Pirelli: ‘Green Performance’ now half of all tyre sales

A decade ago, around 20 per cent of Pirelli tyres were made according to the company’s Green Performance strategy – with new production systems, reduced environmental impact and low energy consumption. The tyre maker reports this figure reached 49.8 per cent of sales last year, up from 43.5 per cent in 2017. Green Performance tyres accounted for 57.5 per cent of Pirelli’s High Value product sales.

Other Pirelli green achievements for 2018 include an 11.8 percent year-on-year reduction in absolute water drawing for its tyre production, a 1.6 per cent absolute reduction of energy consumption and a 5.8 per cent absolute reduction of CO2 emissions. In addition, Pirelli says it sent 96 per cent of the waste arising from its production to recovery, thereby achieving its 2020 target of at least 95 per cent recovery two years ahead of schedule.

Pirelli’s product performance targets to 2025 call for an average reduction in rolling resistance for its car segment (compared with 2009) of 20 per cent; it targets a 14 per cent reduction in rolling resistance for its High Value car products. The company is also working towards improving performance in wet conditions by 15 per cent and lowering tyre-generated noise by 15 per cent.

Targets for Pirelli motorcycle tyres include a ten per cent reduction in rolling resistance compared with 2009 levels, along with a 40 per cent improvement in wet performance and 30 per cent improvement in durability.