Michelin Zalău Tires has been part of the Michelin Group since 2001, and it has two activities. The first one is carried out in the Semifinished Products Shop. It includes Mixing and Metal Cord Calender, and it manufactures a variety of rubber mixtures, starting from the raw materials. A part of these are assembled together with the steel cables, to make up a metal mesh, which will become a components of the tire’s internal structure.
The second activity focuses on finished goods. This activity is known within Michelin as “Service O”, and it has three workshops: Preparation, Assembly, and Curing. Truck tires are manufactured here, under the brands Taurus, Riken, Tigar, Orium, and BFGoodrich, Michelin brand industrial tires, tires intended for the equipment of forklifts and of other industrial machinery, as well as subway tires. The manufactured products are intended for the internal market, as well as for export on the market from Europe, Africa, Asia, and America.
Michelin Zalău Cord is a strategic unit for the Group, with the production of metal assemblies, as these are vital components in the manufacture of tires. The plant is a Michelin greenfield construction since 2004. With over 90% of the metal cord manufacturing intended for export, the Michelin Zalău Cord plant contributes to the manufacturing of tires in numerous Michelin plants on 3 continents, Europe, America, and Asia.
The decree setting up the Zalău Tire Enterprise, having as object of activity the manufacture of tires and rubber tubes, is signed on November 1, 1977
The first tire is manufactured. In the period 1981-1990, Danubiana brand truck tires were manufactured, and in the period 1990-1997, Silvania brand tires were produced.
René Zingraf, part of the Michelin Group leadership alongside Édouard Michelin, visits the Zalău tyre plant. It is the first official visit in Romania of Group leadership representatives.
The first Kormoran tire for trucks is manufactured, in accordance with the Michelin standard. Only rubber tube tires were manufactured in the plant until 2002.
The manufacture of forklift tires starts at the Silvania plant, under the Michelin brand.
Édouard Michelin visits the Michelin Silvania plant, which he finds in a modernization phase, following its acquisition.
He was the great-grandson of Édouard Michelin, one of the two Michelin brothers who co-founded the company. He joined the Michelin Group in 1985, which was then led by its father, François Michelin and was appointed Michelin Group CEO in 1999. Édouard Michelin passed away in 2006.
Start of construction of the Zalău metal cord plant - Michelin Romsteel Cord, a greenfield investment of Michelin in Romania. The new unit will be manufacturing and supplying metal cord to the Michelin plants - metal cord being one of the most important components of the tire carcass.
On October 1, 2004, the team made up of 200 employees of the Michelin Romsteel Cord plant visit the new plant for the first time.
The first Open Days edition is organized at the Cord Plant, opened for the employees’ families.
The Silvania plant celebrates the manufacture of 1 million tires since the arrival of the Michelin Group in Zalău.
In 2006, Michelin starts a project supporting the Zalău County Emergency Hospital, with the objective of being an active part in the community in which it deploys its activity. Over the years, Michelin has invested in approximately 12 specific projects equipping certain hospital departments with furniture and medical devices.
Silvania Plant is ISO 14001 certified for the environmental management system, which allows the plant to control the environmental impact of the activity.
The Michelin Romsteel-Cord plant is granted its first award for safety - for the number of days without any work accidents.
The President of the Michelin Group, Jean Dominique Senard, visits the Michelin Silvania plant. On this occasion, the plant’s physical and chemical laboratories are opened, after undergoing a refurbishment process. Also, he finds a completely renovated Mixing shop.
Jean Domnique Senard was the CEO of Michelin Group between 2012 – 2019.
The Michelin Silvania is ISO TS 16949 certified for the quality management system, which is the most important standard for the automotive industry worldwide. This certification helps in the continual improvement of the qualitative level of processes and in the orientation towards customer satisfaction.
Michelin organizes at Zalău the first edition of the road safety event for the young cyclists, Michelin Junior Bike. It is part of the company's philosophy on road safety education.
Michelin celebrates 10 years of Michelin presence in Romania. The industrial platform is being visited by Michel Rollier, the Group CEO at that time. During the fesitivity, employees marking 30 years within the plant were celebrated.
Michel Rollier succeded Édouard Michelin as CEO of Michelin Group, taking the position in 2006. In 2012, he retired and was succeded by Jean Dominique Senard.
The first edition of the “Road Safety Days” is organized at Bucharest, Florești, and Zalău, as part of the company's direction on road safety education. The event continued to be organized in Zalău, marking in 2019 the 8th edition.
The project leading to subway tires being manufactured at Zalău plant is being launched.
The year 2014 means a decade of existence for the metal cord plant from Zalău. The plant’s employees, together with the representatives from Michelin’s management, celebrate this moment together.
The manufacture of a new product starts at the Zalău plant: Tigar truck tires. The tires are intended for the Intermediate segment, and they are manufactured exclusively at the Zalău plant. The employees celebrate this important moment for the plant in October.
Start of the construction site for the second manufacturing shop at Zalău Cord. This represents the doubling of the plant’s surface, as well as of its manufacturing capacity.
Under the slogan One road. One family, the tire plant’s employees celebrate 40 years of activity
In December, at the Cord plant, representatives of the Group’s management, together with the employees, open the second manufacturing shop.
At the begining of 2018, the Michelin Corporate Foundation, part of the Michelin Group, supports the local community by contributing to the improvement of Zalău County Emergency Hospital (SJUZ), investing in the provision of medical equipment. This project also targeted the equipping of the SMURD Emergency Unit, Cardiology, and Rheumatology Departments within the County Hospital, providing medical equipment which will contribute to the improvement of patient care and also to saving lives.
The tire plant welcomes its customers for a visit, especially the BFGoodrich tire fans.
The DUAL learning program is launched at the Mihai Viteazul High School This program is supported by Michelin Zalău, with the support of the Michelin Corporate Foundation, together with public institutions.
Michelin, with the support of the Michelin Corporate Foundation, finalizes a new stage in the equipping of the shop used by students of the dual learning program. The students have now the necessary equipment to train for the profession of mechanics for hydraulic and pneumatic equipment and electromechanics for industrial machinery and installations.
