ROME – With the start of the production of bicycle tires, the Pirelli factory in Bollate becomes the only factory to produce “Made in Italy” bicycle tires on an industrial scale. The historic structure, a few kilometers from Milan and inaugurated by Pirelli in 1962, has undergone a process of modernization and reorganization to house the production of Pirelli Cycling’s top-of-the-range lines. The plant will therefore be dedicated to the production of high-tech tires such as the models of the P Zero Race family, in the updated version with the “Made in Italy” brand.
Both tires intended for amateurs and athletes of some of the strongest cycling teams in the world will be manufactured in Bollate, all of whom are already Pirelli partners and have an active role in tire development. Thanks to the know-how acquired in the development of ultra-high performance car tires, Pirelli has been able to transfer a well-established experience in the field of bicycle tires in the field of innovative processes. The Milanese plant focuses entirely on innovation, from the robotization of processes to semi-finished products, for which a unique extrusion system has been tested, up to the compounds, developed with a “continuous mixing” system.
All manufacturing processes have been developed in harmony with the intrinsic properties of the bicycle tire, with the highest safety standards and with high automation, thanks also to the use of CE certified machinery. In the meantime, the restructuring of the spaces intended for employees, to offer a comfortable environment to those who work in the factory and a complete restyling of the buildings is planned with more contemporary lines to better harmonize with the urban context. Production of the first tires has started, while the complete renovation of the industrial plant is expected to be completed by the beginning of next year.
“It is a great satisfaction to give a new face and a new function to the Bollate factory by bringing part of the production of cycling tires back to Italy, and it is even more so in the year in which we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the company – underlined Andrea Casaluci. , general manager operations Pirelli – For us the bicycle has a great historical and symbolic value: it was bike tires that were the first type of tires produced by Pirelli and today we bring this part of the business a few kilometers from our headquarters. Furthermore, the Bollate project allows us to add value to the territory, through interventions that aim to make both the plant and the surrounding context modern and sustainable “.