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Conti: 2009 Market Volume Constant, Segmentation and Value Down

2009 may have been a “turbulent time” in the UK passenger car and van tyre markets, but some premium tyre manufacturers finished the year better than it started; and there are signs pointing to the recovery of premium manufacturer’s sell-in sales. That’s the view of Continental Tyre Group executives, who spoke to Tyres & Accessories at the company’s annual market trends briefing in London in December. As well as presenting the company’s influential overview of market sales and general trends, Conti representatives also gave a fascinating insight into how the government’s highly successful scrappage incentive scheme may affect future car sales.

Continental estimates the UK car, 4×4 and van tyre market totalled 33 million tyres in 2009, a slight drop over the final figure from 2008. However, while 2009 is said to have seen motorists hold off getting new tyre purchases, the overall numerical impact on the market is said to have been limited. Instead Continental re-affirmed that the UK tyre market has been experiencing a so-called “de-segmentisation” effect with consumers buying tyres of lower unit value and brand equity than they purchased pre-recession (something Tyres & Accessories first observed in May 2009 following strong Korean-brand tyre sales the preceding March). What is interesting about Continental’s analysis of this effect is that they are the only company so far to suggest that there is a significant group of consumers that are dropping two segments (premium to budget, for example), double de-segmenting if you will.

14th December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Encircle Offers Servicing Price Data

Encircle Marketing recently added automotive aftermarket servicing & MOT data to its pool of research. According to company representatives, the company now offers: robust and actionable analysis by each of the key vehicle classification segments (A-E + MPV/ SUV); head to head level analysis of relative cost elements attached to servicing/MOT; and an examination of regional variations. The project will issue monthly data from January 2010, when the company will start conducting a monthly monitor across all key channels in the market. Headline figures are to include individual quotes for a first major service (three year old vehicle), price for an MOT, various service elements provided as part of a service (free courtesy car/valet service) and promotional offers.

23rd October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Passenger Car Registrations Up in September

European passenger car registrations in September received a boost from markets with government sponsored scrappage schemes in place, particular those countries where the schemes are winding up. The whole European market rose 6.6 per cent and the Western European by 9.6 per cent during the month compared with September 2008, the largest leap since 1999. In absolute figures, however, September 2009 registrations stayed below the levels reached since 2002.

16th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

US Tyre Demand 'Improving'

US replacement tyre demand increased 4 per cent year-on-year in September, according to RMA data. Analysts equated this to a 1 per cent growth in the third quarter 2009. Nevertheless sources report that 2009 demand (at 174 million consumer tyres) is still down 14.4 per cent in the year September. During the same period US truck tyre volumes fell 23.6 per cent to 10.8 million units.

Based on last year’s figures, Deutsche Bank analysts predicted that this trend would increase towards the end of the year: “Two of the past three months have posted positive year-on-year results and year-on-year comparisons also become much easier in the months ahead.” Replacement demand fell -15.8, -17.1 and -15.5 per cent in October to December 2008.

12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Report: July Sell-in Market ‘Stabilising’

European and worldwide tyre markets are finally stabilising, according to a report released today (3 September). Writing in response to the latest round of market figures issued by leading French tyre manufacturer, Michelin, market analysts at Morgan Stanley described their view of the current market conditions as “slightly better than our expectations.” Despite highlighting the fact that the data continues to show negative year-to-date growth rates in almost every market, the analysts focused on the fact that the pace of the decline “showed material improvements compared to year-to-date trends and it looks on track to exceed our volume forecast for the quarter.

3rd September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin: Global Replacement Tyre Demand Improving, OE Remains Weak

Global OE tyre demand remained week in July, according to figures released by Michelin. However, the data also shows that, while global OE tyre demand continues to take a beating, there are signs of recovery in most replacement segments. However, Some of the least improved figures are in the European truck replacement market, where analysts described the status quo as “very poor.” Here July’s sales were -17 per cent down (-29 per cent year-to-date).

2nd September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Swinton Survey Outs Van Tyre Safety Ignorance

According to a recent poll of 1,000 commercial van driving customers, Swinton Insurance has revealed that 25 per cent of the segment never checked the condition or tread of their tyres, while 42 per cent did not know the correct legal tread depth.

13th August 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

European Truck OE Tyre Demand Down 72.9% in May

European truck OE tyre demand fell at the fastest rate in the world in May (-72.9 per cent), according to recently released Michelin market data. Putting the company’s (and the industry as a whole’s) difficulties into perspective, Deutsche Bank analysts summed up the worst of the current volumes like this: “eight times worse than the worst year over the last 30 years (1991).” North America, Brazil and Japan suffered 53.5, 24.1 and 65.2 per cent falls in Truck tyre OE demand respectively in May, with China the only market to avoid the pain – growing 2.6 per cent. Truck tyre replacement sales faired better in most markets, albeit still falling between 12.8 and 23.3 per cent in four of the five covered zones. China remained flat.

Despite the depressing figures, Deutsche Bank analysts were optimistic that the worst is over: “Since sell-out demand is not as bad, dealers destocking can’t last forever. And therefore sell-in and sell-out market trends will converge soon. Lastly, May is a relatively small month for the industry when June is much more important. For example, June represents a high 25 per cent of Michelin’s first half volumes.”

18th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin 2Q Tyre Volumes Predicted to Be -18%

Assuming stable share, Michelin’s second quarter tyre sales volume is expected to be inline with analysts’ earlier estimates of a drop of 18 per cent. However, Michelin’s monthly tyre market data, which has become something of barometer in the current unstable market conditions, shows that the leading French tyre manufacture is performing better than analysts had expected. In an investor’s note entitled ‘Punctured but still rolling” Morgan Stanley described the company’s recent performance as “slightly better than our expectations, after adjusting for an average two fewer selling days across Europe.” Year-on-year growth rates remain negative, but the pace of the decline is considered to be “more on track to meet or exceed [forecasted] tyre sales to dealers.”

As a result of the fact that tyre prices are positively correlated with both volume and input costs, Morgan Stanley suggested manufacturers remain under pressure to cut prices: “Investors must prepare for a reasonable level of price ‘give back’ to struggling tyre dealers, distributors and consumers in this environment…We believe depressed volumes and the tailwinds from lower raw material that will materialize in the second half will continue to put at risk the pricing discipline – and the profitability – of the industry.”

20th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

New 2009 Scrap Tire & Rubber Users Directory

The 2009 edition of the Scrap Tire & Rubber Users Directory is now available. Updated annually, the directory contains more than 2,000 listings with name, address, telephone, fax, e-mail, web address, contact person and a summary of products and services provided by the companies. Published by Recycling Research Institute (RRI), the 2009 edition provides current market data in the Market Price Survey. This section gives a three-year price index of average prices for crumb rubber, tyre-derived fuel, and buffings. US tipping fees for whole tyres are also provided.

15th April 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Marangoni Benefitting From Its Differentiated Structure

Times are hard; for some they are even too hard. During the prevailing financial and economic crisis plenty of steps need to be taken if a company wants to successfully weather the hardships involved. In an exclusive interview with Tyres & Accessories, Massimo De Alessandri, CEO of the Marangoni Group, explains how his company is facing the current situation, why its prospects are quite good, and why there won’t be any long-term damage to the group.

TYRES & ACCESSORIES:
The economic environment in Europe has been difficult in recent months, to say the least. How has the Marangoni Group been affected by this?

9th April 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Encircle Now Offering Two-Wheel Market Data

Market research specialists, Encircle Marketing, are now offering motorbike tyre data. The company, which was founded a little over a year ago, has quickly built a reputation for providing fast, accurate and actionable data to some of Britain’s leading tyre businesses. Now, in addition to the already popular passenger car and online tyre sales reports, joint founders Jason Cunningham and David Myers have decided to create another market specific product, this time aimed at the two-wheel segment. Tyres & Accessories recently met the management at the company’s new offices in Doncaster and found out more about the data they offer.

The new motorbike tyre survey covers two key areas sell-out pricing, which measures the sell-out prices actually charged by consumers; and selling way – research on the argumentations used to sell different brands at the point of sale. Initially the company plans to make over 700 mystery calls a month across the various channels and regions that make up the market. In order to make the research as effective as possible, Encircle have hired mystery callers based upon their specific knowledge of the motorcycle sector (meaning they are bikers themselves) with a range of regional accents to minimise the risk of detection by centre staff.

5th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

TWG: 1H 2008 a Record Year for UK Tyre Wholesalers…

When the NTDA’s increasingly Influential Tyre Wholesalers’ Group (TWG) met for its annual lunch in November, the event brought with it news of import quality checks, an update on the current market situation and a polite request for not manufacturers to take advantage of the UK’s detached geographical position when it comes to pricing.

However, in his role as chairman, Ashley Croft began by giving the audience representing the majority of leading manufacturers and wholesalers an overview of how the economic climate is affecting tyre wholesale markets:

16th December 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

‘Exhaustive’ Report Available from Research and Markets

In response to market changes, a tighter regulatory environment and pressure on costs, exhaust and after-treatment system suppliers face both opportunities and challenges in the next five years. This growth will occur in part due to the overall increase in the world market for passenger cars, which is expected to grow in volume by 34 per cent from 66 million units in 2006 to around 85 million by 2014. This will create increased demand for more exhaust and after-treatment systems. But on top of this organic increase in sales, other factors will create additional growth, taking exhaust and after-treatment system supplier revenues to an even higher level.

23rd September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

A Larger Slice of the Cake – high performance tyre market data

Product News, UK News

During the 1990s the US television series ‘The X-Files’ popularised the catchphrase “the truth is out there.” But while the programme focused on little green men and other unexplained phenomena, it could have easily referred to the high performance tyre market. The truth about this market segment is, you see, somewhere out there. Yet it is difficult to place one’s hands with confidence upon a single, authoritative source of data that tells exactly how things are and where they are headed. What can really be said about the high performance tyre market?

12th May 2008/by Chris