Pirelli SpA cut the ribbon on the second production line at its Voronezh tire plant in southwest Russia.
The tiremaker said the line will run test tires until March, when it is expected to begin turning out premium passenger, light truck/SUV and winter tires. The Voronezh plant’s first production line has an annual capacity of 2 million tires, which will be doubled by 2014. The newest line is expected to reach 2 million units annually by the end of 2014.
“We’ll focus our attention on hi-tech tires, especially winter tires and tires for off-road vehicles,” Pirelli Tire Russia Director Carlo Costa told Russian media at the launch event.
The plant is a joint venture between Pirelli and Russian Technologies, and includes the Voronezh plant and another in Kirov. Pirelli’s investment in the Voronezh plant will total 100 million euros by 2014, with 56 million euros previously invested before 2012. Another 100 million euros will be invested in the Kirov plant.
