Pirelli Inaugurates Expanded Slatina Tyre Factory

Between 2005, the year of its arrival in Romania, and 2010, Pirelli invested €300 million, which will climb to over €450 million by 2014, in the industrial hub at Slatina which includes a factory for car tyres and a factory for the production of steelcord and in Bumbesti Jiu-Gorj where there is a factory for anti-particulate filters for diesel engines.

Of the investment, €160 million are destined to the planned extension of the tyre factory – begun in 2008 and to be concluded in 2013 – with the aim of increasing production capacity and enhancing Pirelli overall competitiveness in Europe. The extension project received the support of of the Romanian government through funding of approximately €28 million.

Thanks to additional investments, the car tyre factory in Slatina will see its annual production rise from the 7 million pieces expected at the end of 2011 to 10 million pieces by the end of the extension project and the extension of its area, initially 100,000 square metres and already today grown to 160,000 square metres, will increase to 175,000 square metres. The Slatina tyre factory, already one of the most modern car tyres factories, will become Pirelli’s biggest car factory.

Today the Slatina hub employs 2,400 people between tyre and steelcord activities, and this is destined to grow to 2,700 by the end of the project thanks to 1,000 new hires, of which 70% have already been made, linked to the extension investment.