Founded in Milan in 1872, Pirelli is today one of the largest tyre manufacturers in the world and the only one to be entirely focused on the consumer market, with products and services for cars, motorcycles and bicycles. With a distinctive positioning at the very top of the market – the ‘High Value’ segment – Pirelli is a global brand with strong Italian roots, known for its cutting-edge technologies, manufacturing excellence, passion for innovation and continuing emphasis on reducing environmental impact. Pirelli now has 18 production plants in 12 countries and a commercial presence in over 160 countries, along with approximately 30,000 employees and a turnover in 2021 of approximately 5.3 billion euros.

The origin of Pirelli's business goes back 150 years, when Giovanni Battista Pirelli first founded "G.B. Pirelli & C.” to make items in elastic rubber. In 1873, the first plant was built in Milan and production of rubber tyres for carriages started, along with the first tyres for early bicycles: the result of a series of innovations in materials and packaging. Car tyre production began in 1901, with Pirelli expanding all over the world and investing in the technological development of processes and products.

Pirelli’s technical excellence is also the result of innovations and skills derived from motorsport: an area in which the company has been active for more than 110 years. Pirelli is currently present in more than 350 car and motorbike championships and has been Global Tyre Partner of the Formula 1 World Championship©, since 2011, with the relationship renewed until 2024. Pirelli is also the sole supplier of the main GT Series as well as the WRC while keeping its passion for two-wheel racing alive through a long-standing presence as sole supplier in the Superbike World Championship. In other sports, Pirelli is also Global Tyre Partner of Inter in football, and a sponsor of the main cycling teams in the world, not to mention FISI (the Italian Winter Sports Federation) and the ice hockey world championships. Pirelli is additionally a co-title sponsor of Luna Rossa, with which it shares the fundamental values ​​that inspire both: competition, technology, teamwork and Italian spirit. From this year the company is also main and lead sponsor of the Alla Grande-Pirelli boat, the first completely Italian modern ocean sailing project conceived by renowned sailor Ambrogio Beccaria.

Confirmation of technology at the core of Pirelli’s philosophy comes from more than 6,700 patents filed in 150 years, thanks to the forward-looking vision of more than 2,000 people who work in Pirelli's research and development centres: experts who anticipate new mobility trends such as the transition to electric power. This is a challenge that Pirelli is facing with its Elect technologies package, designed for new electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Elect supports other technologies designed by the company over the years to allow motorists to travel with fewer worries. These include the Run Flat and Seal Inside anti-puncture systems and PNCS (Pirelli Noise Cancelling System) technology, which dampens road noise caused by tyres and so reduces noise pollution. This approach, which spearheads innovation, is called ‘Eco-Safety Design’ and it aims to combine a low environmental impact with the best possible driving safety performance through the use of modern virtual development tools. For cars that are increasingly connected and require digital information, Pirelli has invented the Cyber ​​Tyre system, which allows the tyres to communicate directly with the vehicle's electronics. Connectivity also allows data to integrate with people's needs and habits: two examples are the Pirelli Care app, which offers tailored information and services, and CYCLE-e around: Pirelli's bike sharing service.

Innovation is the key to ever-greater sustainability and Pirelli's latest milestone towards more and more ‘green’ production was the development of the first FSC-certified (Forest Stewardship Council) tyre, made with raw materials derived from a 100% sustainable supply chain. Pirelli’s commitment to sustainability can be seen through the reduction of environmental impact, the creation of eco-safety performance products, and care of human resources, thanks to welfare initiatives for employees and support for local communities in the countries in which it operates. Another fundamental aspect for Pirelli is the ongoing dialogue between business and culture: the Pirelli Calendar has been published for more than 50 years, reflecting and interpreting our changing world through the lenses of the world’s greatest photographers. The Italian firm additionally supports and manages Pirelli HangarBicocca, an institution dedicated to contemporary art that hosts one the largest exhibition spaces in Europe. The Pirelli Foundation is the custodian of Pirelli’s corporate culture, founded in 2008 with the aim of safeguarding the group's historical and contemporary heritage and promoting the brand’s story through various initiatives. To further enhance the brand, Pirelli Design was created, a division of the group that develops bespoke design projects, combining the know-how of Pirelli with the experience of excellent partners, including Montblanc, Roger Dubuis, TecnoRib, Blossom, and iXOOST.

www.pirelli.com