Tyre Retreading

Leader Rubber Company (part of the Marangoni Group) has officially resumed full production at its Johannesburg facility following extensive damage to its mixing department in a late-2024 fire. The rebuild brought upgraded equipment, an optimized layout, and improved efficiency—allowing the plant not just to recover, but to emerge stronger. 

Fire, Recovery & Facility Upgrades

At the end of 2024, a fire destroyed the mixing department of Leader Rubber’s Johannesburg plant—critical because mixing is central to creating precure compounds for tyre retreading. 

During reconstruction, Leader maintained operations in other units to avoid a total shutdown. The rebuild incorporated new machinery, efficiency enhancements, improved workflow design, and safety upgrades. 

Now back to full capacity, the facility is better equipped to meet demand in South Africa and the retreading sector as a whole. The restart also underscores resilience and strategic investment in stronger operations.

Leader Rubber Company, part of the Marangoni Group, has officially resumed full production at its Johannesburg facility after a fire at the end of 2024 caused severe damage to its mixing department. Despite the incident, the company maintained operations throughout the rebuilding process, thanks to swift response from its team and support from partners and customers.

The reconstructed facility is not only back in operation but has also been modernised. New equipment, an improved layout, and optimised processes are expected to enhance efficiency and strengthen the company’s ability to serve the tyre retreading sector in South Africa and beyond.

Marangoni Group representatives highlighted the resilience and commitment demonstrated by Leader Rubber during the recovery phase. At the same time, the company’s management emphasised that the upgrade represents an opportunity to deliver even greater value to the industry.

This development marks a significant milestone for both Leader Rubber and the Marangoni Group, underlining their dedication to sustainability, performance, and efficiency in the global retreading market.

Read more on Marangoni’s LinkedIn.

Learn More:

• Retreading & Circular Tyre Manufacturing (MES)
• Tire Pyrolysis Projects
• Recovered Carbon Black Projects
• TPO Co-Processing for Rubberized Asphalt (BMT)
• Plant Efficiency Upgrades
• Design & Engineering

Future-Proof Your Retreading Facility

Leader Rubber turned a late-2024 fire into an upgraded, more efficient retreading plant—showing that recovery can be a step up when equipment, layout, and workflow are rebuilt deliberately.

Klean Industries brings retreading and circular tyre expertise to help you redesign, optimize, and integrate recycled feedstocks so a recovery or upgrade project becomes a competitive advantage.

Why Choose Klean Industries’ Retreading Support?

✔ Process audit and redesign for tyre retreading
✔ Equipment selection and layout optimization
✔ Recycled feedstock and recovered carbon black integration
✔ Advisory from rebuild to full commercial ramp

Ready to upgrade or future-proof your tyre facility?

Contact Klean Industries about tyre retreading » GO.