If you want to turn used tires into sellable chips and mulch, without chemicals and without burning, a complete tire shredding line handles the entire mechanical process, at ambient temperature. The tires are shredded in stages, the steel is extracted magnetically, and the textile fiber is separated, leaving clean rubber in the form of TDF chips of 50–100 mm and wire-free mulch of 20 mm.
A well-designed tire shredding line links coarse shredding, secondary shredding, and the separation of steel and textile into a continuous flow, with no pollution and no wastewater to treat. Each fraction has its own market: fuel for cement plants, mulch for landscaping, feedstock for granulation. See the full range of recycling equipment and where each piece fits into the flow.
Key Advantages of a Complete Tire Recycling Solution
• Mechanical process, no pollution, a tire shredding line works at ambient temperature, with no chemicals and no burning, so no emissions and no wastewater.
• Staged shredding, primary shredding reduces the tire to large chips, and the secondary stage brings them to the size required by the market.
• Steel and textile separation, magnetic separators extract the steel wire, and the fiber separators remove the textile, leaving clean rubber.
• High-quality TDF chips, the 50–100 mm chips, with low steel content, sell as TDF to cement plants and to pyrolysis.
• Rubber mulch, the wire-free 20 mm chips become mulch for landscaping and protective surfaces.
• Dust extraction system, dust collection keeps a clean working environment and recovers the fine particles.
• Modular and scalable, the line expands from chips and mulch up to granules, adding stages as demand grows.
• Real payback, from bulky waste you obtain feedstock in demand in energy, landscaping, and construction, shortening the recovery period of the investment.
Technical Specifications, Tire Shredding Line
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Process type | Mechanical shredding at ambient temperature, no chemicals |
| Feedstock | Car, truck, and OTR tires, whole or pre-cut |
| Primary shredding | Twin-shaft shredder, chips of 50–150 mm |
| Secondary shredding | Wire-free chips of approx. 20 mm |
| Metal separation | Magnetic separators (up to ~98% wire-free) |
| Textile separation | Fiber separators / dust extraction |
| Final products | TDF chips 50–100 mm, mulch 20 mm, optionally granules 1–5 mm |
| By-products | Recovered steel, textile fiber |
| Capacity | Configurable per project |
Applications and Industries for Used-Tire Shredding
A tire shredding line serves recyclers, waste-management operators, and cement plants that want cheap alternative fuel. The 50–100 mm TDF chips, with low steel content, burn cleanly and can replace a good part of the coal or coke. For an operator, this means a secure market for the coarse fraction, with constant demand from heavy industry, which is permanently looking for alternative fuels cheaper than coal.
The management of used tires is regulated in the European Union through waste legislation; material and energy recovery is encouraged by the waste hierarchy in Directive 2008/98/EC on waste.
Beyond fuel, the wire-free 20 mm rubber mulch is used for landscaping and protective surfaces, and if you extend the line with granulation, you obtain granules of 1–5 mm for sports surfaces, playgrounds, tiles, and mats. For an investor, a tire shredding line that delivers chips, mulch, and, optionally, granules at the same time opens contracts in different industries and stabilizes demand throughout the entire year, regardless of the season of any single market.
The volume of end-of-life tires grows year after year, while local processing capacity remains limited. This means abundant feedstock, often at zero acquisition cost or with a take-back fee collected, and constant demand for the resulting products. A properly sized tire shredding line positions you at the intersection of a pressing environmental problem and a growing sales market.
Compatible Materials
A tire shredding line processes practically all types of rubber tires. Very large tires are pre-cut before shredding, and those with a steel bead first go through bead extraction. The better sorted the incoming flow, the cleaner the steel and fiber separation, and the more sellable the resulting chips.
| Accepted material | Notes |
|---|---|
| Car tires | The main source, direct processing |
| Truck tires | Pre-cut if they exceed the feeding size |
| OTR / machinery tires | Mandatory pre-cutting for large diameters |
| Industrial rubber | Belts, profiles, and rubber waste |
How It Works
The flow on a tire shredding line is continuous, automated, and mechanical, from the whole tire to chips and mulch:
1. The tires are fed and, if needed, their steel beads are extracted, then the large ones are pre-cut.
2. The twin-shaft primary shredder breaks the tires down into chips of 50–150 mm.
3. A magnetic separator extracts the steel wire released from the chips.
4. The secondary stage reduces the chips to approx. 20 mm and releases the remaining steel.
5. The fiber separators and the dust extraction system remove the textile and collect the fine dust.
6. The TDF chips and the mulch are screened, sorted by size, and discharged separately, ready for sale.
Oversized material is recirculated, so the final product stays uniform. A continuously monitored tire shredding line keeps the fractions consistent and quickly brings new operators to stable results, a real advantage in plants with staff turnover. The control system flags overloads and allows planned maintenance without long stoppages.
Frequently Asked Questions
What products come out of a tire shredding line?
Mainly TDF chips of 50–100 mm for fuel and wire-free mulch of 20 mm for landscaping. If you extend the line with granulation, you obtain granules of 1–5 mm for sports surfaces and paving. To these are added the recovered steel and the textile fiber. In practice, a tire shredding line gives you several revenue streams from the same waste.
Does the process use chemicals or heat?
No. It is a purely mechanical process, at ambient temperature, with no chemicals and no burning. The tires are shredded in stages, and the steel and fiber are physically separated. This means no emissions and no wastewater to treat, an important advantage for permitting and for environmental costs. The cold process also preserves the quality of the rubber, with no thermal degradation of the polymer.
How clean is the recovered steel?
The magnetic separators deliver wire-free chips at a rate of up to about 98%, and the extracted steel is sellable to steelworks or as shot for surface treatments. The finer the shredding, the more completely the steel is released from the rubber, raising the quality of both fractions. Clean steel sells better, and wire-free rubber opens more demanding markets, so the fineness of the separation has a direct impact on revenue.
Is the delivered equipment new?
Yes. We deliver new, unused equipment, built to order, not refurbished units. The construction uses components from established suppliers, with CE marking where applicable, and every line undergoes a complete inspection before shipping. You receive the technical documentation and operating manuals in your language, for a commissioning without surprises.
What makes URSTAG a premium brand?
European design, top-tier components and experience. Every machine is designed by our engineering teams in Europe and built from components by industry leaders such as Siemens, Schneider Electric, ABB, WEG, SEW-Eurodrive, NORD Drivesystems and Bonfiglioli. The result is reliable, energy-efficient and durable equipment, backed by over 15 years of experience and by delivery, installation, training and service included.
How long does installation and commissioning take?
Transport, commissioning, and operator training are included and carried out by a local team, in your language. Before shipping, the line undergoes a complete inspection, so your unit becomes operational quickly, with no hidden installation costs.
Can I later extend the line for fine granules?
Yes. A tire shredding line is modular: you start with chips and mulch, then add rasping, granulation, and fiber separation to produce granules of 1–5 mm and even rubber powder. The stages are sized together, so the expansion can be done without redesigning the existing line.
Why URSTAG?
URSTAG is a premium brand of recycling equipment, with over 15 years of experience. You don't just get a machine, you get a solution engineered by specialists, built from top-tier components and backed by a team that supports you from design through commissioning.
• European engineering, every machine and every complete line is designed by our engineering teams in Europe, with a focus on reliability, safety and energy efficiency.
• Premium components, we build on motors and automation from industry leaders: Siemens, Schneider Electric, ABB, WEG, SEW-Eurodrive, NORD Drivesystems and Bonfiglioli.
• Over 15 years of experience, we know how materials and machines behave in real-world operation, and we configure each solution for your flow and volume.
• New equipment, configured for you, we supply new units, made to order for your application, with complete technical documentation.
• Delivery, installation and training included, we handle transport, commissioning and operator training, with support throughout the equipment's life.
As a premium brand, URSTAG relies on European engineering, top-tier components and experience. You choose a partner that supports your production long term, with equipment built to run reliably in demanding industrial environments.
