Italian tyre maker Pirelli says its board has approved, with the contrary vote of board members Zhang Haitao, Xi Xiaohong and Wang Kun, an investment plan for the US worth approximately EUR1 billion, aimed at expanding the Rome, Georgia plant.
The investment plan will support Pirelli’s growth in the US, which it says is the world’s largest market for this segment, accounting for approximately 40% of global volumes. The project will strengthen the company’s local-for-local strategy, enhance supply chain resilience, and meet the growing demand for technologically advanced “Made in USA” products, it adds.
Furthermore, the investment reinforces Pirelli’s long-term commitment to the country, where the company has operated in Georgia since 2002.
The expansion plan will be implemented over several years starting in 2027 and increase annual production capacity at the Rome plant, including Cyber Tyre technology, to approximately 6 million car tyres upon completion in 2033 and is expected to create around 1,000 new jobs.
The expansion of the Rome plant, which will become a state-of-the-art industrial hub, will take place in two phases. The first phase will involve a gradual increase in robotised production based on the latest evolution of MIRS (Modular Integrated Robotized System), a proprietary Pirelli technology, with production capacity progressively increasing from 2028 and ultimately reaching 3 million tyres/year. This will be achieved through autonomous modular robotic systems capable of manufacturing technologically advanced high value tyres, it states.
In addition, a fully automated conventional production facility will be built using advanced manufacturing processes and dedicated to premium products, with an additional production capacity at completion of 3 million tyres/year at full operation.
The plant will be able to produce the most advanced technology products, including Cyber Tyre Following the governance changes introduced under Italy’s 2026 Golden Power Decree, Pirelli obtained authorisation from the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) to market the Cyber Tyre system in the US market, a country increasingly adopting connected and autonomous vehicles.
This expansion plan will permit Pirelli to implement the growth of production capacity in a gradual manner and in line with the evolution of demand, maintaining very high efficiency standards and optimising the costs of raw material transformation and investment.
It also said the project will not have an impact on the company’s 2026 targets, with the capex-to-revenue ratio for 2027-2033 seen remaining substantially in continuity with previous periods, while preserving the group’s cash generation.