Pirelli to begin steelcord operations in China this year

ERJ staff report (DS)

Qingdao, China -- Pirelli Steelcord is to begin production in China later this year. Carlo Costa Ardissone, head of Pirelli's Steelcord activity said the unit will come on stream in two steps. The first step -- around 16 000 tonnes/year will be on stream later this year and full capacity of 35 000 tonnes/year will be reached in a few years.

Ardissone said the new company is a joint venture with Roadone Tyre Co. Ltd., Pirelli's original partner in the Chinese tyre sector, which originally made steel-reinforced conveyor belts. He said, "now we are investing together in steelcord and in tyres." Ardissone said Pirelli still operates steelcord plants in Romania and Germany with Continental as a shareholder, and the two companies remain partners in a business sense in Brazil and now in Asia.

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Ardissone said the plant will mainly serve the truck tyre industry in China. He was speaking exclusively to ERJ at the official opening of Rhodia's new silica factory in Qingdao, China on 20 October.