Pirelli Shares Market Insights, 2005 Outlook

In a recent Tire Review interview, Guy Mannino, president and CEO of Pirelli Tire North America, spoke of the “pretty great year” his company had in 2004. He and Peter Tyson, vice president of advertising, public relations and motorsports, presented Tire Review with an exclusive look at its overall strategy for 2005.

Pirelli’s market share has been growing over the last two years, said Mr Mannino. A recent influx of OE business, including a fitment on the 2005 model year Ford Mustang, forced the manufacturer to add a fourth MIRS module in its Rome, Ga. facility. Pirelli has additionally moved some OE business to its new plant in Brazil. “Brazil right now is a big boon to Pirelli,” Peter Tyson commented.

And something appears to be brewing in China, as well. With the recent news of Pirelli’s joint venture radial truck tyre plant with Aeolus Tyre Co. Ltd. in Henan, China, came speculation that this added truck tyre capacity would allow Pirelli to re-enter the North American truck tyre market. Mr Mannino acknowledged that Pirelli does have some intention to do so, but it’s not necessarily a front-burner issue, Tire Review observed.

What does appear to be on the front burner, however, for Pirelli, is expanding its product portfolio. To this end, the tyre company is adding a number of SKUs to its product lineup, including six new sizes of the P6 Four Seasons, three new sizes for the P Zero Nero, seven sizes for the P Zero Rosso, six new light truck and P-metric sizes for the Scorpion STR, six new sizes for the Scorpion Zero ASY, including a 26-inch size and four new sizes of the Euphoria run-flat tire.