Three product families: side-by-side comparison
A nine-row reference comparing every sub-grade across crumb rubber, Crumb Rubber Modified Bitumen (CRMB), and reclaimed rubber — covering output spec, buyer segment, plant investment tier, contract type, and indicative price range per kilogram.
| Product family | Sub-grade | Output spec | Primary buyer segment | Capex tier | Contract type | Price range (per kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crumb rubber | Coarse 4-30 mesh | 0.6-4 mm particle | Civil contractors, playground installers, infill | Tier 1 lowest | Spot or frame | ₹15 to ₹22 |
| Crumb rubber | Fine 40-80 mesh | 0.15-0.4 mm particle | Asphalt plants, moulded products | Tier 1-2 | Spot or frame | ₹22 to ₹30 |
| Crumb rubber | Ultra-fine 100+ mesh | Below 0.15 mm | Sealants, compound fillers | Tier 2 | Frame | ₹28 to ₹35 |
| CRMB | Field Blend | 0.5-5% rubber dose | State Public Works Departments | Tier 2 add-on | Tender | ₹55 to ₹68 |
| CRMB | Non-HVB | 8-15% rubber dose | NHAI / MoRTH wearing courses | Tier 2-3 | Tender | ₹62 to ₹78 |
| CRMB | HVB | 18-25% rubber dose | Airports, bridge decks, heavy traffic | Tier 3 full plant | Tender | ₹72 to ₹95 |
| Reclaimed rubber | Tier 1 | 70-80% sulfur reduction | Tyre majors, technical rubber goods | Tier 3 highest | Long-term lock | ₹45 to ₹85 |
| Reclaimed rubber | Tier 2-3 | 30-65% sulfur reduction | Mats, conveyor belts, compound filler | Tier 3 | Frame | ₹25 to ₹45 |
| Reclaimed rubber | Tier 4-5 | 15-25% or minimal reduction | Mud flaps, road-base filler | Tier 3 | Spot | ₹15 to ₹25 |
Beyond definitions
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How to read this table
- Rows are grouped by product family — crumb rubber (3 rows), CRMB (3 rows), reclaimed rubber (3 rows) — read vertically within each family to understand the upgrade path
- Capex tier: Tier 1 is lowest investment (ambient crumb line only), Tier 3 is highest (reclaimed rubber devulcanisation plant); see the Capex Ranges by Product Tier table for rupee ranges
- Price range per kg: indicative market prices as of 2024–25; actual prices depend on mesh specification, moisture, contamination, and buyer relationship — refer to the table for exact figures
- Contract type indicates typical commercial structure, not a guarantee — spot and frame both require negotiation
About this table
A tyre recycling business built around rubber recovery can produce three fundamentally different product families — crumb rubber, Crumb Rubber Modified Bitumen (CRMB), and reclaimed rubber — and within each family there are sub-grades that differ in the technical processing required, the capital investment needed, the buyer type, and the price achieved. This table lays all nine sub-grades side by side so a founder can map their starting capital and processing capability to the product mix that is realistically achievable, and then plan a phased upgrade path toward higher-value grades.
Crumb rubber spans three mesh bands. Coarse 4 to 30 mesh (0.6 to 4 mm particles) is the entry point — it requires the least capital, sells to civil contractors and playground installers on spot or short-frame contracts, and commands the lowest price per kilogram. Fine 40 to 80 mesh and ultra-fine 100 mesh and above add progressively finer grinding stages, serve asphalt plants, moulded product manufacturers, and sealant makers, and attract a modest price premium for the extra processing. The crumb rubber line is where most first-time tyre recyclers in India begin.
CRMB requires an additional wet blending terminal — the crumb rubber is blended into hot bitumen at high shear to produce a road-paving binder that meets Indian Roads Congress specifications. The three CRMB sub-grades — Field Blend, Non-HVB (High Viscosity Binder), and HVB — differ in the rubber dose (0.5 to 25 percent), the grade of road application, and the buyer. State Public Works Departments and NHAI contractors are the primary routes to market, and orders come through government tenders, which means longer payment cycles but larger and more predictable volumes. CRMB prices per kilogram are substantially higher than raw crumb, reflecting the value added in blending and quality-assured dispatch.
Reclaimed rubber sits at the top of the capital and complexity ladder. The devulcanisation process — breaking down the sulfur cross-links in the original rubber compound — requires high-temperature, high-pressure processing with specialised twin-screw or devulcanisation extruders. Tier 1 reclaimed rubber (70 to 80 percent sulfur reduction) goes to tyre manufacturers and technical rubber goods producers under long-term supply agreements; lower-tier reclaimed rubber grades serve mats, conveyor belts, and compound fillers. Use this table alongside the Scaling Stages table and the product-specific equipment overviews to build a staged investment roadmap.
Key insights
- Reclaimed rubber Tier 1 commands the widest indicative price range and requires the highest capital — it is the highest-risk, highest-reward end of the product ladder
- CRMB is sold exclusively through government tenders, which means volume predictability but 45 to 90 day payment cycles — working capital planning is critical
- A crumb rubber line is the practical starting point for most Indian founders; CRMB and reclaimed rubber can be added as forward-integration plays once the base line is running profitably
- Ultra-fine crumb rubber (100 mesh and above) yields only 5 to 10 percent of ambient line output by default — meaningful volume requires a supplementary cryogenic grinding stage
- The capex jump from crumb-only to reclaimed rubber is substantial; see the Capex Ranges by Product Tier table for rupee-level detail
Methodology & sources
Sub-grade categories, output specs, and buyer segment descriptions reflect Indian market conditions as of 2024–25. Price ranges are indicative and vary with mesh spec, contamination level, freight, and buyer negotiation. Capex tiers are relative, not absolute — refer to the Capex Ranges by Product Tier table for indicative rupee ranges at 10 TPD scale.
Related data tables
Capex ranges by product tier — 10 TPD Indian plant
Indicative capital investment ranges for five 10 TPD plant configurations in Indian tyre rubber recycling, from a basic crumb-only ambient line through to a full reclaimed rubber devulcanisation plant, with separate Indian and import equipment totals.
Crumb Rubber Plant Equipment Overview
A nine-item equipment list for a crumb rubber production plant organised by functional section — from tyre handling and shredding through secondary grinding, steel and fibre separation, mesh classification, and bagging.
Scaling Stages — Capacity and Investment Overview
A six-parameter scaling comparison for tyre recycling plants at pilot, commercial transition, and full-scale stages — covering capital investment, facility size, staffing, equipment type, annual output, and the strategic purpose of each stage.