What key trends do you see playing out this year and next for the rCB sector?

The rCB sector is constantly changing, with new solutions and implementations appearing every year. We are seeing an increasing interest in the production of virgin CB blends with rCB, a trend that has already been addressed technologically in part of the design documentation for Reoil's new plant. Another interesting topic is the use of TPO for the production of so-called sCB, where we are also seeing increasing interest in TPO from the world's largest carbon black producers, who have already expressed their interest in TPO in the form of confirmed orders for large volumes. Another trend is the emergence of several companies offering to buy back raw CB from today's pyrolysis process operators and process it to a level acceptable to the market. In recent years, rCB has been used mainly for tyre and technical rubber production. We are now seeing demand from masterbatch, plastics and construction material producers. The rCB market is constantly changing due to the new solutions offered by producers from different industries. We would like to emphasise that rCB is not only a substitute for vCB, but also an environmentally friendly product in its own right, with ten times less greenhouse gas emissions than vCB. We want end users to see rCB as an independent product that can be used in their production because of its properties. When properly produced, rCB is beneficial to the environment and producers should be aware of the opportunity to use a low-GHG product in their production.

Tell us a bit more about the themes you will be focusing on in your presentation?

During the presentation, I will focus on Reoil's history and strategy for the future - i.e. organic growth and grassroots work versus other projects where the most important thing is to present expectations for the future and meet investors' expectations. Another important part will be the presentation of positive cash flow from current operations. I will also talk about the cooperation within the Zeppelin Tire Alliance project and the importance of expanding projects in our industry to the concept of "industry standard" with all its capex implications. I will also touch on several issues related to the pyrolysis process and its products. I would like to focus on the environmental impact of the process. We should look at pyrolysis as a whole and focus not on the products themselves but on all the environmental aspects that lead to their production. We should consider that pyrolysis is a recycling process, and on that basis it must be environmentally friendly. If we look at the end products, we should focus on the whole process and analyse the environmental impact of the technology, the emissions, the occupational safety and the availability of materials for production (used tyres). We have to understand that the whole process has to be environmentally friendly. There are a lot of technology solutions on the market that offer the possibility to produce TPO and rCB with a relatively low investment; however, if we focus on the details, we will see that none of these technologies is environmentally friendly and the whole process is harmful to the environment and the workforce. ELT pyrolysis is the whole process that has to be considered from the beginning: the availability of ELTs and the support of local communities and regions to solve the ELT problem. 1/3 of Europe's ELTs travel halfway around the world to be processed in "home-made" pyrolysis furnaces. What is the real GHG impact of pyrolysis technology, transport and its use?

You are a frequent participant of this event - what is it that draws you back each year?

I have attended every rCB conference and have seen the community and interest in the field grow. Every year, we meet new people and companies that present technologies, products and solutions that the entire industry can benefit from. The rCB conference has become the main place where all interested parties can meet and exchange ideas and experiences.

What are you looking forward to hearing from your fellow speakers address in November?

I would like to know more about the new applications for TPO and rCB and the solutions for ELT recycling. What are the options for manufacturers to incorporate the above products into their ongoing production? How can we address the change in regulations to recycle European tyres in Europe and not in the Far East? How can we ensure that pyrolysis products are environmentally friendly? How can we minimise greenhouse gas emissions in the pyrolysis process and prove that the products represent the real environmental and social costs of production? The readiness of the industry for the first consolidation steps is something I would also like to know.