Liberty Tire Acquires Able Tire
The nation's leading tire recycling company, Liberty Tire, purchased Texas-based Able Tire Company, and The March Group represented the seller, according to a June 19 press release.
Liberty and Able Tire's merger represents a partnering in the Texas and Oklahoma scrap tire market. The estimated number of waste tires produced in America annually is one per person, making the task of recycling or disposing of scrap tires a significant business. The industry is under strict state regulations; however, both companies have established methods for turning old tires into new profits as well as innovative materials.
For over 16 years, seller Able Tire has worked with major tire retailers to dispatch, collect, and track the disposal of scrap tires. Major new tire retailers have relied on the company to handle an estimated 15 million tires generated annually through disposal or reuse.
The company handles scrap tires in one of three ways: resell them or use them as fuel or fill. Often, the condition of the scrap tire collected determines the method of recycling. Resale has become the preferred re-use method in the industry. The resale value of used tires for vehicles is determined by its tread. However, cement kilns also rely on the clean-burning properties and concentrated energy of scrap tires to replace coal, and tires-as-fuel actually improves the exhaust air quality from the kilns. The third method, as approved by Texas environmental regulators, is to fill land with buried tires and dirt to restore property for new uses and developments.
The March Group worked with Able Tire owner Gary Humphreys to consummate the sale. With the acquisition, Liberty Tire will take advantage of significant savings and efficiencies while retaining the company's leadership team. Through the company's leadership, expertise and innovation, Able Tire established a paperless manifest system, a cradle-to-grave tire tracking system that includes the filing of paperless records with the Texas State environmental authorities.
Liberty helps customers meet their environmental goals by collecting and recycling nearly 25 percent of America's annual scrap tire production through a network of 14 facilities. The company processes scrap tires into a wide range of beneficial products including:
- Finely ground crumb rubber produced directly or indirectly for use in the following: artificial turf installations, molded rubber goods such as floor mats, paving tiles, new passenger tires, truck tire retread compounds, hoses, brake linings, coatings, sealants, and rubberized asphalt.
- Colored, wire-free rubber nuggets used in playground safety surfacing and decorative landscaping mulch.
- Tire-Derived Fuel – A high-BTU, clean-burning alternative to oil and natural gas for utilities and industry.
- Light weight aggregate for use in road construction and drain field applications.