AZuR-Netzwerk

What AZuR-Netzwerk does

AZuR-Netzwerk (Allianz Zukunft Reifen) is a cross-industry network initiative founded in 2020 and legally operated by CGW GmbH, a private communications services company headquartered in Willich, Germany (HRB 13118, Krefeld). The network coordinates a climate-friendly tire circular economy in Europe across all lifecycle stages: retreading (Runderneuerung), mechanical recycling (granulation, rubber powder), chemical recycling via pyrolysis at 500–700 °C and devulcanisation, rubber-modified asphalt for road construction, and thermal recovery. It does not develop proprietary technology; instead, it aggregates and disseminates expertise across 90+ partners spanning tire manufacturers (Bridgestone, Michelin, Hankook, Apollo, Nokian, Sumitomo), recyclers (VS Rubber Recycling at ~350 tonnes/week, Granuband, Genan, KIAS, Pyrum Innovations, ReOil at up to 20,000 tonnes/year), plant engineers (Zeppelin Systems), research institutions (University of Paderborn, University of Twente), and federal bodies (Umweltbundesamt, DBU).

The network is governed under the patronage of the Wirtschaftsverband der deutschen Kautschukindustrie (wdk) and the Bundesverband Reifenhandel und Vulkaniseur-Handwerk (BRV), and engages policymakers through a published Forderungskatalog (policy demand catalog). It also runs the educational initiative NEW LIFE macht Schule. Its go-to-market is community-led: partners join the network via membership contributions, are recruited through the website, and engage through events, the LOOP THE TYRE startup competition, newsletters, and content marketing. The value proposition is neutral cross-industry coordination rather than software or product sales, with revenue derived from partner membership contributions and project-level support from bodies such as DBU.

The organization is small operationally — three named coordinators at CGW GmbH (Christina Guth as Network Coordinator, Anna-Maria Guth as Press Contact, Cordula Plohl as Project Manager) — but exercises outsized influence through its neutral convening role, federal-level backing, and recognized sustainability awards (Recircle Circular Economy Award 2023; Europäischer Transportpreis Nachhaltigkeit 2024; NRW-Sonderpreis Ressourcenschonung 2025). The addressable market is substantial: over 500,000 tonnes of end-of-life tires accrue annually in Germany and approximately 3.4 million tonnes across Europe.

Name

AZuR-Netzwerk

Legal name

CGW GmbH

Website

https://azur-netzwerk.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AZuR-Netzwerk is a European network initiative coordinating a climate-friendly tire circular economy across 90+ industry, trade, and academic partners, covering retreading, mechanical and chemical recycling, and policy advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tire Recycling Network Services

NAICS

Tire Retreading (326212)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Tire Recycling, Disposal & Sustainability Services (TLAKADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tire Recycling & Processing (Shredding, TDF, Pyrolysis Feedstock) (IMANAMAF), Tire Management Programs (Procurement, Monitoring, Retreads) (TLABAIAH)

Keywords

• Tire circular economy
• Tire recycling network
• End-of-life tires
• Tire retreading services
• Pyrolysis recycling

Headquarters

HQ city

Willich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Network Membership Contributions: AZuR operates as a network/initiative with partner contributions. The legal operator is CGW GmbH (Willich, Germany). Partners from industry, trade, and academia pay membership or participation fees to be part of the network.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AZuR-Netzwerk is an independent cross-industry alliance of over 90 partners from tire manufacturing, recycling, trade, academia, and policy that coordinates a climate-friendly tire circular economy across Europe. Its core activity is facilitating knowledge exchange, research coordination, and policy advocacy across the tire lifecycle — retreading, mechanical recycling, pyrolysis, and thermal recovery — rather than selling a discrete product or service. The network is operated by CGW GmbH under the patronage of the German rubber industry association wdk.

Product overview

AZuR-Netzwerk (Allianz Zukunft Reifen) is a cross-industry network organization — not a software product company — that coordinates a climate-friendly tire circular economy across Europe. It does not develop or sell a unified software platform. Its 'offerings' are structured as network work fields coordinated across partner companies: (1) Runderneuerung (tire retreading), (2) Mechanische Verwertung (mechanical recycling into rubber granules, powders, and fibers), (3) Chemische Verwertung / Pyrolyse (chemical recycling via pyrolysis producing recovered Carbon Black and pyrolysis oil), (4) Thermische Verwertung (thermal recovery), (5) Gummiasphalt (rubber-modified road construction), and (6) Bildungsinitiative NEW LIFE macht Schule (educational outreach). Partner companies contribute specific technologies (e.g., VS Rubber Recycling's 350-tonne/week mechanical processing, Zeppelin Systems' pyrolysis and recycling plant engineering, KTP's microwave devulcanisation research). The portfolio is held together by the AZuR coordination network connecting over 90 industry, trade, academic, and policy partners across all segments of tire circular economy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AZuR-Netzwerk (Allianz Zukunft Reifen) – Tire Circular Economy Network Cross-industry alliance of over 90 partners from tire manufacturing, recycling, trade, academia, and policy that coordinates a climate-friendly tire circular economy across Europe, providing networking, knowledge-sharing, research coordination, and policy advocacy.
• Runderneuerung (Tire Retreading) Coordination Network work field coordinating the European project group on tire retreading — relining worn tires with new rubber treads to extend tire life before recycling. Positioned as the preferred path in sustainable tire circular economy for passenger cars, trucks, and commercial vehicles.
• Mechanische Verwertung (Mechanical Recycling) Coordination Network work field coordinating the mechanical processing of end-of-life tires into component materials (rubber granules, steel, textiles) used as secondary raw materials in flooring, asphalt, construction, and rubber goods.
• Chemische Verwertung / Pyrolyse (Chemical Recycling / Pyrolysis) Coordination Network work field coordinating chemical recycling via pyrolysis at 400–700°C without oxygen, producing gas, pyrolysis oil, and recovered Carbon Black (rCB) used to substitute fossil raw materials in the chemical and tire industries.
• Thermische Verwertung (Thermal Recovery) Coordination Network work field coordinating thermal utilization of end-of-life tires representing the last stage in the disposal hierarchy, used when tires cannot be repaired, retreaded, or materially recycled.
• Gummimehl / Gummiasphalt (Rubber Powder / Rubber Asphalt) Coordination Network work field coordinating the use of fine rubber powder from recycled end-of-life tires for modifying road construction bitumen and asphalt, in partnership with road construction materials companies.
• Bildungsinitiative NEW LIFE macht Schule (Educational Initiative) Educational initiative coordinated by AZuR that teaches schoolchildren and communities about tire lifecycle, circular economy, and ESG principles.

Quantifiable outcome

• Complete utilization of end-of-life tires in Europe (100% recycling target)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Umweltbundesamt Dessau (Federal Environment Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020The Umweltbundesamt (UBA), Germany's central environmental authority founded in 1974, is a patron/scientific advisor to AZuR. The UBA researches and advises politicians on environmental issues including sustainable mobility, climate protection, and circular economy development. The partnership provides AZuR with scientific credibility and policy influence in environmental regulation.
• Bridgestone Europe NV/SAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the world's largest tire manufacturers, Bridgestone is a partner in AZuR's network. The partnership contributes to the circular economy of tires by providing manufacturer perspective on sustainable tire production and end-of-life tire management.
• Michelin Reifenwerke AG & Co. KGaAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMichelin, a leading global tire manufacturer, participates in the AZuR network to advance sustainable tire circular economy solutions and contribute expertise on tire lifecycle management.
• Hankook Reifen Deutschland GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHankook, a major tire manufacturer with significant presence in the European market, partners with AZuR to contribute to sustainable tire circular economy initiatives.
• Apollo Tyres (Germany) GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerApollo Tyres, among the top tire manufacturers globally, is an AZuR network partner contributing to sustainable tire lifecycle solutions.
• Nokian Tyres GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNokian Tyres, a Finnish tire manufacturer, is a partner in the AZuR network, contributing expertise in sustainable tire manufacturing and circular economy.
• Sumitomo Rubber Europe GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd., the world's fifth-largest tire manufacturer, operates its European R&D center through Sumitomo Rubber Europe GmbH, developing and producing FALKEN brand tires for European OEMs and the aftermarket. It is an AZuR partner.
• VS Rubber Recycling B.V.coreTechnology or IntegrationVS Rubber Recycling is a specialist in processing technical rubber waste and retreading buffing dust into high-quality secondary raw materials. The company processes approximately 350 tonnes per week of buffing dust from retreading into rubber granules, rubber powder, and rubber fibers. It operates facilities in the Netherlands (Venlo), Belgium (Dilsen-Stokkem), and the USA (Lebanon, PA).
• GranubandcoreTechnology or IntegrationGranuband is a pioneer in tire circular economy for end-of-life tires, operating tire recycling processes that recover rubber, steel, and textiles from old tires.
• Genan GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationGenan is a major tire recycling company processing end-of-life tires into rubber granules, rubber powder, and steel, operating at industrial scale across Europe.
• KIAS Recycling GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationKIAS Recycling GmbH operates the only tire recycling plant in Austria, which is among the most modern in Europe. It is a partner in the AZuR network.
• Pyrum Innovations AGcoreTechnology or IntegrationPyrum Innovations AG operates pyrolysis plants for end-of-life tires, converting tires into pyrolysis oil, gas, recovered Carbon Black (rCB), steel, and textile fibers through its proprietary technology.
• ReOil Sp. z o.o.coreTechnology or IntegrationReOil operates the largest pyrolysis plant for end-of-life tires in Europe, processing up to 20,000 tonnes of tires per year in a unique continuous pyrolysis process, producing pyrolysis oil, gas, recovered Carbon Black (rCB), steel, and textile fibers.
• Weibold GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationWeibold supports companies worldwide in building successful tire recycling and pyrolysis projects. Since 1999, over 500 projects have been realized globally.
• Zeppelin Systems GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationZeppelin Systems specializes in plant engineering for handling high-quality bulk materials, sustainable raw materials, and recyclates. With over 70 years of experience, Zeppelin offers complete solutions from plant planning to realization, including technology for recovered Carbon Black (purity up to 97%), rubber granules, rubber powder, and devulcanised rubber from tire recycling.
• Zertifizierte Altreifen Entsorger ZAREcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorZARE is an initiative within the Bundesverband Reifenhandel und Vulkaniseur-Handwerk e.V. (BRV) uniting 19 companies including 16 certified disposal specialist companies (Entsorgungsfachbetriebe). ZARE partners cover Germany and the Netherlands through 26 locations and are dedicated to proper tire recycling and raising awareness of environmentally sound tire disposal.
• Circular Rubber Platform (CRP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Circular Rubber Platform is a newly founded innovation network aimed at accelerating the development of a sustainable circular economy for rubber/elastomers in Europe. AZuR is a member of the CRP network, which covers all segments of the Circular Rubber Economy.
• Wirtschaftsverband der deutschen Kautschukindustrie e.V. (wdk)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe German Rubber Industry Association (wdk) is the umbrella organization of German manufacturers of tires and technical elastomer products. WDK serves as the patron (Schirmherr) of AZuR, providing high-level industry representation and policy influence.
• Bundesverband Reifenhandel und Vulkaniseur-Handwerk e.V. (BRV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe BRV is the nationwide trade association for the German tire trade and vulcanization trade. It is a key partner in AZuR, representing the retail and service side of the tire industry.
• Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe German Federal Environmental Foundation DBU promotes innovative, model, and solution-oriented projects for environmental protection with particular consideration of medium-sized businesses. DBU supports AZuR's retreading and circular economy initiatives.
• University of Twente / Universität TwenteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Twente is a Dutch technical university in Enschede, near the German border. It contributes research on elastomer technology including the Chair of Elastomer Technology and Engineering with the Sustainable Elastomer Systems group. More than 3,000 international students study at the UT, which has a strong international and entrepreneurial focus.
• Kunststofftechnik Paderborn (KTP) — Universität PaderbornminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKTP at the University of Paderborn has been a research institution at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering since 1980. It focuses on rubber processing along the entire value chain including extrusion, compounding, additive manufacturing, injection molding, and joining of plastics. Current research includes microwave crosslinking and devulcanisation of rubber. KTP has a management team of 3 professors, 25 research associates, ~45 student assistants, 8 lab staff, and 3 administrative staff.
• Initiative NEW LIFEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEW LIFE is an educational initiative operating under AZuR's ESG model. It received nationwide recognition (bundesweite Anerkennung) in 2025 for promoting sustainability education in schools related to tire circular economy.
• Heidelberg Materials AGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeidelberg Materials, a major building materials company, is an AZuR partner. The company uses recycled tire rubber in its asphalt and road construction applications, contributing to the circular economy of tires.
• Fahrzeugwerk Bernard KRONE GmbH & Co. KGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKRONE, a major commercial vehicle manufacturer, is an AZuR partner, contributing OEM perspective on sustainable tire management and fleet operations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tyre Recycling Industry Association (TRIA): UK-based industry association representing companies involved in tire recycling and downstream rubber applications. Comparable as a tire-recycling industry coordinator promoting regulatory and best-practice frameworks.
• Circular Rubber Platform (CRP): A newly founded European innovation network covering all segments of the circular rubber/elastomer economy. Overlaps directly with AZuR's scope and partners, making it the closest thematic peer and a potential collaborator or competitor.
• Tyre Stewardship Australia: Australia's product-stewardship scheme for end-of-life tires, funding and coordinating recycling/recovery across the value chain. Functionally analogous to AZuR's role in tire circular-economy coordination, but operating in a different geography.
• BRV — Bundesverband Reifenhandel und Vulkaniseur-Handwerk e.V. German nationwide trade association for the tire trade and retreading/vulcanization craft, and an existing AZuR partner. Comparable as a tire-sector coordination body, with broader trade-side representation but narrower circular-economy mandate.
• ETRMA — European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers' Association: EU-level trade association coordinating European tire manufacturers on policy, sustainability, and end-of-life tire issues. Closely comparable to AZuR in convening tire-industry stakeholders around circular-economy policy and best-practice sharing.

Broad incumbents

• Wdk — Wirtschaftsverband der deutschen Kautschukindustrie e.V. German rubber industry umbrella association serving as AZuR's patron. A broader established trade body that covers tire and elastomer manufacturers with a wider scope than AZuR's circular-economy specialization.
• USTMA — U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association: Major U.S. tire-manufacturer trade association with sustainability and end-of-life tire programs. Functionally akin to AZuR/ETRMA but operating in a different geography with broader industry-policy remit.

Emerging players

• Genan GmbH: Major European tire recycler processing end-of-life tires into rubber granules, powder, and steel at industrial scale. An AZuR partner that exemplifies a sizable pure-play recycler in the same ecosystem.
• Pyrum Innovations AG: German pyrolysis-plant operator converting end-of-life tires into recovered Carbon Black, pyrolysis oil and gas. Directly comparable as an AZuR-network member accelerating commercial chemical recycling of tires.

Others

• Recircle: Initiative promoting circular-economy practices in the global tire sector, including the Recircle Circular Economy Award (which AZuR won in 2023). Adjacent enabler/recognition platform rather than a direct network peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/azur-netzwerk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about AZuR-Netzwerk