Tires capable of real-time dialogue with your car’s electronics. Produced in an ultra-robotized factory running at full tilt. That’s the bet Pirelli is about to take in the United States. The group has announced a plan to invest roughly $1.2 billion. Nearly €1 billion, injected into its Rome, Georgia site. The goal is to multiply the production capacity of passenger tires and create around 1,000 additional jobs on site.
If Pirelli is putting that kind of money on the table, it isn’t just to expand an existing plant. The group notes that the United States accounts for nearly 40% of global volumes in the premium tire segment known as High Value. We’re talking about large sizes, very high performance, and models tailored for electric vehicles or run-flat tires. To better serve this market and limit the impact of tariffs, the brand is betting on a local-for-local strategy. The idea is to produce in the United States for the North American market, right next to automakers and end customers. The Rome plant, opened in 2002, should become one of the group’s major industrial hubs. With one question looming: what will this future connected tire mega-factory actually look like, and what jobs will power it?
A colossal investment to transform Pirelli’s Rome plant (Georgia)
Pirelli’s board approved a multi-year plan of around €1 billion. In dollar terms, that’s about $1.2 billion to expand and modernize the Rome site between 2027 and 2033. Today, the factory turns out roughly 400,000 to 450,000 passenger tires per year. Once the project is finished, the target capacity rises to 6 million tires per year. It’s a 13- to 14-fold leap. The brand wants to be less dependent on imports to feed American demand for premium tires.
The project will unfold in two major stages. First, Pirelli will extend its robotized production based on the latest generation of its proprietary MIRS (Modular Integrated Robotized System) process. This line targets a capacity of around 3 million tires per year beginning in 2028. Then a so‑called “conventional” production unit, fully automated and dedicated to premium tires, will add another 3 million units. In parallel, the site’s workforce currently numbers 234 employees in Georgia. It is expected to grow by roughly 1,000 permanent roles, with most hires anticipated around 2029. The announced average salary stands at $56,987 per year, i.e., a little over €52,000.
Cyber Tyre and High Value tires: Pirelli’s most advanced products
This scale-up targets the most tech-forward segment of Pirelli’s catalog. The Rome lines will concentrate on High Value tires, those 18-inch-and-up profiles designed for luxury sedans, high-performance SUVs, and electric vehicles. They will also produce the new Cyber Tyre connected tires. In these platforms, integrated sensors collect data on tire condition, pressure, and temperature. They also measure how the tire interacts with the road. This information is processed by a hardware-software system developed by Pirelli. It is then sent in real time to the vehicle’s ECUs and its driving-assistance systems. The group explains that this setup can even help a vehicle detect the onset of aquaplaning before grip is critically lost. This capability has just secured regulatory approval to be marketed in the United States.
In the backdrop, Pirelli has secured authorization from the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security to offer this connected technology in the United States. The approval followed adjustments tied to Italy’s Golden Power Decree adopted in 2026. The clearance arrives at a moment when automakers and their suppliers are looking to shorten supply chains and produce closer to customers. The goal is to boost resilience against tariffs and geopolitical and economic fluctuations. With this investment and its local-for-local strategy, Pirelli aims to secure the supply of premium and EV tires for North American brands. The group is counting on a market willing to pay a premium for smarter tires. It remains to be seen how quickly these connected-tire technologies, developed and produced in Rome, Georgia, will become commonplace on everyday vehicles—and how they might eventually be rolled out for European models.
