Pirelli Tire North America (PTNA) opened a sales and marketing office in New York City this week, but company CEO and President Mauro Pessi says PTNA's headquarters will remain in Rome, Ga.
Approximately 10 employees from Rome will relocate to the New York office, Pessi told www.moderntiredealer.com earlier today. Those employees will be replaced by new employees in Rome, he added.
Pessi said the New York office, which officially opened on July 6, will be "the front line of the company. It gives us a good opportunity because the Northeast region... is probably the biggest market outside of California for the tire industry. Historically, our brand has been high-volume in the Northeast. There are some major dealers (in that region) who we are targeting."
Having a presence in New York also "gives us access to agencies and other services that a company like Pirelli needs." It also puts PTNA in close proximity to the nation's financial center, he said, and will give PTNA officials faster access to the firm's customers in Canada.
When asked if he will relocate from Rome to New York, Pessi said he will split his time between Rome, "The Big Apple," and outside of the office, visiting vendors, customers and traveling back and forth between the U.S. and parent company Pirelli & C. SpA's headquarters in Milan, Italy.