“There are significant opportunities for optimization and synergy of our technology in the Rotterdam industrial complex,” said Silvio Ghyoot, CEO of Black Bear Carbon. According to Allard Castelein, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, the company fits perfectly into the existing Rotterdam chemical complex. Rinke Zonneveld, director of development company InnovationQuarter, adds: “As one of the World Economic Forum’s Tech Pioneers and one of the leading circular companies in the Netherlands, Black Bear is an excellent fit for the ecosystem in our region.”
Burning petroleum
Carbon black is a crucial component in rubber, plastic, ink and paint; and is used to improve their properties. Almost everything around us that is black in color contains carbon black. Current manufacturers produce carbon black by burning heavy petroleum fractions, releasing CO2 and polluting the environment. Black Bear recovers carbon black from old tires in a clean and sustainable way.
In the coming weeks, Black Bear Carbon and the Port of Rotterdam Authority will work out the technical and financial details of their collaboration and project design. However, the plans go further. After six years of testing and two years of production experience, Black Bear is ready to roll out its concept globally and produce carbon black recovered on a large commercial scale. This should lead to the roll-out of hundreds of factories with local partners, which can reduce the worldwide annual oil consumption by more than 215 million barrels.
