The United States dumps more than 300 million scrap tires a year. These tires collect stagnant water, breeding disease-spreading mosquitoes and attracting vermin such as rats. When set ablaze, dumped tires are additionally devastating to the environment. E&G Coatings addresses this problem with its TIRE2COAT © energy-saving roof coating made from recycled tires. The product, used in San Antonio and Austin, is extending its reach throughout Latin America with the help of the International Trade Center.
“E&G Coatings has reached impressive levels of growth because of the tremendous support of the International Trade Center,” said business partner Victor Cantu. “Their resources have helped us put our finger is on the pulse of foreign markets, enabling us to spread our reach beyond U.S. borders.”
The environmental appeal of the roof coating, combined with its money-saving benefits, makes TIRE2COAT© a revolutionary product. The culmination of more than 15 years of research and development in Mexico, TIRE2COAT © covers the rooftops of businesses, schools and homes from Monterrey to Veracruz. McDonald’s Mexico, which uses the product on its roofs, has formally recognized the product for its sustainability. Puerto Rico’s chain of McDonald’s restaurants recently joined the corporation’s use of the product.
E&G Coatings, developed by business partners Victor Cantu, Alfredo Valdivia and Victor Pagaza, started working with the Small Business Development Center in May 2009. With the help of International Trade Center consultant Minerva Garcia, E&G Coatings’ products have spread to El Salvador, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, and soon Costa Rica. The company now has partnerships with dozens of distributors.
In addition to helping solve the scrap tire problem, TIRE2COAT © reflects heat from the sun, saving homes and businesses extensive energy costs. The only patented product of this kind in North America, TIRE2COAT © is purely a green product, consisting of recycled water and non-toxic products. The product comprises 40 percent tires and 60 percent water and non-toxic resins.
“Not only can cool roofs slash your energy bill, rubber roof coating preserves your roof and rolls right on top of your current surface – no stripping,” said Cantu, the CEO of the company. This reflective roof coating has multiple uses – anything you need weatherproofed can be covered by TIRE2COAT©.
Each 5-gallon bucket of the product is the equivalent of 1.5 tires — 1,200 square feet of roofing spares 15 tires from reaching landfills or illegal dump sites. The amount of product to cover an average fence saves 15 to 20 tires from dumping. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that roof sealants, when combined with proper insulation and energy-efficient windows, can cut energy costs by 50 percent.
The product, resistant to rain, sunlight, heat, and ultraviolet (UV) rays, can be applied to a variety of surfaces including concrete, tile, metal, walls, and wood. Those who use TIRE2COAT © for fence staining are spared from having to stain their fences every two years.
In addition to cooling roofs and staining fences, the product coats sidewalks between school portable buildings to protect students from slipping. San Antonio’s Northside Independent School District uses the product on its roofs.
