Member Spotlight: Emterra Group

Emmie Leung on Entrepreneurship, Circularity, and the Future of Tire Recycling

The tire and rubber industry is changing fast, and few people have seen that change from as many angles as Emmie Leung, Founder and CEO of Emterra Group. This year marks a special milestone for Emterra as the company celebrates its 50th anniversary, representing five decades of resilience, innovation, and environmental leadership. A true entrepreneur, Leung started as a one-person recycling business. She collected cardboard and newspaper, drove the truck, loaded containers, did the bookkeeping, and made the sales calls.

Image courtesy of Emterra Group.

“I have always believed that everything, and everyone, has value,” she says. That belief has stayed with her throughout her career, as she built a company with more than 1,300 employees, over 40 sites, and some 600 trucks operating across Canada and Michigan, spanning waste collection, recycling, resource recovery, tire recycling, and producer responsibility. “Looking back at how far we’ve come makes this milestone especially meaningful,” says Leung.

Image courtesy of Emterra Group.

Finding Value in Old Tires

Emterra entered the tire recycling business in 2005. Today, the company transforms end-of-life tires into valuable resources through a zero-waste, emission-free process, driving the circular economy and supporting sustainable communities as part of Emterra’s integrated approach. The company produces tire crumb for manufacturers across North America, and is also seeking ways to give recycled rubber a second life in higher-value applications. “We are constantly looking for opportunities to move recovered rubber further up the value chain with like-minded partners and new, reliable technology,” Leung says. That search is likely to become even more important as the industry looks for better ways to keep materials in use.

“We are also excited by the role that material science and technology can play in advancing circularity. Through our innovation, research, and patented intellectual property, we are finding ways to accelerate solutions for hard-to-recycle materials and identifying practical, commercial applications that keep valuable resources in circulation,” says Leung. For Leung, recycling is not simply about keeping something out of a landfill. It is about asking what else that material can become.

Image courtesy of Emterra Group.

Investing in People, Not Just Technology

For Leung, technology is only part of the equation, and she sees it as an investment in the workforce in equal measure. At this time, artificial intelligence has become a core focus at Emterra, and the company is working to give employees across all levels of the organization a better understanding of what AI can do and where it has limitations. “For me, this is ultimately an investment in people. The more safe, confident, and capable our teams feel in using new technologies, the stronger our business will be, and the better prepared our employees will be for the future of work and the expectations of our customers. We are approaching AI the same way we have approached innovation for 50 years: with a human-centric curiosity, responsibility, and a commitment to continuous improvement,” says Leung.

Trusting People to Lead

Leung has a simple principle when it comes to running a business: trust your people. As the company grew, she gave leaders responsibility for their own areas of the business and expected them to take ownership. “Sustainable growth happens when you surround yourself with capable people, give them responsibility, and trust them to lead. Throughout Emterra Group’s history, I have tried to give our managers and leaders the freedom to run their sites, departments, and divisions as if they were their own businesses. I believe people do their best work when they feel trusted, empowered, and accountable. My role is to set a clear vision, provide guidance when needed, and help remove obstacles,” she says.

An Industry in Transition

Ask Leung to describe the tire and rubber industry, and she has a quick answer: “Dynamic.” There is plenty behind that one word. Regulations are changing. Producer responsibility is evolving. New technologies are emerging, while companies are under growing pressure to improve their environmental performance.

Leung sees the transition to Individual Producer Responsibility as one of the industry’s current challenges. Changes to the system can create uncertainty when regulatory requirements do not always line up with how the market operates. “At the same time, I see a tremendous opportunity for collaboration. No single organization can solve these challenges alone. Ultimately, the industry’s long-term success will depend not only on competition that gives choices and exceptional services to our customer, but on our ability to work together to address shared challenges,” she says. For Leung, that does not mean giving up competition. It means recognizing that some problems are bigger than any one company.

Why Industry Connections Matter

Leung also understands the value of having people around who know the industry. That is one reason she values organizations such as the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada. Industry associations give companies a chance to compare experiences, discuss what is changing and learn from one another. “Associations like TRAC create a forum for that exchange of knowledge, ensuring our industry remains innovative, competitive, and well-positioned for the future,” Leung says. Receiving TRAC’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2026 was especially meaningful for Leung, because it reflects the support of the industry peers and partners.

Advice for the Next Generation

While Leung has been a successful entrepreneur for five decades, she still remembers what it feels like to be underestimated. Early in her career, she attended an event where someone handed her their coat, assuming she was working the coat check rather than attending as a business leader. “Experiences like that could have been discouraging, but I learned that other people’s perceptions do not determine your abilities or your potential. What matters is how you show up, create and articulate your value, and your willingness to keep moving forward,” says Leung.

Her advice to people entering the tire and rubber industry is just as direct: “Stay curious, be willing to work hard and learn, and never let someone else’s assumptions define what you’re capable of achieving.”

Still Looking Ahead

After 50 years, Leung is not slowing down. She is a morning person and counts Lake Louise among her favourite places in Canada, but her attention remains firmly on the future of Emterra. The company she started with one truck has become a significant part of Canada’s circular economy. Yet the basic philosophy that got her there has not changed much: Stay curious. Keep learning. Trust your people. And always look for the next opportunity.