RESERVE, La. – Life for Tyres Group Limited, a European tire recycling company, has announced plans to invest $46 million to establish its first U.S. processing facility on 10 acres at the Port of South Louisiana’s Globalplex site in Reserve.
The company said its recycling and manufacturing plant, L4T Louisiana LLC, will convert “end-of-life tires into high-quality sustainable commodities such as advanced biofuel feedstock, recovered carbon black and scrap steel.”
L4T said it expects to create 46 direct new jobs in St. John the Baptist Parish. Louisiana Economic Development, the state’s business development agency, estimates the project will create three times as many indirect jobs.
“This new project is a perfect example of the power of the ports to drive investment and job creation in Louisiana,” Gov. Jeff Landry said in a press release. “In addition to the tremendous impact this foreign investment will have on the state and local economies, L4T will support Louisiana-based oil and gas and petroleum chemical companies with high-quality sustainable commodities that help them achieve their carbon management goals.”
Life for Tyres Group said its patented technology enables it to manufacture high-quality secondary raw materials such as recovered carbon black, green oil and steel, which can be used in industrial processes. The company says its approach reduces up to 90% of greenhouse gas emissions when compared with conventional tire recycling processes.
“We are very excited about expanding our operations in the U.S. in the state of Louisiana and being part of its energy transition,” L4T CEO Tilen Milicevic said. “A strong industrial ecosystem, the availability of qualified personnel and suppliers, excellent connectivity, abundance of feedstock and proximity of our final clients are just a few of the many reasons why L4T Group, following a thorough market study, decided for Louisiana to be home to our first investment in the U.S. We are looking forward to a long and fruitful partnership with the Port of South Louisiana and to being good corporate citizens for the state of Louisiana.”
L4T is headquartered in Ireland and recently opened a plant in Puertollano, Spain.
“At the Port of South Louisiana, we have made environmental sustainability a pillar in our mission as we seek private investments that not only create jobs for River Region families, but are also safe for our community,” Port of South Louisiana CEO Paul Matthews said. “The first of its kind in the nation, L4T Louisiana will be a world-class, carbon positive facility where Louisiana’s workers will produce high-quality totally sustainable commodities. This project will be a welcome addition to Globalplex, making it a greener and more efficient facility with room to grow.”
LED said the state offered Life for Tyres an incentives package that includes a performance-based grant of $1 million for site improvements. The company is also expected to participate in Louisiana’s Industrial Tax Exemption and Quality Jobs programs.
The Port of South Louisiana is a 54-mile port district on the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. It operates in St. Charles, St. John the Baptist and St. James parishes.
Port SL’s Globalplex facility property also is home to Baumer Foods, Evonik, Associated Terminals, ADM, NATCO and Barton.
