ETRMA: 2013 tyre replacement market stabilised

The European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers Association (ETRMA) suggest the 2013 tyre replacement market stabilised in 2013 after a shaky start to the year. According to figures published 16 January, the car segment contracted 1 per cent to 192.699 million units in 2013. Total truck tyre sales were put at 8.849 million.

The ETRMA commented that members’ tyre sales kicked off 2013 with a very slow start following “a substantial contraction” of the market in 2012. Nevertheless 2013 is said to have showed “timid signs of recovery that were consolidated towards the end of the year.”

European tyre replacement sales 2013

Despite the market having stabilised, not all segments have enjoyed the same level of recovery. Consumer tyres performed the worst with a 1 per cent decrease in sales, compared to the already negative previous year. Country data shows this in Germany – the biggest European Market – and Poland. However, signs of recovery were evident in other major markets such as France, Italy, the UK and Spain.

With regard to the truck and bus segment, the increase in sales growth has been more evident with an 8 per cent increase compared to the previous year.  “2012 had been a particularly bad year for this segment which lost 19 per cent compared to 2011. The departure level was therefore very low and a return to growth was strongly hoped for” said Mrs Cinaralp, secretary general of ETRMA.

Trade data in these two segments confirms that imports from China dominate in bound product sales, with products from the People’s Republic representing as much 40 per cent of total imports for consumer tyres. Furthermore Chinese tyre are said to be increasing significantly in the truck segment. In general, imports are growing in all categories and especially in the truck segment, where they constitute about 20 per cent of the total European market.

The agricultural and motorcycle markets showed a “somewhat stable” performance compared to 2012 with 1 per cent and 2 per cent growth respectively. And this only goes to show that a full recovery is yet to be made for these two segments.

“2013 was clearly not a year of boom on the tyre market, but sales data show a consolidation of the market and a return to growth after such a negative 2012. It is our hope that this trend will be confirmed by 2014, for which we could expect 2 to 3 per cent growth”, said Cinaralp.