Pirelli expands Bari Digital Solutions centre

A years after opening Pirelli’s Digital Solutions Center in Bari is celebrating its first year of activity increasing its workforce to 80, up from the planned headcount of 50. Currently, Pirelli’s digital centre, which is run as a public-private-academic partnership totals 30 employees, mainly from the Apulia region. So far, Pirelli has invested about 4.5 million of the 9 million euros originally earmarked for the project up to 2024, part of which will be financed by the Apulia region.

Continuing the celebrations, Pirelli executive vice chairman, Marco Tronchetti Provera, donated a Pirelli show tyre used in the Formula 1 championship to the president of the Apulia region, Michele Emiliano. The festivities also saw the participation of Gianna Elisa Berlingerio, director of the Regional Department for Economic Development, Antonio De Vito, director general of Develop Apulia, Pier Paolo Tamma, senior vice president and chief digital officer of Pirelli, and Aimone di Savoia Aosta, senior vice president Institutional Affairs of Pirelli.

With an average age of 30, most of the young people in Pirelli’s Bari team come from the area thanks to the excellence of the local university hub. The link between Pirelli, Bari University and the Bari Polytechnic has been fundamental for the growth achieved over the year. The goal is to optimize production processes at the factories by developing smart manufacturing systems through the application of digitalization and artificial intelligence to the various phases of tyre design.

Pirelli had planned to employ 50 specialist digital solutions technicians, but now that number has been raised to 80 (Photo: Pirelli)

Coordinated by Pirelli chief digital officer, Pier Paolo Tamma, the team in Bari is involved in projects to develop software and algorithms that are already used in the group’s most advanced tyre design, production, and marketing processes throughout the world, contributing to the achievement of significant reductions in terms of costs and time to enhance sustainability.

In particular, the Digital Solutions Center is developing algorithms to accelerate product develop times, further improve quality, maximize machinery efficiency, optimize marketing effectiveness and support the creation of new digital services. In addition, the team has created a Virtual Tyre Design solution able to simulate the performance of innovative materials in new tyres. Further, thanks to the Industrial Internet of Things and a digital platform under development it will be possible to optimize the supply chain through predictive demand models and improve production processes, as well as providing an overview of factory saturation in real time.

“The teamwork between the Regional Government and Pirelli, together with the Bari Polytechnic, has generated opportunities for growth and development in Apulia and particularly for the young, to whom it has given the occasion to work and increase their skills. One year ago, Pirelli put its faith in Apulia and began to make significant investments. And our region has not disappointed expectations, as can be seen in today’s important announcement from the executive vice chairman Tronchetti Provera, who I wish to thank and to whom I confirm our openness to new and visionary projects”, said the president of the Apulia Region, Michele Emiliano.

“We are believers in Bari, Apulia and its ability to attract investment able to stimulate growth for the region and the country’s economy. After just one year of activity, we have achieved ambitious goals which has led us to further invest in the Pirelli Digital Solutions Center, a place where we produce intelligence by drawing on the region’s talented young people. We wish to thank President Michele Emiliano and all the institutions that have cooperated with and contributed to the creation of this important development driver for a great company like Pirelli”, said Marco Tronchetti Provera.

(l to r) President of the Apulia region, Michele Emiliano; and Pirelli executive vice chairman, Marco Tronchetti Provera (Photo: Pirelli)