyre problem is not simply good business – it’s a long-term commitment to building a cleaner, more sustainable future, one tyre at a time.
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