Short Carcass Trade

What Short Carcass Trade does

KURZ Karkassenhandel GmbH is a German privately-held tire disposal and rubber recycling company founded in 1955 and headquartered in Landau in der Pfalz, with a secondary operational site in Wendlingen. The company provides environmentally compliant collection and disposal of end-of-life tires and rubber waste (including excavator chains and belts) for commercial customers, municipalities, private individuals, and small businesses, with volume-based segmentation distinguishing small (up to 20 tires) and large-quantity (over 20 tires) service flows through a registered customer portal.

The company's core technology infrastructure centers on a rubber grinding and processing facility at the Landau site, operational since March 2016 and described as the only plant in Europe capable of producing rubber powder from snake-peel (tread strips from retreaded tires). The facility employs both ambient and cryogenic grinding (using liquid nitrogen) with 144 rotor knives and 7 stator knives, producing rubber chips (20-40mm), granules (5-20mm and 1.0-3.0mm), and fine rubber flour (0.4-0.8mm and <0.4mm) for industrial applications in asphalt modification, rubber product manufacturing, plastics compounding, and sports surfaces. The company also offers contract grinding (Lohnvermahlung) toll milling services.

KURZ generates revenue across five streams: (1) tire and rubber waste disposal service fees from commercial and private customers, (2) margin-based trading in used, retreaded, and new tires and casings (Karkassen), (3) tire mounting and wheel change service fees, (4) sales of recycled rubber powder, granules, and rubber flour to industrial buyers, and (5) contract grinding fees for third-party rubber material processing. The company holds ZARE certification, Entsorgungsfachbetrieb status, and memberships in AZuR, BRV, bvse, WDK, and the European Circular Rubber Platform, operating with 51-100 employees across its two German facilities.

Name

Short Carcass Trade

Legal name

Kurz Karkassenhandel GmbH

Website

https://kurz-karkassenhandel.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

KURZ Karkassenhandel GmbH is a German tire disposal and rubber recycling company founded in 1955, serving commercial customers, municipalities, and industrial buyers with end-of-life tire collection, retreaded tire trading, and the only European plant for snake-peel rubber powder production.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tire and Rubber Recycling Services

NAICS

Tire Dealers (441340), Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers (423130), All Other Rubber Product Manufacturing (326299), Tire Retreading (326212)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Tires & Inner Tubes (3011), Wholesale-Motor Vehicle Supplies & New Parts (5013)

akta.pro primary industry

Tire Recycling, Disposal & Sustainability Services (TLAKADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tire Recycling & Processing (Shredding, TDF, Pyrolysis Feedstock) (IMANAMAF), Rubber Recycling (Crumb Rubber, Devulcanization) (IMANAMAE), Tire Distribution & Wholesale (Regional/Local Supply) (TLAKADAH), Special Waste Transfer (Tires, Mattresses, Appliances) (BPALABAG)

Keywords

• Tire disposal services
• Rubber recycling
• Used tire trading
• Rubber powder production
• Contract grinding

Headquarters

HQ city

Wendlingen Am Neckar

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tire Disposal Service Fees: KURZ charges fees for collecting and disposing of end-of-life tires and rubber waste from commercial and private customers. Services are segmented by volume: small quantities (up to 20 tires) for individuals/small businesses, and large quantities (over 20 tires) for commercial trade. Customers must register and log in to place disposal orders.
2. Used Tire Trading: KURZ buys and sells used (second-hand) tires and casings (Karkassen), as well as retreaded (runderneuerte) and new tires, generating revenue through margin on tire trade.
3. Tire Service (Montage/Wheel Change): KURZ offers tire mounting, complete assembly, and wheel change services, generating service fees from vehicle owners and tire retailers.
4. Rubber Powder and Granule Sales: KURZ produces and sells custom rubber powders, granules, and rubber flour in various particle sizes (chips, granules, fine flour) produced from recycled tires and rubber waste. Products are sold to asphalt modification, rubber product manufacturing, plastics, and sports surface industries.
5. Contract Grinding / Toll Milling (Lohnvermahlung): KURZ offers toll milling services where customers supply their own rubber material (in snake, granule, or chip form) and KURZ processes it to desired particle sizes using its industrial grinding equipment, charging per job based on material and specifications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

KURZ Karkassenhandel GmbH provides environmentally compliant disposal and recycling services for end-of-life tires and rubber waste, operating a ZARE-certified collection and processing network across two German locations. The company buys, sells, and disposes of used, retreaded, and new tires, and operates a rubber grinding plant that converts tire and rubber waste into custom-sized rubber powders, granules, and fine flour for industrial buyers. Additional offerings include tire mounting and wheel change services and contract grinding (Lohnvermahlung) of customer-supplied rubber materials.

Product overview

KURZ Karkassenhandel operates as an integrated tire disposal and recycling company offering a comprehensive portfolio of services and products centered on used tire management and rubber material recovery. The core offering consists of Altreifenentsorgung (old tire disposal) and Altgummi-Entsorgung (rubber waste disposal) services, supplemented by Reifenservice (tire service) for mounting and wheel changes. The company trades in tires through Gebrauchtreifen (used tires), Runderneuerte Reifen (retreaded tires), and Neue Reifen (new tires). Its Gummi-Produkte (rubber products) division transforms recycled tire materials into Gummimehl (rubber powder), Granulat (granulate), and Gummi-Feinmehl (fine rubber flour) with various particle sizes for applications in asphalt modification, rubber product manufacturing, plastics industry, and sports surfaces. The Lohnvermahlung (contract grinding) service enables customers to utilize KURZ's grinding machinery for custom rubber processing. The company operates two locations in Germany (Landau and Wendlingen) and maintains various industry certifications and memberships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Old Tire Disposal (Altreifenentsorgung) Environmentally compliant collection and disposal service for end-of-life tires of all types, dimensions, and brands, offered in small quantities (up to 20 tires) for private individuals and small businesses, and large quantities (over 20 tires) for commercial customers.
• Old Rubber Disposal (Altgummi-Entsorgung) Disposal and recycling service for rubber waste materials of all kinds, including excavator chains and belts, serving industrial and commercial customers.
• Tire Service (Reifenservice) Professional tire mounting, complete assembly, and wheel change service available by appointment at KURZ facilities for vehicle owners and tire retailers.
• Used Tires (Gebrauchtreifen) Sale of inspected second-hand tires and tire carcasses/casings suitable for retreading and resale, sourced from collection operations and other tire trade partners.
• Retreaded Tires (Runderneuerte Reifen) Sale of retreaded tires that have been professionally refurbished and are marketed as a cost-effective alternative to new tires.
• New Tires (Neue Reifen) Sale of new tires for various vehicle types, complementing the company's used and retreaded tire portfolio.
• Recycled Rubber Products (Gummi-Produkte) Custom-sized recycled rubber materials produced from end-of-life tires and rubber waste, including rubber chips (20-40mm), granules (5-20mm and 1.0-3.0mm), and fine rubber powder (0.4-0.8mm and <0.4mm), sold to industrial buyers in asphalt modification, rubber goods, plastics, and sports surfaces.
• Contract Grinding Service (Lohnvermahlung) Toll milling service where customers supply rubber material (in snake, granule, or chip form) and KURZ processes it to desired particle sizes using its industrial grinding equipment, allowing customers to avoid capital expenditure on grinding technology.
• Rubber Mixtures (Gummimischungen) Trading of rubber mixtures intended for industrial compounding and product manufacturing applications.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AZuR NetzwerkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKURZ is an active member of the AZuR (Allianz Zukunft Reifen – Tire Future Alliance) network, which brings together tire industry stakeholders focused on sustainable tire recycling and circular economy solutions in Germany.
• ZARE (Zertifizierte Altreifenentsorger)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZARE is the certification body for certified used tire disposers in Germany. KURZ participates in ZARE partner meetings and holds ZARE certification, positioning the company as a certified, compliant operator in the regulated tire disposal sector.
• BRV (Bundesverband Reifenhandel e.V.)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGerman Federal Tire Trade Association representing tire retailers and traders. KURZ's membership provides industry network access and alignment with tire trade standards.
• bvse (Bundesverband Sekundärrohstoffe und Entsorgung)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman Federal Association for Secondary Raw Materials and Waste Management. KURZ's membership aligns the company with the secondary raw materials and recycling industry standards and regulatory frameworks.
• WDK (Wirtschaftsverband der deutschen Kautschukindustrie)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman Rubber Industry Association. KURZ maintains a relationship with WDK, which conducts market analysis on used tire volumes and recycling rates in Germany (e.g., WDK data cited ~100,000 tonnes missing from 2024 German balance sheets).
• vdaW (Verband des deutschen Abgasuntersuchungshandwerks)minorOthersGerman automotive trade association. KURZ is listed as a partner/member, indicating alignment with automotive service industry standards.
• Circular Rubber PlatformminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean industry platform for circular economy in the rubber sector. KURZ's partnership supports its positioning as a sustainability-focused operator in the European rubber recycling ecosystem.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Tyromer: Canadian devulcanization and rubber powder technology company with European partnerships. Comparable to KURZ's rubber powder and devulcanization activities, though at earlier commercial stage and with a process-licensing model rather than toll milling.
• Pneumeric: Emerging tire-recycling technology company focused on crumb rubber applications including sports surfaces and infrastructure. Comparable through end-of-life tire processing and downstream rubber powder/granule end markets.

Broad incumbents

• Marangoni Retreading Systems: Italian-based global leader in tire retreading systems and tread rubber. Comparable via the retreaded-tire value chain that supplies KURZ's snake-peel feedstock, and a downstream user of recycled rubber materials.
• Kraiburg Austria: Austrian/German rubber products manufacturer using recycled rubber inputs for industrial and consumer applications. Comparable as a downstream buyer of crumb rubber and as an established European rubber-recycling operator.
• Bridgestone Treads eco: Bridgestone's circular-economy and tire-recycling operations in Europe, including rubber powder and retreaded-tire products. Comparable in rubber powder and retreaded-tire value chain, but as part of a global tire OEM with substantially greater scale.
• Lehigh Technologies (Michelin): A Michelin-owned producer of micronized rubber powder (MRP) from end-of-life tires, serving asphalt, rubber, and plastics customers globally. Comparable in product line (recycled rubber powder) but at significantly larger scale and as part of Michelin's circular-economy platform.

Direct peers

• Rubber Resources: European producer of recycled rubber powders and granules from end-of-life tires, serving industrial customers in molded rubber goods, asphalt, and sports surfaces — a direct product-line competitor to KURZ's rubber products division.
• Genan: One of Europe's largest end-of-life tire recyclers, operating multiple plants for granulation, devulcanization, and rubber powder production. Direct competitor to KURZ in tire-derived rubber powder and granulate across EU markets.

Regional players

• AVG (Abfallverwertungsgesellschaft): German waste-management and recycling company with tire and rubber waste handling capabilities. Comparable as a domestic German competitor in regulated tire disposal and waste transfer.
• Kargro: Dutch retreader and tire-recycling company serving Benelux fleets with retreaded tires and used-tire collection. Comparable in retreaded-tire trading and tire disposal services, though primarily serving a different national market than KURZ.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCyH6OzBeO5MU2TXFSpbaMaA
• Facebookfacebook.com/KURZKarkassenhandel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kurz-karkassenhandel-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/kurzkarkassenhandel

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Short Carcass Trade