Known for its style, speed and performance marketing values, Pirelli & C. S.p.A. is a multinational company based in Milan, Italy, listed on the Milan Stock Exchange since 1922, with a temporary privatization period by the consortium led by the Chinese state-owned enterprise ChemChina.
To encourage repeat business at its franchised dealers, Vauxhall has pledged to match the best price on a large selection of the tyres offered through its more than 400 MasterFit retailers throughout the UK. Under what it calls its Tyre Price Promise, the network will price match Continental, Pirelli, Dunlop, Michelin and Firestone brand tyres sold within a five mile radius of its outlets.
During a recent roadshow with financial analysts Pirelli & C Spa chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera told the market watchers that the tyre industry is benefitting from an unprecedented combination of favourable conditions. Morgan Stanley analysts agreed, explaining that the Italian tyremaker’s upbeat comments support the bank’s thesis and “overweight” rating: “Pirelli remains an attractive second derivative play on booming premium car demand, offering unmatched premium tyre and emerging market exposure.”
The newly-released annual report from YHI International states the Singapore-based wheel manufacturer and automotive components distributor is embarking on a “new exciting era.” Specifically, the company has begun a five-year expansion plan to grow its manufacturing and distribution segments and achieve sales of S$1 billion (£494 million) by the 2015 financial year.
Pirelli is returning to the scene of some of its pre-season F1 testing this weekend, the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo on the outskirts of Barcelona. The supplier’s PZero tyres – or at least, previous iterations of the evolving rubber – have been seen there four times already: once last year in private testing, twice this year during the official test ‘season’, and once more as part of Pirelli’s on-going private test campaign last month. This means that teams and Pirelli alike have a good deal of data on Barcelona, with its challenging mixture of corners and speeds highlighting every aspect of a car’s performance. Motorsport director at the Italian brand Paul Hembery says “the new tyre – which we have tested extensively – reduces degradation and improves tyre wear.
Public health minister Anne Milton MP has proposed banning cars from streets on Sundays to allow children to play in them. The move, she said, would help get youngsters off their computers and enjoy outdoor physical activities. With two-thirds of UK children predicted to be obese by 2050 if current trends continue, outside play is seen as a way of tackling the problem.
After almost half a season of sitting on the sidelines, Pirelli’s medium Formula One tyre will finally take to the track at Valencia at the end of June. Its supersoft counterpart has a much shorter wait before seeing action for the first time, however – the Italian tyre maker reports the supersoft will debut at the Monaco Grand Prix on May 26; at this, the seventh event of the 2011 championship, the supersoft tyre will be used as option and the soft as the prime tyre. This combination will also be repeated two weeks later in Montréal. July’s Silverstone-hosted British Grand Prix will see a return to the use of the hard tyre as prime and the soft as an option – just as was the case during the first five Grands Prix of the season.
After crashing on Friday and missing the entirety of the second free practice session, Sebastian Vettel took his third grand prix win of the year, using a four-stop strategy to convert his pole position in Turkey to victory. The top five finishers used a four-stop strategy for the first time this year. Jenson Button was obliged to concede two places in the closing stages of the race, finishing sixth for McLaren, after a three-stop strategy forced him to run on PZero Silver tyres that were seven laps older than those of his team mate. Virgin’s Jerome d’Ambrosio drove a two-stop strategy, while Sauber driver Kamui Kobayashi used a three-stop strategy to help propel him from last on the grid to a point-scoring 10th place finish.
Scottish driver David Bogie has extended his lead at the top of the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship drivers’ standings with his second win out of three rounds on the Pirelli International Rally in Carlisle on the weekend of April 29 and 30. Now leading the pack by seven points, the 23-year-old from Dumfries has performed consistently well throughout this season, taking first on Rallye Sunseeker in February and second on the Bulldog International Rally North Wales last month.
Results for the first three months of the current financial year show Pirelli & C. SpA revenues increasing 23.4 per cent year-on-year to 1,401 million euros and a 43.3 per cent growth in the company’s gross operating result (EBITDA) to 203.4 million euros. The operating result (EBIT) before restructuring charges was 146.5 million euros, compared with 90.2 million euros in the first quarter of 2010, while EBIT after restructuring charges was 143.3 million euros, a year-on-year increase of 63.6 per cent. EBIT margin increased from 7.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2010 to 10.2 per cent.
Pirelli reports it recently won the “best marketing” category of the 2011 China Auto Aftersales Summit Forum awards – an award the tyre maker describes as “one of the most influential awards in the auto industry.” In total, five categories of award were announced at the forum, which is hosted by the China Automobile Manufacturers Association, China Automotive Engineers Society, China International Trade Committee Automotive Branch, China Automotive Technology and Research Center and Motor Trend magazine.
As of June, 1 prices for all Pirelli passenger car and light truck tyres sold in the US will increase by six to nine per cent. The manufacturer attributes the decision to further lift prices to increasing raw material costs.
Last year a new name appeared in the UK tyre retail scene. At the start of June 2010 point S Development, together with UK Tyre Group, announced the establishment of a local point S network. At the time the UK based point S operation was the 19th national network to be set up in Europe (this number has since grown to 20), with the 50 or so outlets operated by the independent members of UK Tyre Group forming the new network’s initial core. At the time, UK Tyre Group directors shared with Tyres & Accessories that the plan was to increase this network to 100 outlets within two years. This has been achieved in half the anticipated time; after almost a year in the local market, Point S UK reports its plans are progressing very well.
Long established as a leading UK tyre distributor, and named Tyre Wholesaler of the Year at the NTDA Tyre and Fast Fit Awards 2010, Stapleton’s reports it has continued to place an emphasis on customer needs in 2011. This emphasis includes a focus on the company’s product portfolio and in ensuring the needs of both large and small van operators are catered for. The result, says Stapleton’s, is an even broader range that encompasses all van tyre sizes – including premium brands as well as a comprehensive range of mid-price and budget products. The company plans to continue developing its van tyre sector further still throughout the remainder of 2011 in line with its overriding ‘working for the customer’ philosophy.
Pirelli has announced a new cashback offer of £25 to UK riders purchasing sets of its Diablo Rosso Corsa or new Diablo Rosso II tyres. The hypersport segment Rosso Corsa, launched last year, is the Italian manufacturer’s “first tyre developed using technology and research gained as a direct result of Pirelli’s involvement in the World Superbike series,” it says, while the just-launched Rosso II – a sports tyre designed for road use – contains similar motorsport-derived technologies. The Diablo Rosso Corsa and Diablo Rosso II are available in the front size 120/70ZR17, with rear fitments: 160/60ZR17, 180/55ZR17, 190/50ZR17 and 190/55ZR17.
MSA Scottish Rally Championship contenders driving on Pirelli tyres secured the top three positions at the Granite City Rally in Aberdeen on Saturday, 16 April. Dave Weston, the 2006 champion, claimed victory in his Ford Focus WRC by a slender margin of one second over current title-holder David Bogie, who continues to lead the championship standings, following wins on the opening two rounds of the season in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX. Rising star David Wilson, in another Mitsubishi, completed the podium to underline the control and durability of its Scorpion tyres on the punishing gravel stages of Aberdeenshire.
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