March 22, World Water Day. Pirelli carried out a research about water use in its factories in Brazil. Comparing 2006 with 2012 figures, there was a saving of 11.6% in water consumption index in m³ / Ton Finished Product.
In 2012, in Campinas we achieved 16% and the FIESP Conservation and Water Reuse award – in the category medium/large company, which competed with big companies. This was the first time that Pirelli participated in this type of awards. We were recognized for our work.
One of the main Pirelli Brazil’s actions continues to be focused on reuse of treated effluent around 100%.
Versalis (Eni) and Pirelli have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to kick off a joint research project for the use of guayule-based natural rubber in tire production.
The research project will run over a period of three years. On an exclusivity basis, Versalis will provide an innovative range of guayule-based natural rubber materials, while Pirelli will carry out trial tests to validate the performance of the materials for tire production.
As soon as new industrial quantities become available, Versalis will supply Pirelli with guayule-based natural rubber to complement the current set of synthetic rubber that Versalis is already supplying to Pirelli for the production of conventional tires.
The agreement with Pirelli follows the announcement of a milestone partnership between Versalis and Yulex Corporation USA for guayule production and for the construction of an industrial complex to be based in Southern Europe.
Guayule (Parthenium argentatum) is a renewable, non-food crop that requires little water usage, no pesticides and is an alternative source of natural rubber thanks to its latex allergy-friendly properties, unlike Hevea rubber.
The agreement is consistent with Versalis’ strategy of pursuing partnerships with key leaders in the field of bio-based chemical products. The agreement is also part of an overall plan to drive a solid integration process between a range of innovative technologies and the current portfolio of conventional products with a particular focus on the elastomers business, all of which is critical to improving Versalis’ competitive edge at the international level.
The agreement with Versalis integrates and extends Pirelli’s commitment in the search for new materials from renewable sources and especially from biomasses. Pirelli, which already produces tyres with raw materials derived from rice husk (the inedible part of the grain usually used as fuel), aims to gradually reduce the heavy reliance on fossil resources, replacing them with alternative raw materials which induce better performance and match up with higher standards of environmental sustainability in terms of processes and products.
“This new partnership between Versalis and Pirelli builds on a series of initiatives to develop technologies for tire applications with a focus on performance and energy efficiency. Both companies are well-established industry leaders at an international level; they represent a sound model for undivided commitment to all levels of research, including the green sector,” said Daniele Ferrari, Chief Executive Officer of Versalis.
“Pirelli has always been dedicated to the development of innovative solutions that prioritize sustainability, and this means safety and respect for the environment. In this regard, it is essential to prioritise research on renewable raw materials, an area where we hold industry leadership at an international level. The research project into guayule-based natural rubber is one of our key activities that fully engages our team of researchers; it also underlines the strategic importance of long-standing partnerships like the one we have announced today with Versalis,” said Maurizio Boiocchi, Chief Technical Officer of Pirelli.
This is the Pirelli policy that regulates the Group’s purchasing, with a view to creating less impact on the environment
Here is our commitment by which to further reduce our environmental footprint. It is called our Green Sourcing Policy and it carries the signature of chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera. It is an official document that describes our purchasing policy concerning all the goods and services we acquire: the addressees of this document are not only the company’s buyers, but all of us for use at times when we find ourselves in a position of activating the supply chain for an item or service acquired from outside a company.
We wish to acquire materials, goods and services the environmental footprint of which has less impact than the market average, considering all the phases of the cycle of life, and with particular attention to end-of-life management. For this reason, we are also encouraging our suppliers to integrate our policy into their purchasing model and along their supply chain.
Eleonora Pessina, Pirelli’s sustainability officer, says, “The policy dictates the fundamental principles of green sourcing, for the realisation of which the wording of specific guidelines is explicitly requested. The latter will take advantage of metrics, where possible, through the definition of internationally recognised measurement standards and, where not possible, through the definition of internal indicators. All of this is to monitor the level of effective implementation of the Green Sourcing Policy. In particular, Pirelli is moving towards the individualisation of supply areas for which it is possible to create common environmental requisites. With regard to this project, inter-functional working groups will be created, guided by the acquisition, quality and sustainability departments, with the possibility of direct involvement of eventual suppliers’ reputable representatives”.
Pirelli’s objective is to create its Green Sourcing Policy’s guidelines by the end of 2013.
The policy is available in 22 languages at the following link:
