- Pirelli plans to invest roughly $1.2 billion in its Rome, Georgia factory.
- Production capacity will reach around 6 million tires annually by 2033.
- The expansion is expected to create approximately 1,000 new jobs.
Pirelli is placing a rather substantial bet on American manufacturing. The Italian tire maker has approved a roughly €1 billion ($1.2 billion) investment in its Rome, Georgia factory, with plans to dramatically increase production and create around 1,000 new jobs. The expansion will begin in 2027 and run through 2033, eventually giving the facility capacity to produce approximately 6 million car tires annually.
This move is significant beyond production plans, but Pirelli isn’t planning on making everyday tires in this factory. Instead, it’ll focus on its premium, technology-focused options, including its connected Cyber Tire. That checks out considering how expensive American labor can be, including tariffs.
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On top of that, there’s an obvious business case behind the spending. According to Pirelli, the United States is the world’s largest market for what it calls “High Value” tires, accounting for approximately 40 percent of global volumes in the segment. Put another way, this is going to allow Pirelli to sidestep tariffs while it employs American workers. It’s a win-win for the brand.
The project will unfold in two phases. First, Pirelli will expand robotized production using the latest version of its Modular Integrated Robotized System, or MIRS. Capacity from that operation will begin increasing in 2028 before eventually reaching 3 million tires annually. Pirelli will then add a separate, fully automated conventional production facility capable of making another 3 million tires per year.
Together, the two operations will bring the Rome site’s total capacity to roughly 6 million units. The expansion also gives Pirelli considerably more domestic production capacity at a time when automakers and suppliers are increasingly looking to shorten supply chains and build products closer to the customers buying them. Pirelli specifically cited supply-chain resilience and its “local-for-local” strategy as reasons for the investment.
Ultimately, the Cyber Tire piece might be one of the most important aspects of this move. As we covered when it first came out, the system incorporates sensors into the tire itself. Those sensors collect info about its condition, including air pressure and the way the tire is interacting with the road. Pirelli says it can even help a car detect hydroplaning before it becomes a serious issue. Notably, it hasn’t been legal to market the product in the U.S. until recently.
That said, the real focus here for Americans is that Georgia is about to see a larger investment. Pirelli has operated in the state since 2002, and this investment could add around 1,000 jobs while turning Rome into one of the company’s most important manufacturing hubs. Americans seem to have zero issue spending big money on premium cars and increasingly expensive tires. Pirelli just wants more of those tires to come from Georgia.