Partnership to introduce thermoplastic elastomers to extruded rubber industry

Tire recycler Prism Worldwide, based in Kirkland, Washington, and Sherwood Industries, a family-owned sheet extruder of thermoplastics based in Niles, Illinois, partnered to introduce Prism’s sustainable thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) into extruded TPE sheets.

Prism notes that extruded TPE rubber sheets are widely used across multiple industries, including automotive, where they serve as materials for bin mats, mud flaps and wheel well protectors. They also are used in household products, appliances, toys and other everyday items such as tread grips, sporting goods and tool drawer liners.

Since initiating their collaboration in April of last year, the companies have conducted a series of test production runs and claim to have successfully developed extruded TPE sheets for pilot customers.

For this phase, Sherwood incorporated Prism’s Ancora polymer, a thermoplastic elastomer made with a high percentage of recycled materials derived from end-of-life tires, into its manufacturing formula. The companies then refined the formula and enhanced product performance and say they have completed multiple successful tests that consistently have produced reliable, high-quality and highly sustainable sheet stock.

“The demand for more sustainable materials led us to seek partners who could help drive our transition,” Sherwood President Bob Russin says. “Prism’s method of compounding old consumer tires into superior quality, engineered TPE material designed for our process has proven to significantly enhance our ability to produce sustainable materials for our customers.”

Sherwood says its testing determined that sheets made with Prism’s TPE match the durability and performance properties of virgin materials while containing a high percentage of recycled content. In 2024, Sherwood says it produced more than 7.5 million square feet of extruded rubber sheets across four production lines.

Following positive customer feedback and successful trial runs, Sherwood says it now is prepared for immediate commercialization and scaling and has acquired a new extruder exclusively for producing sustainable rubber sheets containing Prism’s TPEs in anticipation of increased demand.

“The significant emerging and unmet demand for more sustainable rubber products has been met with few solutions to meet that demand,” Prism CEO Bob Abramowitz says. “The vast array of applications for Sherwood’s extruded rubber sheet material allows us to work together to introduce a reliably high-quality TPE to a broad range of industries.

"Our process of engineering sustainable polymers using end-of-life rubber tires provides a high-tech answer for a material that was formerly relegated to low-tech applications, such as being glued into mats or being shredded for use on playgrounds and ball fields. In the process, we’re also helping companies to meet their sustainability goals.”

Sherwood's extruded rubber and urethane foam products are ISO 9001: 2015 certified, ensuring the company meets global standards for quality management.

Prism recently announced a $40 million Series A funding round that is being used to consolidate operations, invest in technology and equipment and expand its team.