Take a look at the experts who spoke at the 2020 Recovered Carbon Black Conference...
Bio to follow.
Francois Masson is Head of Recycling Strategy and Business at Michelin
Paul Ita runs Notch Consulting, a Massachusetts-based research company dedicated to the market research needs of the global specialty chemicals industry. Mr. Ita focuses on raw materials for the global tire and rubber industries, with a particular focus on carbon black, silica, and rubber chemicals. Through Notch, he publishes the Carbon Black World Data Book and the Carbon Black Quarterly Newsletter.
Dr. Vitaly Khusidman is a Founder and CEO of G3C Technologies Corporation. He has 35 years of innovation in process control for chemical, nuclear power, pharma and material handling industries. Dr. Khusidman has tire conversion method patents awarded in USA and Canada; the European, Indian and Chinese patents are pending. Dr. Khusidman is experienced in starting and growing companies, as well as in business and financial management.
Bio to follow.
Rajesh has entrepreneurial experience in oil & gas, GreenTech, mobile telecommunications and Circular Economy business models for complex industrial plant process and operations within industrial verticals focusing on Industry 4.0 readiness and transformation. He has extensive experience in emerging tech industries -WasteTech, FinTech, MedTech, AgriTech, IIOT, content, social and media platforms, products and services. Whilst managing complex , diverse projects and industry transformation across multinational organisations, Rajesh has lobbied for sustainable energy technologies within and for NGO’s, government institutions and SOE’s.
A senior consultant at Weibold, Mr. Kyriakos supports associations, investors and start-ups in tire recycling projects. With emphasis on pyrolysis projects in recent years, his work includes big data analysis, LCAs and circularity reports, as well as feasibility studies, technology evaluations and business modeling.
Mr. Kyriakos is impassioned by a belief that protection of our environment and our resources can only be achieved through bold international efforts - coupled with economically viable technical innovation on a local level. He is striving to apply his first hand experience to support innovative enterprises in striking a balance between technological, economic, market, and regulatory challenges, all the while helping governmental organizations identify bottle necks, impasses, and opportunities for win-win regulatory actions affecting the value chain.
Robert Harper is a British entrepreneur who has spent the last decade developing and scaling-up production plants involving pyrolysis processes. He heads EuroEco Fuels in Poland where the company has commercialized fuel production processes based on waste rubber feedstock. He also chairs the ASTM sub-committee on rubber pyrolysis oil.
On a broad background of Humansistics and a Master Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Richard Chiari has over 25 years of professional experience in Manufacturing, Logistics and Procurement: twelve years in FMCG-food/feed with Mars, five years in Plastics Industry (Borealis-Borouge) and also several years as CPO (Procurement&Production) for Erber Group, a globally engaged Hidden Champion in sustainable Agro-Biotechnology.
As Semperit Group Global Lead Buyer Carbon Black, Richard works together closely with R&D to further develop a sound business case establishing rCB as a complementary raw material for MRG Mechanical Rubber Goods in bigger industrial scale.
Christian Höfels studied process engineering to a bachelor degree in Hamburg and finished his academic education with a master degree in process engineering at the university of Braunschweig. He joined NETZSCH Trockenmahltechnik GmbH, a company specialized in fine grinding and classifying, six years ago. As a specialist for “Process Technology Development” he is in charge for new trends and optimization in all kinds of processes. The activities start with trials in the test lab, go on to the construction and up to commissioning and optimization of the plants in industrial operation.
As a lifelong entrepreneur, Scott has created, operated, managed, and adapted to many diverse businesses during the past 30 years, with emphasis in the tire recycling industry.
Since 1995 Scott has designed, constructed or operated 11 whole tire to crumb facilities. An estimated 200,000,000 scrap tires have been processed through these plants during the last 25 years.
Currently Scott is consulting for Kal Tire, a multinational company, to lead the design and build of mining tyre thermal conversion recycling facilities on 3 continents. The first of these plants operating is located in Chile. These facilities will be the first of their type in the world. He shares the vision of a bright future for value added recovered carbon black from end of life tyres.
Tony Wibbeler leads Bolder Industries with not only a great passion for protecting our environment but also the commitment of a successful entrepreneur who is equally dedicated to solving real-world challenges for positive-planet impact. Bolder Industries creates innovative products to bring sustainability to the rubber and plastics industry. As a certified B-Corp, Tony cultivates a company culture that enhances the lives of his employees, community, and the planet.
Leveraging his past experiences in the field of medical devices and the recycling industry, Mr. Wibbeler founded Bolder Industries in 2011 to develop innovative, closed-loop solutions to reduce and recycle various waste streams starting with waste tires. He has led Bolder Industries to numerous business and innovation awards, including Environmental Leader’s “Top Product of the Year,” “Breakout Company of the Year,” from the Colorado Cleantech Industries Association, and “Energy Manufacturer of the Year” from the Colorado Manufacturing Awards.
Mr. Wibbeler graduated from Ball State University with a degree in Industrial Manufacturing Technology. He is on the Board of Colorado CleanTech Association, and BVSD’s charter school program. Outside the office, Tony loves to ski in the beautiful Colorado mountains, mountain bike, and cheer for the Denver Broncos with his wife and two sons.
Fredrik Olofsson, Sales Manager at Scandinavian Enviro Systems AB (Enviro), has a long background in the Swedish rubber and plastic industry. Fredrik has had positions like Key Account Manager, Quality and Sustainability manager towards the automotive industry and IT manager in a company positioned within the Automotive industry. Long experience in rubber/plastic production such as injection, compression, extrusion and shaped hoses. He has studied at Chalmers University of Technology and has a Bachelor of engineering in Building and Construction and focus areas like quality and environmental assurance and total productive maintenance. As Sales Manager at Enviro his main focus is to implement recovered carbon black globally as a new raw material and commodity to the rubber- and tire industry.
With a Master Degree in Technical Chemistry at the Vienna Technical University, Barbara Harrer has nearly 15 years of professional experience in Research and Development Functions in Chemical and Refractory Industry. With an interruption of 3 years in refractory Manufacturing more than 10 years she has Experience in Rubber Industry, Semperit Technische Produkte.
As Semperit Head of Raw Material Development, Barbara works together closely with Mixing Department and Global Procurement to further develop a sound business case establishing rCB as a complementary raw material for Mechanical Rubber Goods in industrial scale.
Martin von Wolfersdorff is a consultant specialising in alternative rubber fillers and tire pyrolysis. He is in contact with over 320 tire pyrolysis companies globally and advises tyre manufacturing associations, tire manufacturers, tire collectors, refineries, pyrolysis technology providers & operators on the global tire pyrolysis industry and the marketing of recovered carbon black. Previously, Martin worked in the carbon black industry with Cabot, in the custom colour masterbatch industry with Americhem and in the white pigment industry with Huntsman Pigments. Martin holds a Dipl. Ing. (Univ.) degree in chemical engineering from the Friedrich Alexander University in Erlangen-Nürnberg in Germany.
Biography to follow.
Biography to follow.
Professional Career;
Electronics specialist (energy systems) - Professional
University of applied Science: Material Science
Elf Atochem (now ARKEMA)
Schwabenglas (now Glas Trösch)
Noll Aufbereitungstechnologie
Netzsch Trockenmahltechnik
Hosokawa Alpine - since 2017
Prior to founding RCB Nanotechnologies GmbH, Niels Raeder was CEO of Pyrolyx AG. For over 10 years, he grew this public German company in the field of sustainable technologies and engineering in industrial recycling of tires to one of the market leaders in this segment. He was born in Bonn and studied marketing and communications in Munich. His expertise is business development and financing of mid-size companies. During the last 10 years he was responsible for several successful IPO’s in Germany and Australia as well as different bond financings in Europe and USA. The identification and development of new sustainable technologies which will help to improve the CO2-footprint of industrial production processes, is one of the core targets of Niels Raeder´s work.
After the studies of mechanical engineering with main course in energy and process technology at the University of Applied Sciences Augsburg, Alexander Krauser worked for different companies in the field of tank construction and plant engineering.
In 2002 he joined HOSOKAWA Alpine AG, a global leader in the field of mechanical process technology, especially for comminution and classifying of a wide range of materials. As a project leader he was responsible for planning and commissioning of plants in the pharmaceutical and food industry. With this experience he changed 2006 to the Chemical Division and worked as a sales engineer. After few years he was responsible for a regional sales and engineering team. In 2015 he was appointed to Head of Sales in the Chemical Division.
Timothy Hoover is a managing director at Piper Sandler and co-heads the firm’s project finance investment banking practice. Hoover joined Piper Sandler in 2016 following a 22-year investment banking career at Raymond James & Associates, Inc. and UBS Investment Bank including its predecessor firms.
Hoover has specific industry experience with a wide range of energy and industrial related project developments in the power generation, co-generation, district heating and cooling, waste-to-energy, coal to liquid fuels, gasification and petrochemical sectors in addition to infrastructure and industrial manufacturing projects.
During his career he has concentrated on projects dedicated to sustainability, including recycling and sustainable manufacturing and packaging projects. He has also focused on the renewable and alternative energy sectors, including but not limited to solar, wind, wood pellets, ethanol, biodiesel, landfill gas, hydroelectric, thermal and biomass power generation.
Robert Genovese is an energetic senior executive with diverse experience leading operational businesses around the world as well as resolving difficult commercial and regulatory issues.
Bob holds the roles of President and CEO at Delta-Energy Group, LLC. Delta-Energy is the leader in green technology that recovers carbon black and other chemicals from end-of-life tires. Recovered carbon black is used in the manufacture of tires, rubber products, plastics, and other applications. Delta- Energy provides a true circular solution to the tire industry to meet performance requirements, lower costs, and enhance sustainability.
Mr. Sheerin is responsible for environmental, regulatory and legislatives issues relating to end-of-life tires. He represents the tire industry before state legislatures, and state agencies in rulemakings. He represents the industry as their expert on end of life tire issues, and he authors the biennial USTMA U.S. Scrap Tire Markets report.
He participates in various state, trade association and standard making committees to encourage markets for End-of-life tires addressing both annual generation and abandoned piles, and organizes conferences to grown and support scrap tire recycling. Before joining the USTMA in 2014, Mr. Sheerin was the Retail Environmental Director for Bridgestone Retail Operations, responsible for all the environmental aspects of the retail company including compliance management, environmental education, property related environmental issues, waste recycling and disposal and emergency situations.
Prior to that, he worked as a Professional Environmental Engineer. Mr. Sheerin holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and his master’s degree in environmental engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology. He is also a JD graduate of the Chicago Kent School of Law.
Prior to becoming CEO of Scandinavian Enviro Systems, Thomas’ previous roles included Export Sales Manager at Opus Equipment (Vehicle Inspection and Emission testing Equipment); General Manager at B&B Tools Shanghai/Management team Luna Group; Board of Directors of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in China; General Manager at Kontikab (Industrial Leak detection equipment) and Product Manager, Volvo Group Exterior Profiling & Identification
Born in 1970, he studied Process Technology at the university Hochschule Niederrhein in Krefeld.
He wrote his diploma thesis about the Cyclone Classifier CSF at NEUMAN & ESSER in 1995 and has worked there continuously since then.
Marc Giersemehl broadened his international experience during his three years in Brazil as Managing Director, being in charge of the Latin American market.
Today, as the Technical Managing Director at the headquarters in Germany, he is responsible for the technical area including research & development.
Nate Murphy is the CTO of Bolder Industries, focusing on the production of sustainable carbon black for use in eco-friendly plastics and rubber products. When he joined Bolder Industries, he committed to using his engineering skills and technology-mindset to bringing the theory of a sustainable carbon black to a consistent manufacturing state, which included rehabilitating an industrial plant in Maryville, MO, to produce Bolder Black, rCB. Now, he’s turned his focus to improving performance, cost, and sustainability of rubber and plastic compounds alongside customer’s technical teams.
In 2019, he expanded his role with ASTM, the American Standards Testing Institute, bringing his real-world masterbatch, pyrolysis, and recovered carbon black experience to the leadership of this global manufacturing standards group.
Mr. Murphy has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Gonzaga University and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Colorado School of Mines. Outside of work, he spends time in the mountains on his snowboard, hiking trails, or training alongside his wife at CrossFit.
Pieter ter Haar is an expert in recovered carbon black (rCB), pyrolysis, and is a former rubber compounder. He has extensive expertise managing R&D and quality assurance for rCB companies in Europe and North America. After obtaining his Chemistry degree from the Hanze University (Groningen, the Netherlands) he worked as a Rubber Compounder for Fenner Dunlop Conveyor Belting in the Netherlands, where he was in charge of sustainability of rubber compounds. Pieter joined Pyrolyx/cct Stegelitz in 2015 to develop, build, and manage the first R&D competence center, fully dedicated to rCB research. He is one of the founding members of ASTM committee D36 on recovered carbon black, and in his role as Vice Chair, he leads various task groups within the committee. Pieter currently holds the position of "Director rCB" for the EuroEco Fuels group, and is president of Terhaar Consulting Inc. Lastly Pieter is part of this years advisory committee for “Recovered Carbon Black World.
