Sustainability Channel

CHINA, ANTIPARTICULATE FILTERS GROW

• with the the Italian Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea, the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People’s Republic of China in the presence of the Italian Minister, Stefania Prestigiacomo, Chinese authorities, and the Chairman of the Pirelli Group, Marco Tronchetti Provera. The agreement foresees collaboration among the three parties in development of projects for distribution of filter systems for reduction of particulate emissions from diesel vehicles already in circulation (‘retrofit’) and introduction of technologies and advanced products, as the Pirelli products have been shown to be following tests and pilot projects already completed. Part of the environmental cooperation program launched by the two ministries in 2000, the agreement  focuses on the five provinces recently singled out by the Chinese government for adoption of measures to limit circulation of polluting vehicles, among which Shandong (the location of the Pirelli plant).

   

• between the Italian Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea, the Municipality of Beijing and Pirelli Eco Technology to support installation of filters on polluting vehicles circulating in Beijing, is part of this commitment. The agreement follows the completion of a pilot project launched in 2008, which brought homologation of the filters produced by the Pirelli Group, thanks to their particular technological characteristics. The city of Beijing has already ordered a significant quantity of  Pirelli Eco Technology filter systems which will be fitted on buses in the capital city.

   

•  with Hixih Group (previously the Yinhe Group), already a partner of Pirelli since 2005 in tyre manufacturing, to build a plant for manufacturing of filters in Yanzhou, in the province of Shandong.

   

The new factory, whose construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of  2010, will be located in the same area where the manufacturing sites developed by the two partners for production of truck and car tyres were built, and will thus create a diversified industrial hub able to profit from synergies in manufacturing and distribution of the two products. The investment, already included in the 2009-2011 industrial plan, will take into account the evolution of the market and could reach 50 million euros in three years, with manufacturing capacity of around 100,000 filters per year and approximately 1200 employees. The industrial site currently uses advanced manufacturing technology and represents a manufacturing, logistics and commercial hub for the entire Asia-Pacific region for the Pirelli Group. Today about 60% of Pirelli’s overall production in China is for the local market, while the remaining 40% is exported to other Asia-Pacific markets.

CHINA: P7 AND P ZERO BEST TYRES OF THE YEAR

Pirelli scored a double at the 2009 China Tyre Enterprise Summit, which concluded recently in Shanghai.
The Cinturato P7 was voted “The Best New Tyre of the Year”, the Summit’s most prestigious award, while the P Zero, the high range tyre, won “The Best Ultra-High Performance Tyre” award as a result of its excellent performance in relation to that of its competitors in the category.
 
The Summit, which focused on an eco-sustainable theme of energy saving and protection of the environment, had at the centre of its debate research into new eco-compatible materials, the introduction of technological innovations that imply a lesser environmental impact and the creation of tyres that are increasingly ‘green’.
The attribution of two such important awards demonstrates the general appreciation by the industrial world of Pirelli’s policy of safety and respect for the environment, which it has pursued in recent years.
 
The awards were received on behalf of Pirelli by Michael Cati, commercial director of Pirelli Tyre China, who said, “It is a great honour for Pirelli to receive this recognition. From 2005, when the company entered the Chinese market, it has always introduced its latest technology and its new products. The P Zero and Cinturato P7 are proof of that. In line with the theme of the Summit, Pirelli will continue to focus on ‘green’ technology and energy saving while continuing to marry respect for the environment and performance“.

PIRELLI SPONSORS THE "CHINESE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP"

Tomorrow at the Hangai stadium in Zhengzhou, the whistle will blow to kick off the first Chinese Super League (CSL) sponsored by Pirelli, the soccer event with the biggest following in the country, with 150 million TV viewers last year and an average of 25,000 fans in the stands for each game.

Organised by the Chinese Football Federation (CFA), from this year and for the next three seasons Pirelli will be the league’s institutional sponsor as a result of a preliminary accord signed today by Giuseppe Cattaneo, managing director of Pirelli China, and Lv Feng of the CFL.

The objective is to further reinforce the image of the Group through sport, supporting Chinese football, accompanying its evolution and offering an international know-how through a collaboration activity. An initiative that confirms the strategy of a growing integration into the Chinese community and its social fabric.

Chairman of the Pirelli Group Marco Tronchetti Provera said, “China is one of the leading markets in the world economy. Sponsoring the CSL is a great opportunity for those, like us, who have an important industrial presence and relations with the local community, which have become increasingly deep-rooted and profound over time. The popularity of football and its power of aggregation makes it an ideal vehicle to contribute to enabling the Pirelli brand to enter Chinese homes”.