SILAO, Mexico—Pirelli S.p.A. has manufactured its one millionth tire at its Silao plant.
The firm celebrated the milestone on June 19 with a ceremony that included dignitaries Miguel Marquez Marquez, Guanajuato governor; Hector Lopez Santillana, Guanajuato secretary for economic development; Paolo Ferrari, Pirelli NAFTA Region CEO; Giuliano Menassi, Pirelli's industrial operations director; Tom Gravalos, Pirelli Mexico CEO; and Fernando Madeira Toledo, Pirelli Mexico industrial director.
The tire plant, which produces high performance and ultra-high performance tires for cars and light trucks, is Pirelli's first in Mexico and No. 22 worldwide. The nearly 1.5 million sq-ft. plant opened on May 31. According to the company, tires produced in Silao serve the U.S., Canadian and Mexican markets. The company said that 60 percent of Pirelli's tires sold in the NAFTA region are made in Silao.
The factory is expected to produce 3.5 million tires in 2015, and when fully operational two years later, capacity is forecast to be 5.5 million.
Pirelli's investment in the facility through 2017 is expected to be $400 million, and by that year, Pirelli said it will create 1,400 direct and 400 indirect jobs in the region.
Pirelli sponsors an InterCampus soccer program for local youths and has plans to open a state-of-the-art technical training facility near the factory.
"With important multi-national companies, such as Pirelli, choosing to establish roots in our region we are demonstrating that we are the epicenter of rapid growth in the automotive business in Mexico and Latin America," Marquez said.