US tyre shipments down 0.5%

The latest figures from the US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) show tyre shipments will fall about 0.5 per cent to 316.8 million units. The drop is attributed to an anticipated decline in OE passenger tyre shipments to 3.4 million units. Replacement tyre shipments are expected to increase by 0.8 million units over the 2016 total.

The USTMA forecasts replacement passenger tyre shipments at 209.4 million units for a 4 per cent increase, while shipments of replacement light truck tyres will fall to 31.3 million units for a 2 per cent decline. Replacement medium/heavy truck/bus tyre shipments should rise by 3.9 per cent to 19.4 million units, the association predicts.

OE passenger tire shipments are expected to fall 6.9 per cent to 45.9 million units from 49.3 million units in 2016.

Light truck and truck/bus OE tyres are the fastest risers up 9.9 per cent to 5.4 million units and up 9.7 per cent to 5.4 million units respectively, according to the USTMA.