Pirelli
 |
|
| Type | Società per azioni (BIT: PC) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Conglomerate |
| Founded | 1872 |
| Founder(s) | Giovanni Battista Pirelli |
| Headquarters | Milan, Italy |
| Key people | Marco Tronchetti Provera (Chairman and CEO), Alberto Pirelli (deputy chairman), Carlo Alessandro Puri Negri (deputy chairman) |
| Products | Tyres, broadband networking devices, real estate investments, environmental technology, environmental remediation, renewable energy technologies |
| Revenue | €4.462 billion (2009)[1] |
| Operating income | €217.4 million (2009)[1] |
| Net income | €22.7 million (2009)[1] |
| Employees | 29,570 (2009)[1] |
| Subsidiaries | Pirelli Tyre S.p.A. Pirelli Broadband Solutions S.p.A Pirelli & C. Real Estate S.p.A Pirelli Labs S.p.A. Olimpia S.p.A. |
| Website | www.pirelli.com |
Pirelli & C. SpA (BIT: PC) is a diverse multinational company based in Milan, Italy.
Contents |
History
Founded 1872 in Milan by Giovanni Battista Pirelli, Pirelli initially specialised in rubber and derivative processes.The company formerly made scuba diving rebreathers.[2] Effectively, Pirelli's activities are still primarily focused on the production of tyres and cables (for energy and telecommunications). In 2005, Pirelli sold its cable division to Goldman Sachs, which changed the new group's name to Prysmian.
In the 1950s, Alberto Pirelli commissioned the building of a famous Milanese skyscraper in the same area that housed the very first Pirelli factory during the 19th century: see Pirelli Tower[3]
In 1974, Pirelli invented the "wide radial tyre", upon a request from the Lancia rally racing team for a tyre strong enough to withstand the power of the new Lancia Stratos. At that time, racing tyres were either slick tyres made with the cross ply technique (very wide tyres with a reduced sidewall height), or radial tyres, which were too narrow to withstand the Stratos' power and did not provide enough grip. Both were unusable for the Lancia Stratos, as the radials were destroyed within 10 km, and the slicks too stiff. Lancia asked Pirelli for a solution, and in 1974 Pirelli created a wide tyre with a reduced sidewall height like a slick, but with a radial structure.
Subsequently, Porsche started using the same tyres with the award-winning Porsche 911 Turbo.[4].
Today, the wide tyres are still the standard in sport & racing cars in Europe.
Since late 2007, Pirelli is the control tyre for the World Rally Championship, the British Rally Championship, the Superbike World Championship and the British Superbike Championship. In April 2010 the company announced that the board of directors and investors had approved plans to return to Formula One. The company has been in discussion with several teams and said it preferred being the sole Formula One supplier but didn't rule out a tyre war with Michelin or Cooper Avon.[5] On April 29, 2010, Pirelli officially confirmed their intention to become the standard tyre supplier for the 2011 Formula 1 season. On June 23rd 2010 the FIA announced that Pirelli had been picked as Formula 1's sole tyre supplier for the next three years from the start of the 2011 season.
Marketing
The Pirelli Calendar is published annually, and regularly features famous actresses and fashion models. The calendar also features the work of many of the most respected fashion photographers in the world, including Herb Ritz, Richard Avedon, Mert & Marcus, Peter Lindbergh, Annie Leibovitz, and Patrick Demarchelier.
The Pirelli Internetional Award is given annually for the best international multimedia involving the communication of Science & Technology conducted entirely on the Internet.
Power is nothing without control is the well known slogan of Pirelli Tyre Company, and is featured in numerous television and print advertisements.
Pirelli is the long-serving main sponsor of Italian football club F.C. Internazionale Milano.
Sponsorship
Pirelli has a history of sponsoring football teams. Pirelli is well known for its long term primary sponsorship of the Italian football giants Internazionale. Pirelli previously appeared as a sponsor on the shirts of the Maltese football club Valletta for a short time. Pirelli's sponsorship of football teams not only happens in Europe, South America is a key market and as a result succesful clubs South America have been sponsered by the tyre company. The Urugauan team [[Penarol] and Argentinian side Velez both have Pirelli as a shirt sponsor.When English Football League Two side Burton Albion Football Club built their new stadium in 2005, Pirelli became the title sponsor the new ground. This was because the new stadium, namedPirelli Stadium lies next to the Pirelli factory in Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, England. In 2009 Pirelli became the title sponsor of the Chinese Super League(CSL), China's top tier football league.
Motorsport
Pirelli is the only allowed tyre brand in the FIM World Superbike Championship in 2007. Pirelli has also been awarded the contract for the control tyre supply in the British Superbike Championship from 2008 until at least 2010.[6] Pirelli is also the official tyre supplier of the World Rally Championship replacing BF Goodrich for the 2008 season, with all cars using Pirelli tyres and having Pirelli decals on the cars.
For the 2011 F1 Season the sole tyre supplier is Pirelli after Bridgestone announced that they are dropping out support after the 2010 Season and deciding not to renew the contract.[7][8][9]
See also
- Pirelli Calendar
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Annual Report 2009". Pirelli & C.. http://www.pirelli.com/en_IT/browser/attachments/pdf/FY2009.pdf. Retrieved 2010-04-25.
- ↑ Coates, JK; Kincaid, TC; Lanphier, EH (1952). "Evaluation of the Pirelli Underwater Oxygen Breathing Equipment for Use in the Naval Service.". Navy Experimental Diving Unit Technical Report NEDU-RR-2-52. http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/3393. Retrieved 2009-03-16.
- ↑ Skyscrapers, Antonino Terranova, White Star Publishers, 2003 (ISBN-8880952307)
- ↑ http://www.enzociliberto.it/aisastoryauto/fascicoli/mono68/68mezzanotte.pdf
- ↑ "Pirelli eyes F1 Return". Autosport.com. 22 April 2010. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/83101. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
- ↑ British Superbikes 2007
- ↑ "Bridgestone to Cease Tire Supply to the FIA Formula One World Championship". Bridgestone. 2009-11-02. http://bridgestone.com/corporate/news/2009110201.html. Retrieved 2009-11-02.
- ↑ "World Motor Sport Council: 23/06/2010". fia.com. Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 2010-06-23. http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/wmsc/2010/Pages/wmsc_230610.aspx. Retrieved 2010-06-23.
- ↑ Collantine, Keith (2010-06-23). "Pirelli return to F1 after 20-year absence". F1 Fanatic (Keith Collantine). http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2010/06/23/pirelli-return-to-f1-after-20-year-absence/. Retrieved 2010-06-23.
See also
- List of Italian companies
- Formula One tyres
External links
- Official website
- PirelliTyre.com Pirelli Tyres Worldwide
- PirelliRE.com Pirelli Real Estate
- Yahoo! Pirelli & C. SpA Company Profile
|
|||||