In Italy, and in Piedmont in particular, a significant share of the future of the tyre industry is being played out. Not only at a national level, but on a far broader horizon. The Michelin plant in Cuneo is, in fact, the Group's most important industrial site in Western Europe and a technological leader: it is one of eight plants (out of 121 scattered around the world) that develops new technologies to be rolled out to other factories across the globe.

A production capacity of 14 million tyres per year

We are talking about a world-leading tyre manufacturer, with around 132,000 employees across 177 different countries, investing three per cent of its turnover – nearly 700 million euros annually – in research and development. In Italy, approximately 3,800 people work for Michelin, with the plants in Cuneo (which produces car tyres) and Alessandria (dedicated to producing tyres for heavy vehicles, agricultural machinery, civil engineering equipment and metro systems) boasting an installed production capacity of 14 million tyres per year. This makes Michelin Italia the largest Italian producer: as data from the Federazione Gomma Plastica shows, 58 per cent of national production (some 12 million units out of a total of just under 21 million, 2022 figure) is manufactured at Michelin plants.

The goal is net zero emissions by 2050

Michelin intends to achieve the target of net zero emissions by 2050, with an intermediate milestone relating to production processes: a 50 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030 compared to 2010. In line with these targets, the Cuneo plant continues to implement new solutions to reduce its environmental impact: among these, the adoption of 36 electric presses that have already saved 4,000 tonnes of CO2, and a new high-efficiency trigeneration plant capable of simultaneously producing electricity, steam and water for heating and cooling. This plant has no impact on the surrounding environment and, together with other initiatives currently under development, will cover 97 per cent of the facility's energy needs. Since last year, the production site has already had access to 16 per cent of its energy from renewable sources, corresponding to a reduction in CO2 emissions of 18,000 tonnes per year.

The social impact on the local area

Alongside the themes of investment and innovation, there is also the social dimension, relating to Michelin's involvement in the life of the local community. The company has inaugurated the Hub of CIM 4.0 in Turin, an innovation laboratory within the site, with the aim of supporting local businesses in their technological, process and product development journey, enhancing their digital and sustainable competitiveness. In recent years, Michelin has also supported as many as 108 small and medium-sized enterprises, predominantly startups with a strong innovation focus, providing contributions towards the creation of more than 700 jobs and, through the Open Innovation model, 12 of these have made tangible contributions to delivering significant innovations within Michelin's Italian plants.