Pirelli facts for kids
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Headquarters in Milan, Italy
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| Public | |
| Traded as | BIT: PIRC FTSE MIB |
| ISIN | ISIN: [https://isin.toolforge.org/?language=en&isin=IT0005278236 IT0005278236] |
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 28 January 1872 Milan, Italy |
| Founder | Giovanni Battista Pirelli |
| Headquarters |
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Italy 45°31′10″N 9°12′40″E / 45.5195317°N 9.2111299°E
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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| Products | Tyres for cars, motorcycles, and bicycles |
| Revenue | €6,615.7 million (2022) |
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Operating income
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€595.6 million (2022) |
| €435.9 million (2022) | |
| Total assets | €13.897 billion (2022) |
| Total equity | €5.454 billion (2022) |
| Owners |
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Number of employees
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31,301 (2022) |
| Subsidiaries | Pirelli Tyre S.p.A. |
Pirelli is an Italian company that makes tires. It's based in Milan, Italy. Pirelli is one of the biggest tire makers in the world, ranking 5th. They make tires mainly for cars, motorcycles, and bicycles. The company has been on the Italian stock market since 1922.
Pirelli sells its tires in over 160 countries across Europe, Asia, North and South America. They have 19 factories in 13 different countries. They also have a large network of stores and distributors. In 2015, a Chinese company called ChemChina became the main owner of Pirelli.
Pirelli has been involved in sports sponsorships since 1907. They are the official tire supplier for many big races. This includes the FIA Formula One World Championship since 2011. They also supply tires for the FIM World Superbike Championship. Pirelli's main office is in the Bicocca area of Milan. Today, Pirelli focuses only on making tires. In the past, they also worked in fashion and green energy.
In October 2017, Pirelli returned to the Milan Stock Exchange. This happened after they decided to focus only on tires for cars, motorcycles, and bicycles. They separated their industrial tire business. Pirelli also publishes a famous calendar each year. The Pirelli Calendar has been around since 1964. Many famous photographers like Helmut Newton and Annie Leibovitz have worked on it.
Contents
Pirelli's Story
Pirelli was started in Milan in 1872. The founder was Giovanni Battista Pirelli. At first, the company worked with rubber. They even made scuba diving gear for Italian frogmen during World War II. Later, Pirelli focused on making tires and cables for energy and phones.
In 2005, Pirelli sold its cable division. This part of the company became known as Prysmian. In the 1950s, Alberto Pirelli had a famous skyscraper built. It's called the Pirelli Tower and is in the same area where the first Pirelli factory was.
In 1974, Pirelli created a special "wide radial tire." This was for the Lancia Stratos rally car. Regular racing tires weren't strong enough for the car's power. Pirelli made a wide tire with a radial structure. This new tire worked much better. Soon, Porsche also started using these tires for their Porsche 911 Turbo. In 1988, Pirelli bought an American tire company called Armstrong Rubber Company.
In 2000, Pirelli sold its fiber optic cable business. They used some of the money to become a major owner of Telecom Italia until 2007. In 2002, Pirelli started making clothes, watches, and glasses with their brand name. In 2005, they sold their cable and energy parts. That same year, Pirelli opened its first tire factory in China. In 2006, they opened another factory in Romania.
By 2010, Pirelli focused completely on being a tire company. They sold off their other businesses. The Fondazione Pirelli was also created that year. It helps to preserve Pirelli's history and promote business culture. In March 2015, ChemChina became the main owner of Pirelli. The company was then removed from the stock market in November 2015.
In May 2017, Pirelli announced they were returning to making bicycle tires. They launched a new range called P ZERO Velo. In September 2017, Pirelli planned to sell some shares to the public. This was part of their return to the Milan stock exchange in October. In March 2019, Pirelli launched new mountain biking tires called Scorpion. In 2021, Pirelli introduced new 18-inch tires for Formula One cars. These tires were designed for new car changes in 2022.
What Pirelli Makes
Pirelli mainly focuses on making tires for everyday use. This includes tires for cars, motorcycles, and bicycles.
Car Tires
- P ZERO: These tires are for very high-performance cars. The P ZERO name is also used for dry weather Formula One tires.
- Cinturato: These tires are for high-end cars. The Cinturato name is used for wet-weather Formula One tires.
- Sottozero: These are winter tires for high-end cars. The Sottozero name is used for WRC (World Rally Championship) tires.
- Carrier: Tires made for vans.
- Ice: Tires designed for very cold temperatures.
- Scorpion: Tires for SUVs and crossover vehicles.
Motorcycle Tires
- Diablo: Tires for road and track use.
- Angel: Tires for street riding and daily commuting.
- Scorpion: Tires for both on-road and off-road riding.
Bicycle Tires
- P ZERO Velo: For road racing bikes.
- Cycl-e: For urban and electric bikes.
- Scorpion: For mountain bikes.
- Cinturato: For gravel bikes.
Pirelli in Sports
Pirelli is very active in sponsoring sports.
Football Sponsorships
Pirelli is famous for sponsoring football (soccer) teams. They were the main sponsor for the Italian club Inter Milan for a long time, from 1995 to 2021. Pirelli also sponsored other teams around the world. These include Palmeiras in Brazil and Peñarol in Uruguay.
In 1998, Pirelli made a famous commercial with the Brazilian football star Ronaldo. It showed him in an Inter Milan uniform, replacing the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro. This commercial caused some discussion.
Pirelli also sponsored the stadium of the English football club Burton Albion. The stadium is called Pirelli Stadium because it's next to a Pirelli factory. In 2009, Pirelli became the main sponsor of the Chinese Super League, China's top football league.
Motorsport Sponsorships
Pirelli is a big name in motorsport. They have been the official tire supplier for the FIA Formula One World Championship since 2011. They also supply tires for the FIA Formula 2 Championship and FIA Formula 3 Championship. These are racing series that help young drivers get to Formula One. Pirelli's current deal to supply F1 tires will last until the end of the 2027 season.
Pirelli uses a color system for its Formula One tires. This helps people know what kind of tire is being used.
- White: Hard tires
- Yellow: Medium tires
- Red: Soft tires
- Green: Intermediate wet tires
- Blue: Full wet tires
When Pirelli first joined Formula One in 2011, they were asked to make tires that wore out quickly. This was to encourage more pit stops and exciting races. Over the years, the tires have changed as the cars have become faster.
Pirelli has also been the only tire supplier for the Superbike World Championship since 2004. They will continue this role until 2026. Starting in 2024, Pirelli also became the sole tire supplier for the Moto2 and Moto3 classes in Grand Prix motorcycle racing. They will also be the official tire supplier for the top MotoGP class from 2027 to 2031.
Pirelli has also supported rally racing. They were the sole tire supplier for the World Rally Championship from 2008 to 2010. They returned to the championship in 2014. Since 2021, Pirelli has been the sole tire supplier for all three tiers of the World Rally Championship.
Other Sports
Pirelli has sponsored other sports too. They supported Team New Zealand in the America's Cup sailing race in 2017. They also sponsored the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships and Ice Hockey World Championships from 2017 to 2021. Pirelli sponsors the Italian and Swiss Ski Teams. From 2014 to 2020, Pirelli also sponsored the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.
Pirelli's Audio System
In July 2018, Pirelli launched a special Bluetooth speaker. It looks like a Formula One wheel and is called P Zero Sound. The speaker is about 12.9 inches (328 mm) wide and weighs 21 pounds (9.5 kg). It has a powerful amplifier and offers wireless connection. The company IXOOST, which makes motorsport-themed audio systems, manufactures it.
Images for kids
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Pirelli logo
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Pirelli headquarters in Milan
See also
In Spanish: Pirelli para niños
