CTS Tyre Recycling is demonstrating what leadership in the circular economy looks like – one mat, underlay and remanufactured product at a time.
It’s one thing to recycle a tyre; it’s another to turn it into a product that re-enters the market with purpose.
In Western Australia, CTS Tyre Recycling and its remanufacturing arm, Throughcycle Rubber, are doing just that – quietly reshaping Australia’s circular economy by taking control of their own materials and stepping boldly into sustainable manufacturing.
The businesses are part of the Cometti Group, a family-owned enterprise with more than four decades of experience in the tyre industry.
Cometti Tyres began in 1984 and rapidly built a reputation as not only a supplier of tyres but also as a service provider to major fleet operators. It evolved into Complete Tyre Solutions, which today has 13 branches across Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory, providing 24/7 repair and breakdown service to more than 800 clients.
Managing director Leigh Cometti saw the opportunity to expand into recycling of end-of-life tyres with a focus on some of the large Off-The-Road (OTR) tyres used across the agricultural, mining and mining services sectors.
With support from the Western Australia and Commonwealth governments, his company has invested more than $40-million to create its state-of-the-art recycling facility in the northern Perth suburb of Neerabup.
The facility handles the toughest end-of-life materials – OTR tyres, mining conveyor belts, marine fenders – components that most operators in the industry treat as too difficult or large to process.
Now, with its sights set higher on the waste hierarchy, CTS Tyre Recycling is making the transition from recycler to remanufacturer. That shift is more than a business move, it’s a strategic recalibration aimed at creating domestic markets, reducing export reliance, and boosting both environmental and economic resilience.
“We’re moving from recycling to remanufacturing,” says Leigh. “Instead of just separating and selling materials, we’re now producing high-value goods in-house using the same recovered rubber.
“Acoustic underlay, soft-fall flooring and matting, load restraint materials for transport, and some other pretty innovative products will all come through our Throughcycle Rubber brand.”
The evolution required investment, but not reinvention. The company’s large-scale facility already had the physical footprint to absorb new operations. It simply added new lines to complement its existing processing infrastructure – most of which is supplied by global recycling technology leader Eldan Recycling.
It’s a relationship that has helped shape the business for the past five years and continues to underpin its performance. “Eldan were clearly the market leaders when we were evaluating equipment. That hasn’t changed – it’s probably only strengthened,” Leigh says.
“What makes them stand out is not just the productivity or reliability of the machines, but the service, the relationships, and their understanding of how we operate in Australia. Their CEO and senior team are out here on the ground more often than some local reps. That commitment makes a huge difference.”
CTS Tyre Recycling runs a full Eldan recycling line, capable of downsizing any tyre from a lawnmower wheel up to a 63-inch (rim size) mining tyre. Conveyor belts, long a challenge in the industry, can now be processed with ease. But it’s not just about scale – it’s about capability and positioning.
Images: Cometti Group
“There’s no tyre or belt we can’t recycle, provided it fits within our system’s design,” Leigh says. “That’s where we’ve focused – on being adaptable, but within a robust, scalable process.”
On the remanufacturing side, the company can deliver product for a wide customer base, including the construction sector, transport and logistics, local governments, equestrian facilities, and even consumer markets.
These products often displace virgin imports from Europe or Asia, many of which are made from newly extracted rubber. Now, thanks to Throughcycle Rubber, the Australian alternative is not only local – it’s circular.
“We’re substituting imports and reducing the use of virgin rubber, which means fewer emissions, fewer exports, and more local jobs,” Leigh says. “Ultimately, this move strengthens our business, supports the economy, and is far better for the environment. There’s a clear correlation between sustainability and viability, and that’s what drives us.”
Perhaps most critically, the new manufacturing venture helps insulate the company – and the broader sector – from volatility in the export market for tyre-derived fuel (TDF).
Leigh says that following Australia’s ban on baled tyre exports, many recyclers have found themselves dependent on TDF as a revenue stream. CTS Tyre Recycling is taking a different route.
“Creating our own downstream markets means we’re less reliant on TDF. We’re keeping more material onshore and creating new value from it,” he says. “That’s really the end goal – making this industry more sustainable, not just environmentally, but economically too.”
For more information, visit: www.ctstyrerecycling.com.au
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