Business

Italian tiremaker plans $1.2B plant expansion with 1,000 jobs in Georgia

Pirelli to expand its U.S. headquarters and manufacturing facility in Rome, about 70 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta.
Italian tiremaker Pirelli — which supplies tires for motorcycle racing as well as for street motorcycles, cars, SUVs and bicycles — announced Tuesday it will expand its U.S. headquarters and manufacturing facility in northwest Georgia. (Courtesy of Pirelli)
Italian tiremaker Pirelli — which supplies tires for motorcycle racing as well as for street motorcycles, cars, SUVs and bicycles — announced Tuesday it will expand its U.S. headquarters and manufacturing facility in northwest Georgia. (Courtesy of Pirelli)
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36 minutes ago

An Italian tiremaker announced a large expansion to its operations in Rome — not the ancient European city, but the one in northwest Georgia.

Pirelli on Tuesday said it will invest $1.2 billion to expand its existing U.S. headquarters and manufacturing facility, roughly 70 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta. The company pledged that its expansion will lead to 1,000 new jobs over the next few years, nearly quintupling its Georgia workforce.

The announcement was celebrated by Gov. Brian Kemp, who met with Pirelli executives in 2024 during an economic development mission.

“For over two decades, Pirelli has been a valued presence in our state,” Kemp said in a news release. “And I’m thankful that our efforts to grow this partnership are paying off with even more jobs for hardworking Georgians.”

Founded in 1872, Pirelli has become one of the world’s largest tire manufacturers, producing products for cars, motorcycles and bikes. The company came to Georgia in 2002, developing its headquarters campus at what’s now 100 Pirelli Drive in Rome.

The company currently employs 234 Georgians across its campus, which includes manufacturing, innovation and office operations. The expansion will take place across two phases, with the first incorporating robotics equipment and the latter focusing on adding more “traditional manufacturing process,” according to the release.

“The U.S. is one of Pirelli’s most important markets and offers significant opportunities for growth,” Claudio Zanardo, CEO of Pirelli North America, said in the release.

Pat Wilson, the state’s top economic development official, said Pirelli was one of the first automotive-related suppliers to plant its flag in Georgia in the 2000s.

Georgia’s main auto factories at the time — General Motors in Doraville and Ford’s Atlanta Assembly in Hapeville — would both close by 2008. But Korean automakers Kia and Hyundai have since opened assembly plants, and with them brought a new automotive supply chain. Electric vehicle startup Rivian is also building a factory an hour east of Atlanta.

“Pirelli was one of the early companies to help build Georgia’s automotive supply chain,” Wilson said in the release. “And more than two decades later, they are continuing to believe in Georgia and invest in their future here.

A spokesperson with Wilson’s office said negotiations over discretionary incentives to recruit Pirelli remain active. Pirelli will qualify for job creation tax credits and worker training through Georgia Quick Start.

The bulk of the additional hiring is scheduled to take place in 2029, and the expanded facility is projected to be at full operation in 2033.