Global motorsport tyre brand DMACK has agreed terms to open its own tyre manufacturing facility in Italy, allowing it to expand into other motorsport disciplines. For the first time in its 10-year history, the British firm will have total control of its production after an agreement with Marangoni will see it use part of the Italian manufacturer’s facility in Rovereto, northern Italy.
DMACK, widely known for its rally activities as official tyre supplier to the FIA World Rally Championship since 2011, has a desire to transfer its technical capability into racing by producing world-class products for the circuit racing and track markets.
The new facility will give DMACK full control of product development and manufacturing, with its technical division based in Rovereto. It will become a centre of excellence, housing a bespoke research and development facility, and will champion innovative motorsport products.
Capable of producing up to 300,000 tyres per year, the plant will also offer DMACK the flexibility to tailor short production runs for very specific applications and to meet demands for control tyre championships. It will deliver a high degree of agility, allowing the company to respond to market needs and expedite product development and new product launches.
DMACK intends to extend its motorsport reach into new disciplines by producing high-performance products for circuit racing including formula, touring-car and trackday championships and disciplines. Products will embrace the firm’s know-how from competing and winning against the likes of Michelin, Pirelli and Hankook at the very top tier of world rallying on some of the toughest roads and conditions possible.
The facility will also help future-proof the DMACK business with a European manufacturing base helping to protect against uncertainties around Brexit and the location in the Trentino province providing easy links to key continental markets.
Operations in Italy will be overseen by Alessandro Coggi who joins as managing director of DMACK Srl. Coggi has 35 years’ experience in the tyre industry as group deputy sales director at Pirelli and chief executive of Goodyear Dunlop Tires Italia.
The plant is expected to create up to 50 new jobs and will see DMACK work alongside Marangoni, who will provide industrial support. The project has also received backing from the local government.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: “This is a significant strategic step for DMACK, we have been striving to operate our own manufacturing facility in Europe since I started the company in 2009. We will now have total control of our range expansion plans in all fields of motorsport including the entire product development process, which is vital when working with manufacturer teams and series organisers.
“This facility will be a bespoke motorsport operation with total flexibility to produce small batch runs. This will allow us to produce tailor-made specifications for customers, be it a manufacturer team competing in high level championships such as WRC or private customers and championships who require mono brand tyres.
“We would also look at producing bespoke motorsport products for other tyre manufacturers, such as Indian or Chinese tyre brands who don’t have the expertise or facility but may wish to use motorsport to market their consumer products.
“This facility will be both an R&D centre and commercial operation. We have received great support from the local government in Trentino who have supported the project to create new jobs and utilise the existing plant.
“This is a long-term strategy and firmly secures DMACK as an industrial player as we continue to push our small company to greater heights within the tyre industry.”
