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CHILE
Insamar: Andreani Announces Latest Developments for the Retreading and Tyre Recycling Sectors
On the occasions that we have written about the Chilean retread market in the past, we have usually reported on the fortunes of the Valparaiso-based company, Insamar. The company’s owner, Dario Andreani, is one of the most prominent and pro-active players in the Chilean market, and, alongside
environmental sector have now been incorporated under a new holding company called Dosandar (which means “the path of Dario’s community”). This incorporates the existing operations of Sustrend (consultancy), Insamar (retreading) and Insamar Logistics (logistics and collection of ELT) as well as two new
calculate carbon reductions that can be translated into carbon credits. “We have been developing this tool for over a year,” says Ayala. “It can easily be adapted to other industries, and indeed, we have already been working with Walmart to create a solution for them.”
In the retreading sector, Andreani has forged an alliance with Budini Inc, the Brazilian retread software developer, who have shown an interest in applying Volltech’s technology to their own A3 retreading software. Says Andreani; “The idea is to collect tyre savings and fuel savings, and calculate a carbon emissions factor that can be incorporated into the A3 system, so that Budini can track, via their tool, carbon reductions during the product life of the tyre
“We already have the software to collect the necessary data,” he
Diaz.
The laboratory, which was set up six months ago after Andreani decided it was more efficient to develop his own laboratory rather than carry out testing at the local university, can be used for many different products but the company’s key innovation is the development of a system to process Recovered carbon Black from tyres into graphite/graphene.
The company has set up a mini industrial process in the laboratory and is currently researching ways to optimize and industrialise the process.
“The graphene we can produce is is 40% cheaper than regular graphene,” says Diaz. “It can be used for many different products, so we are both opening up new markets and stimulating the circular economy.” SustrendLab is currently looking at a number of projects relating us end-
Dario Andreani
one or two others, he is among those who can claim the most credit for the forward-looking approach and success of ARNEC, the Chilean Retreaders’ Association. Andreani is also the owner of Sustrend, the Sustainability and Circular Economy consultancy, whose activities have also featured in these pages before. Knowing the level of Andreani’s energy and commitment to
companies Volltech (IT and Software), and SustrendLab (a new recycling and raw materials laboratory). In addition to the above, and in anticipation of Andreani’s move to the US, the Group’s Chilean operations have now been placed under the control of a new General Manager, Gaspar Espejo.
With regards to the new entities, Volltech is the Group’s new IT and
Bernardita Diaz and her team at SustrendLab
sustainability and the Circular Economy, we fully expected to learn of a plethora of new developments during our latest visit, and we were not disappointed.
Firstly, with Andreani planning to relocate to the USA later this year in order to develop the North American arm of Sustrend, there are a number of organisational changes to report. Firstly, Andreani’s interests in the
software arm. Under the management of Cristian Ayala, Volltech’s main task is the development of a new analytical tool called IRA (Insamar Retread Analytics), the aim of which is to allow users to calculate carbon footprints online and in real-time. The system aims to incorporate all product life cycle information, which can be used to help customers
added. “As a result, we will now have access to valuable information on how tyres are doing during their life cycle. Imagine, if we can collect all information about the life cycle of the tyre, we’ll be in a better position to create the best arguments to sell good tyres and retreads against cheap Chinese tyres.”
In the meantime, Andreani has made an agreement with Haltec (Budini’s agent in North America) and Budini to develop this tool and sell it in the US market.
“Through Budini and Haltec we will achieve a soft landing in the US,” says Andreani. “If we can achieve what we did in Chile in a market of 17 million people, imagine what we can do in a 350 million market.” The second new development made by Andreani is the formation of SustrendLab, which is a new technical laboratory constructed inside the Insamar retreading factory under the management of Bernardita
use products from rechargeable batteries to frames for sunglasses. Meanwhile, one additional area of work carried out by SustrendLab is the analysis of different carbon blacks produced in different plants. “We want a better understanding of how the pyrolisis process works,” says Diaz. “Our research is showing the need for good quality carbon black as well as the importance of tyre selection in the pyrolisis process. Our key aim here is to develop and improve the quality of the industrial process.”
“This is a key innovation for the whole of the retreading and recycling sectors,” said Dario Andreani in conclusion. “It is a considerable advantage for the industry to have a consultancy that can understand how pyrolisis works. Having a laboratory in Chile that can understand the process is vital for both ARNEC and the government.”
26 Retreading Business