Tire waste is one of the most persistent waste management challenges in the world. Tires are bulky, non-biodegradable, and notoriously difficult to transport efficiently. A single truckload of loose tires carries far fewer units than a truckload of baled tires, which means every tire recycling operation that skips the baling step is paying significantly more in transport and fuel costs than it needs to.
At Gradeall International, we’ve been manufacturing tire recycling machines from our facility in Dungannon, Northern Ireland for nearly 40 years. Our equipment operates in over 100 countries, from Iceland to Australia, Panama to Italy. This guide covers the full range of tire recycling machinery available, how each machine works, and how to choose the right combination for your operation.
Used tires pose a specific set of challenges that general waste machinery isn’t designed to address. Their shape, size, and material composition — steel wire bead, rubber compound, and reinforcing fabric — make them resistant to standard compression. Loose tires trap air, which means they stack poorly, compress unpredictably, and take up far more space per unit weight than other waste streams.
The regulatory picture has tightened considerably over the past two decades. The UK banned whole tires from landfill in 2003 under the Landfill Regulations, extending the ban to shredded tires in 2006. Similar restrictions are now in place or being introduced across North America, Europe, Australia, and many markets in Asia and Africa. Countries including the US, Germany, Spain, and France have well-established schemes for the collection and recycling of end-of-life tires, particularly truck and bus tires, which represent a significant commercial commodity.
Around 55 million tires are generated in the UK alone every year. Globally, the volume is several billion. Tires decompose slowly — estimates range from 50 to 80 years for natural breakdown, sometimes longer — which means poorly managed tire stockpiles represent long-term environmental and fire hazards. Specialist tire recycling machines exist to solve this problem at the operational level, making tire collection, processing, and transport economically viable at scale.
Understanding how tire recycling machinery fits into a complete processing workflow helps you select the right equipment for your operation. The process typically follows four stages.
The first challenge is getting tires from collection points to processing or recycling facilities at a cost that makes the whole operation viable. This is where tire balers make the biggest difference. By compressing tires into dense, stable bales, you reduce transport volume by 80% and cut truck journeys by up to 70%. A single truckload of baled tires carries many times the number of loose tires the same vehicle could transport.
Before baling, many tire types require preparation. Car tires benefit from sidewall cutting, which removes the steel wire bead and allows the remaining carcass to compress cleanly during baling. Without this step, car tire bales don’t achieve the density or consistency required for PAS 108 compliance. OTR (off-the-road) tires — used in mining, construction, and agriculture — are far too large and heavy for standard balers, so they require cutting or splitting into manageable sections before further processing.
Once pre-processed, tires go through a baler to form compact, stackable bales. These bales can be transported by standard container, palletized for storage, and accepted directly by downstream recycling facilities. PAS 108 is the British standard for tire bales used in civil engineering applications; bales that meet this standard must be produced to specific dimensions and density tolerances. The MKII Tire Baler produces up to 6 PAS 108-compliant bales per hour.
The final stage depends on how the bales or cut tire material will be used. Options include crumb rubber production (for road surfaces, artificial turf, and playground surfaces), civil engineering applications (tire bales as embankments and foundation fill), energy recovery (tire-derived fuel for cement kilns), and pyrolysis. Each pathway has different requirements for tire preparation, which affects your upstream equipment choices.
Tire balers form the core of most tire recycling operations. Gradeall manufactures several baler models, each suited to different tire types, volumes, and operational setups. Choosing the right baler depends on the primary tire type you’re processing, your daily volume targets, whether you need PAS 108 compliance, and your available space and power supply.
The MKII Tire Baler is Gradeall’s flagship tire baling machine and one of the most widely deployed models in the range. With a pressing force of 45 tons, it produces up to 6 PAS 108-compliant bales per hour. Each bale contains up to 110 car tires, and baling reduces tire volume by 80%. This makes it the standard choice for operations primarily processing car and light commercial tires.
The MKII is designed for continuous operation in recycling yards, tire retailers, and municipal collection facilities. Truck tires can also be processed through the MKII, but only after passing through a sidewall cutter first — attempting to bale uncut truck tires in this machine is not recommended and will compromise bale quality.
The MK3 Tire Baler is built for higher-volume operations and can handle a wider range of tire sizes without pre-cutting. With a pressing force of 75 tons, the MK3 produces 3 bales per hour, each containing up to 140 tires depending on size, with each bale taking approximately 20 minutes to complete.
The MK3 can be fitted with a conveyor system to streamline loading. This is worth considering for higher-throughput operations, as manually loading 100-plus tires per bale is physically demanding and time-consuming. The conveyor reduces operator effort and cycle time simultaneously.
Truck and bus tires require dedicated equipment. The Truck Tire Baler is purpose-built for this application, producing bales containing up to 12 truck tires. The machine operates at a pressing force of 50 tons and reduces truck tire volume by 60%. A chain bale ejection system simplifies the removal of completed bales, reducing manual handling at the end of each cycle.
Truck tires represent a particular commercial opportunity in many markets. Germany, Spain, France, and a growing number of developing countries have established formal collection schemes for end-of-life truck tires, and dedicated balers are a key part of making those schemes operationally efficient.
Not every operation can bring tires to a fixed processing facility. The Portable Tire Baling System is designed for exactly these situations — remote tire dumps, temporary collection events, or sites where transportation costs make moving loose tires to a fixed facility impractical.
Powered by a three-phase diesel generator, this portable system delivers the same baling performance as the MKII. It can be transported to the site where the tires are located, baled on-site, and the resulting bales loaded directly onto a container for transport. The economics of this approach are compelling in markets where road access is limited or where tire dumps are spread across a wide geographic area.
Sidewall cutters are frequently underestimated in tire recycling planning. They’re not an optional add-on; for operations processing car and truck tires through a standard baler, a sidewall cutter is the step that makes baling work properly.
The steel wire bead running around the inner edge of a tire prevents clean compression. When a tire with an intact bead is baled, it resists compression, produces inconsistent bale density, and can fail to meet PAS 108 dimensional tolerances. Removing the sidewalls before baling resolves all of these issues. It also makes the tire carcass easier to shred for crumb rubber production.
The Truck and Agricultural Tire Sidewall Cutter handles tires from 15 inches up to full truck and agricultural size. The machine picks up the tire, cuts the sidewalls, and returns it to ground level. The operator stands behind the cutter throughout, with three emergency stop buttons positioned for immediate access.
This is Gradeall’s flagship sidewall cutter and is found in most mid-to-large tire recycling operations. If you’re processing truck tires at any meaningful volume, this machine significantly improves your baling output and bale consistency.
The Car Tire Sidewall Cutter is built specifically for passenger tires. It removes the wire bead and prepares the carcass for baling or shredding. The cutting board is positioned away from the operator’s position, ensuring safe operation through the process. For recycling yards primarily handling passenger car tires, this machine pairs with the MKII baler to form an efficient two-stage processing line.
OTR (off-the-road) tires present a different set of challenges. Used in mining, quarrying, civil construction, and agriculture, these tires can weigh hundreds of kilograms and measure several meters in diameter. Standard tire balers cannot accept them, and standard sidewall cutters aren’t rated for their size and mass.
Gradeall’s OTR equipment range addresses this gap. Using the OTR Tire Cutting Equipment Range, large tires can be reduced to segments weighing under 25 kg. Once in this form, they can be handled by a single operator without mechanical lifting equipment, and processed through shredding, pyrolysis, or baling. The Agricultural Tire Shear is purpose-built for this application, with a cutting force of 30 tons capable of lifting large agricultural tires off the ground and cutting them into smaller sections.
The OTR Tire Splitter and OTR Tire Sidewall Cutter provide additional options for specific processing requirements in this segment.
Before tires can be processed for crumb rubber or tire-derived fuel, the steel rim must be separated from the rubber carcass. Selling these material streams separately significantly improves the economics of a tire recycling operation — steel rims have direct scrap value, and clean rubber with no metal contamination commands better prices downstream.
The Tire Rim Separator handles this separation for car and light commercial tires. The machine operates with an automatic safety guard that fully closes over the tire during the separation cycle. Two-handed operation is required throughout, ensuring full operator attention and control.
For truck tires, the Truck Tire Rim Separator provides the same function at a scale appropriate for commercial vehicle tires. Guards surround the tire during the separation process, protecting operators from debris.
High-volume tire recycling operations need more than individual machines — they need a connected workflow. Loading a tire baler manually to produce 6 bales per hour means moving hundreds of tires every shift. The cumulative physical load on operators is significant, and the time spent loading is a direct constraint on output.
The Tire Baler Conveyor solves this by feeding tires into the baler mechanically. It integrates with both the MKII and MK3 balers, reducing manual handling and the risk of musculoskeletal injuries from repetitive loading. The Inclined Tire Baler Conveyor provides additional options for operations where floor layout requires an elevated loading angle.
For operations producing containerized bale exports, efficient bale handling after ejection is equally important. Conveyors and container loading systems that keep bales moving without bottlenecks are worth factoring into your equipment planning from the start.
The cost of tire recycling machinery varies depending on machine specification, operational extras, and delivery location. Pricing is not fixed — Gradeall sells capital equipment to over 100 countries, and the final figure reflects shipping, installation requirements, and any site-specific customization.
For an accurate quote, contact Gradeall directly. The initial conversation is also an opportunity to ensure you’re specifying the right equipment for your tire types and volumes. Buying a machine that’s too small for your operational demand is a more common problem than most buyers expect, and it’s one that becomes expensive to correct after installation.
Local recycling facilities in the UK will accept tires, though this is typically capped for personal disposal. Kent, for example, allows up to 5 tires per visit at a cost of £2.50 per tire. For commercial operations, that per-unit cost structure makes baling equipment a clearly viable investment at scale.
Understanding what happens to recycled tire material helps clarify why the economics of tire recycling equipment make sense in markets around the world.
Crumb rubber is the most widely known output. Tires are shredded into granules that can be used as road surface aggregate, providing improved grip over conventional asphalt. The same material works as infill for artificial turf fields and provides drainage and impact-absorption characteristics for playground surfaces.
Civil engineering applications use whole tire bales as a construction material. PAS 108-compliant bales can be incorporated into embankments, retaining structures, and road foundations, particularly over soft ground where their drainage and load-distribution properties are beneficial. This is an area where the British Standard matters: specifying engineers and contractors increasingly require PAS 108 certification for bales used in construction.
Cement kilns use tire-derived fuel as a partial replacement for fossil fuels during production. The calorific value of rubber is high, and using tire material reduces both fuel costs for cement manufacturers and the volume of tires entering landfill or uncontrolled disposal. Pollutant levels are significantly lower than open burning.
Pyrolysis converts tire material into oil, carbon black, and gas through a thermal decomposition process. This pathway is technically demanding but commercially interesting as end markets for pyrolysis oil and recovered carbon black develop.
Gradeall International is a specialist manufacturer, not a reseller or distributor. All equipment is designed and built at our facility in Dungannon, Northern Ireland, using an in-house design team that applies Finite Element Analysis in equipment development. Raw materials come primarily from Irish and British suppliers.
The engineering team carries over 200 years of combined experience. The sales team brings over 100 years of combined experience in the recycling industry. Both of these figures reflect the depth of technical knowledge that goes into equipment specification — and the support available after purchase.
“The global tire recycling challenge is fundamentally a logistics problem,” says Conor Murphy, Director of Gradeall International. “Tires are not difficult to recycle once they reach the right facility. The barrier is always transport cost. Our machines solve that by making the economics of collection and transport work, which is why we see demand from every continent.”
After-sales support includes remote diagnostic access for most machines, scheduled and breakdown servicing, and a large inventory of OEM spare parts. Customers are welcome to visit the Dungannon facility to see equipment running before purchase. Container-optimized shipping is available for international customers.
The MKII operates at 45 tons pressing force and produces up to 6 bales per hour, each containing up to 110 car tires. The MK3 operates at 75 tons and produces 3 larger bales per hour, each containing up to 140 tires. The MK3 is suited to higher-volume operations or where a wider range of tire sizes needs to be processed without pre-cutting. Both models can be fitted with conveyor systems.
For most car tire baling operations, a sidewall cutter is strongly recommended. The steel wire bead in a car tire prevents clean compression, which affects bale density and PAS 108 compliance. Cutting the sidewalls before baling resolves this and improves throughput. It’s a false economy to skip the sidewall cutter if you’re running the baler at any meaningful volume.
Truck tires can be processed through the MKII baler after sidewall cutting, but for high-volume truck tire operations, a dedicated truck tire baler is the more practical choice. The truck tire baler is purpose-built for the size, weight, and volume characteristics of commercial vehicle tires, producing bales of up to 12 truck tires with a chain ejection system.
PAS 108 is the British Standard for tire bales used in civil engineering and construction applications. It specifies bale dimensions, density, and construction material requirements. If your tire bales will be used in civil engineering projects or sold to contractors who require certification, you need a baler capable of producing PAS 108-compliant bales. The MKII Tire Baler produces up to 6 PAS 108-compliant bales per hour.
Pricing varies by machine specification, delivery destination, and any site-specific installation requirements. Gradeall does not publish fixed list prices because capital equipment of this type requires proper specification before quotation. Contact Gradeall directly for an accurate quote; the conversation is also an opportunity to confirm you’re selecting the right machine for your tire types and volumes.
Profitability depends on your collection volume, transport costs, equipment investment, and the end markets available for your baled or processed material. The economic case for tire baling is well established: reducing tire volume by 80% and truck journeys by up to 70% cuts operating costs significantly. In markets with established tire collection schemes and strong demand for crumb rubber or tire-derived fuel, the business case is strong. Starting a tire recycling business requires careful planning around feedstock supply, regulatory compliance, and equipment selection.
OTR tires require cutting or splitting before they can be processed further. Gradeall’s OTR range includes the OTR Tire Splitter, the OTR Tire Sidewall Cutter, and the Agricultural Tire Shear. These machines reduce large OTR tires to segments under 25 kg, making them manageable for further processing through baling, shredding, or pyrolysis.
Gradeall International supplies tire recycling equipment worldwide from its manufacturing facility in Dungannon, Northern Ireland. Equipment has been supplied to customers in Australia, South Africa, China, the US, and throughout Europe, among many other markets. Contact Gradeall at [email protected] or +44 (0)28 8774 0484 to discuss your requirements.
Yes. Some equipment in the Gradeall range is customizable with company colors and logos. Beyond aesthetics, Gradeall’s in-house design team can adapt equipment to site-specific requirements. This is one of the practical advantages of dealing directly with the manufacturer rather than a distributor.
The most common destinations for tire bales are civil engineering projects (using PAS 108-compliant bales), cement kilns as tire-derived fuel, and facilities that process baled tires into crumb rubber for onward sale. The right destination depends on your market and the quality of the bales produced. PAS 108 compliance opens the civil engineering market, which is a stable and established outlet in the UK and across Europe.Gradeall International Ltd is a specialist manufacturer of tire recycling machines and waste management equipment based in Dungannon, Northern Ireland. Equipment is exported to over 100 countries. To discuss your tire recycling equipment requirements, contact the team at [email protected] or visit gradeall.com.
All prices and figures in this guide are indicative UK examples and correct at the time of writing; use them as a benchmark rather than fixed quotations.
← Back to news
Technology for Efficient Waste Management: A Practical Guide
Historic Tyre Dumps: Remediation Strategies for Legacy Waste Sites
Tire Recycling Certification: Global Standards and Quality Management
German Automotive Tyre Recycling Equipment for Operations
This website uses cookies to enhance your experience. Some are essential for site functionality, while others help us analyze and improve your usage experience. Please review your options and make your choice.If you are under 16 years old, please ensure that you have received consent from your parent or guardian for any non-essential cookies.Your privacy is important to us. You can adjust your cookie settings at any time. For more information about how we use data, please read our privacy policy. You may change your preferences at any time by clicking on the settings button below.Note that if you choose to disable some types of cookies, it may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.
Some required resources have been blocked, which can affect third-party services and may cause the site to not function properly.
This website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and ensure the site functions properly. By continuing to use this site, you acknowledge and accept our use of cookies.