Behind every Pirelli milestone there is a network of global excellences and, as happens each year, they were the stars of Pirelli Supplier Day, the day the company dedicates to its suppliers. Innovation, digitalization, and a focus on sustainability and the quality of raw materials and services were the central themes of 2025 edition, in which 85 "strategic suppliers" participated: a selection of Pirelli partners from 21 countries who contributed significantly to the company's success in achieving its targets. Among these, the 7 suppliers who stood out in the past year were recognized with the Supplier Award. The event took place yesterday at Pirelli's Headquarters in Milan, with the participation of Pirelli Executive Vice Chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera, CEO Andrea Casaluci, and Head of Value Chain Luca Galantina.
"Pirelli's leadership in the high-end segment is based on its ability to innovate and the pursuit of excellence. This is a result we can achieve and maintain thanks to a network of high-quality, cutting-edge suppliers with whom we share values and objectives. Together, we are able to keep ahead of a rapidly changing market, achieving our goals in terms of technological innovation and sustainability, and strengthening our competitiveness," commented Marco Tronchetti Provera, Executive Vice Chairman of Pirelli.
INNOVATION AS A COMPETITIVE LEVER
One of the key criteria in selecting the winners was the ability to innovate, a central pillar of Pirelli's strategy. One example of this is the new P Zero, now in its fifth generation, designed using virtual development techniques and artificial intelligence. This is also true for the P Zero E, which recently won the ADI International Compasso d'Oro Award, one of the most prestigious international recognitions in the field of industrial design. In materials development, the Virtual Compounder was introduced. This tool, developed by Pirelli and based on generative AI, accelerates the identification of the best material combinations for new compounds, maximizing process efficiency from the laboratory to the factory and reducing the need for physical prototypes. Artificial intelligence has also been integrated into industrial processes to optimize planning, detect developments that could impact the quality of the finished product in real time, and improve safety and efficiency in factories.
ENVIRONMENTAL CARE IS THE KEY TO NEW PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES
Supplier Day 2025 was also an opportunity to reaffirm Pirelli's commitment to sustainability, as demonstrated by the recent launch of the first tyre for the global market made with over 70% bio-based and recycled materials, including FSC™ (Forest Stewardship Council™)1 certified natural rubber, developed in a specific version for JLR (Jaguar Land Rover). All plants are also working to improve efficiency, reducing energy consumption per unit produced through the electrification of production processes, and to reduce absolute CO₂ emissions by purchasing electricity from renewable sources at 100% of the group's sites or using steam from renewable sources.
These are the winning companies in the 2025 edition of the Pirelli Supplier Awards by category:
• The Process Innovation award went to ZF, a supplier of indoor testing machinery, for its high level of precision, reliability, and innovations that have accelerated the synergies between indoor, outdoor, and virtual testing;
• In the Materials, the Material Innovation title was won by KURARAY, a supplier of liquid polymers and a partner in creating high-performance solutions using cutting-edge development approaches;
• The Digital Transformation Award went to SERVICENOW, a provider of innovative solutions that are contributing to the digitalization of IT processes;
• The Sustainability Award went to ZINCOL OSSIDI S.P.A., a supplier of chemicals committed to supporting the use of 100% recycled materials with a reduced carbon footprint;
• The Quality Award was given to ERGON, a supplier of process oils, for the high quality of its materials;
• Excellence Award goes to HELON POLYTEX, a supplier of textile reinforcements, for its excellent, 360° contribution to initiatives and projects critical to the success of the business;
• Service Level Award goes to KUEHNE + NAGEL ROMANIA for its successful start-up of operations at the Pirelli distribution center in Slatina (RO).
1 FSC™ is an international, non-governmental, independent, and non-profit organization, established in 1993 to promote the responsible management of forests. License number: FSC™ N003618.
Natural rubber accounts for approximately 25% of the total weight of the tire (35837, size 285/45R22 XL P-ZERO(LR) ncs).
