COOPERATION
For the year 2022 Schwalbe has purchased emission certificates for the emissions calculated for 2021 and thus made valuable investments in climate and development projects in Indonesia and Vietnam. The purchase of these certificates is not offset against Schwalbe’s emissions inventory but instead contributes to achieving the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in the respective countries. These are pledges countries make to help protect the climate and promote sustainable development.
Pyrum
Pyrum Innovations AG has been a key partner in the development of the Schwalbe Recycling System and the Green Marathon. In cooperation with the company and Cologne Technical University, in 2019 Schwalbe conducted its first successful lab experiments, in which it separated used bicycle tires into the three material fractions of rubber granulate, steel and textile fibres. The rubber granulate was then broken down further by Pyrum in the patented Pyrum thermolysis process. During this process, heat is applied to the rubber granules in an oxygen-free environment that are then converted into the valuable secondary raw materials of pyrolysis coke, also known as recovered carbon black or rCB, pyrolysis oil and pyrolysis gas.
For application of the pyrolysis process for the Schwalbe Recycling System to be successful, it was ensured that the rCB from the used tire rubber granulate meets the same quality and performance requirements as Schwalbe had for the industrial coke or virgin carbon black previously used.
EPEA
Since 2013 we have been working very closely with the EPEA research institute in Hamburg to implement the cradle-to-cradle principle at Schwalbe and gradually make our products and processes environmentally-compatible and circular.
A further aspect of this cooperation involves us constantly researching the development of modern, future-proof materials and recycling options. One important element of this is material screening, where together with the EPEA we subject all substances in our products to precise analysis. This has allowed us to eliminate more than 98% of all harmful substances in our Green Marathon, for instance.
Universities
Cologne Technical University is a member of the research community established by Schwalbe and Pyrum to develop the Schwalbe Recycling System. The exact resource and emission savings made during the tire recycling process is currently being investigated in a scientific study within the research group. So that we can encourage even more people from higher education to join us here at Schwalbe, we have assigned a contact person for the recruitment of student trainees at universities. We also cooperate closely with the Cologne Chamber of Industry and Commerce on the training and supervision of our apprentices.
Table of bicycle mobility projects Organizations we are involved with
- Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club
- Bikebrainpool
- Cycling Industries Europe
- Confederation of the European Bicycle Industry
- European Tire and Rim Technical Organization
- Innovation hub Bergisches Rheinland
- Unternehmen FahrRad
- Shift Cycling Culture
- VeloLab
- Verbund Service und Fahrrad g. e. V.
- vivavelo Kongress
- World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry
- Zweirad Industrie Verband
Bicycle mobility for the protection of our climate
This reporting year Schwalbe supported two campaigns run by OVAG (a regional transport operator) and ADFC (German cycling association). We also work with a number of initiatives, organizations, NGOs, universities and associations because we believe that it is extremely important to provide support and commitment in the dynamic process for more bicycle mobility, both at a political level and in society as a whole. Schwalbe is an active member of various industrial and trade associations and the driving force behind numerous sector initiatives and cycling culture projects.
