Wire tools
TKT Group and the University of Milan Bicocca present the “STAR” project at Wire & Cable in Krakow
TKT Group, a world-leading manufacturer of lubricants and drawing dies for steel wire drawing through its companies Tecnovo and Koner, presented the results of the “STAR” project on October 14, 2025, in a paper at the Wire & Cable conference in Krakow (Poland).
The study, which attracted considerable interest among industry professionals, was presented by Elena Collina, PhD, professor of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy, and Giovanni Garoli, Eng., Technical Director of TKT Group, Milan, Italy.
The study began with the collection of data from TKT Group customers to determine the quantity of lubricant residues sent for disposal in relation to the quantity purchased. The amount of lubricants involved is very significant and can be estimated in thousands of tons per year.
In collaboration with the University of Milano-Bicocca, the best methods for the management and reuse of solid lubricants for drawing were reported.
STAR (Stearate from steel wire drawing processes as a resource) is a project aimed at the valorization of exhausted solid lubricants from wire drawing processes in the production of new materials (material recovery) or as an energy source (energy recovery). The project has a budget of €600,000 and is funded by the Italian Ministry of the Environment.
To achieve the project goal, an initial characterization of stearate waste was performed. The proximate analysis (determination of volatile solids, moisture, and ash content) provided the composition in terms of organic and inorganic fractions. The organic fraction was further characterized by FTIR, TGA, and DSC analyses, while the metal content of the inorganic fraction was determined.
On the basis of characterization results, anaerobic digestion tests were performed to investigate the feasibility of energy recovery. Other experiments tested the possible reuse of exhausted stearates within plastic and construction materials, as well as the recovery of ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
Further information and sharing of project results will be available by contacting the TKT Group.
