70m-euro plant for Pirelli

Italian group Pirelli could start an investment worth 70 million euros next year in a plant of filters for diesel engines, after it completed an investment worth 170 million euros in a tyre production facility last week. “Next year we could start the construction of a new plant for production of filters for diesel engines in Gorj, with the actual production most likely to begin early in 2008, if the project is approved,” stated Guglielmo Fiocchi, country manager of Pirelli Romania. The investment in the plant, which will be located on a 10-hectare surface in the Sadu industrial park in Gorj county, could reach over 70 million euros. Pirelli’s tyre division has already invested 170 million euros in Slatina, in the development of a state-of-the-art tyre production centre near the metallic cord factory, inaugurated in partnership with German group Continental last year. The factory takes up 60,000 square metres and will produce 300,000 tyres this year, to reach 2 million tyres next years. After the investments have been completed, the plant could reach a production of almost 5 million units, according to the officials.