Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Rubber News
  • European Rubber Journal
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • Current Issue
  • BEST PLACES TO WORK
  • News
    • HUMANITARIAN
    • TIRE MAKERS
    • COMMERCIAL TIRE
    • GOVERNMENT & LAW
    • MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
    • OBITUARIES
    • OPINION
    • MID YEAR REPORT
    • SERVICE ZONE
  • ADAS
  • Data
    • DATA STORE
  • Custom
    • SPONSORED CONTENT
  • Resources
    • Events
    • DIRECTORY
    • CLASSIFIEDS
    • SHOP FLOOR
    • AWARDS
    • ASK THE EXPERT
    • LIVESTREAMS
    • WEBINARS
    • SEMA LIVESTREAMS
    • RUBBER NEWS EVENTS
    • BALANCING
    • DEMOUNTING
    • SAFETY
    • TIRE REPAIR
    • TPMS
    • TRAINING
    • VEHICLE LIFTING
    • WHEEL TORQUE
    • Best Places to Work
  • ADVERTISE
  • DIGITAL EDITION
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
April 05, 2002 01:00 AM

Pirelli to resume U.S. sales, customer service responsibility

  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    NEW HAVEN, Conn. (April 5, 2002)—Pirelli S.p.A.'s tire unit will resume responsibility July 1 for the sales and customer service of the Pirelli brand in the U.S., altering a distribution alliance Pirelli has had with Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. since 1999.

    Cooper will continue to manage logistics support for Pirelli and manufacture selected lines of Pirelli products for sale in the U.S. The parties said the transition with regard to Pirelli dealers will be handled with a minimum of change or disruption so that customer service will not be affected

    Both companies will investigate the possibility of Pirelli's international group supplementing Cooper's performance tire product offering by manufacturing selected ultra-high-performance sizes or lines.

    Pirelli and Cooper announced their distribution venture on Feb. 12, 1999, saying they were joining forces in the Americas in an effort to boost sales and cut costs.

    The deal called for Cooper to take over sales and distribution of Pirelli passenger and light truck tires in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, and for the companies to cooperate on raw materials purchasing. Cooper said at the time that adding the Pirelli brand to its product range would help it gain a position with larger retail chains and solidify business with existing customers.

    Pirelli, meanwhile, expected the arrangement to lead to a doubling of Pirelli brand tire sales in North America—to $400 million or more—in two to three years. Instead, sales have remained at about the $175 million level.

    A Pirelli spokesman said few sales through the arrangement had taken place in Canada and Mexico.

    The two companies said they restructured the agreement in order to improve the competitive strength of both companies. While the results of the alliance were generally positive, it was agreed that a new approach would be beneficial in pursuing separate brand strategies, the companies said in a press release. Both companies will continue to consider themselves partners in technical and related matters.

    D. Richard Stephens, Cooper Tire's president, and Francesco Gori, general manager of Pirelli's tire business worldwide, expressed satisfaction at the new arrangement, which will be finalized shortly.

    “Our companies have learned to know and appreciate each other since the beginning and are looking forward to a new and different phase of our alliance which will benefit customers for both brands,” they said in a joint statement.

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Do you have an opinion about this story? Do you have some thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? Tire Business would love to hear from you. Email your letter to Editor Don Detore at [email protected].

    Most Popular
    1
    EU approves Yokohoma's Trelleborg Wheel Systems purchase
    2
    Hankook Tire confirms arrest of Chairman Cho Hyun-bum
    3
    Conti marking Euro car tires with EV-compatible symbol
    4
    Winter tire usage in Canada keeps growing
    5
    Gold Trip: Conti EV strategy remains consistent
    SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Newsletter Center

    Staying current is easy with Tire Business delivered straight to your inbox.

    SUBSCRIBE TODAY

    Subscribe to Tire Business

    SUBSCRIBE
    Connect with Us
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • RSS

    Our Mission

    Tire Business is an award-winning publication dedicated to providing the latest news, data and insights into the tire and automotive service industries.

    Reader Services
    • Staff
    • About Us
    • Site Map
    • Industry Sites
    • Order Reprints
    • Customer Service: 877-320-1716
    Partner Sites
    • Rubber News
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Automotive News
    • Plastics News
    • Urethanes Technology
    RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    • Terms of Service
    • Media Guide
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Classified Rates
    • Digital Edition
    • Careers
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    Copyright © 1996-2023. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • BEST PLACES TO WORK
    • News
      • HUMANITARIAN
      • TIRE MAKERS
      • COMMERCIAL TIRE
      • GOVERNMENT & LAW
      • MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
      • OBITUARIES
      • OPINION
      • MID YEAR REPORT
      • SERVICE ZONE
    • ADAS
    • Data
      • DATA STORE
    • Custom
      • SPONSORED CONTENT
    • Resources
      • Events
        • ASK THE EXPERT
        • LIVESTREAMS
        • WEBINARS
        • SEMA LIVESTREAMS
        • RUBBER NEWS EVENTS
      • DIRECTORY
      • CLASSIFIEDS
      • SHOP FLOOR
        • BALANCING
        • DEMOUNTING
        • SAFETY
        • TIRE REPAIR
        • TPMS
        • TRAINING
        • VEHICLE LIFTING
        • WHEEL TORQUE
      • AWARDS
        • Best Places to Work
    • ADVERTISE
    • DIGITAL EDITION