Pirelli has published its Tyre Market Watch statistics for January 2025, and these show contrasting trends. While the original equipment tyre sector declined in most regions, the replacement segment showed resilience. As Pirelli is only active in the consumer and van tyre segment, Tyre Market Watch does not cover commercial vehicle markets.
Michelin has published its latest analysis of the passenger car, light truck, and truck & bus tyre markets for January 2025, providing insights into year-on-year market trends. Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty and geopolitical challenges, varying trends were observed across different regions and market segments.
The European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) has published details of its members’ European replacement market sales for the fourth quarter of 2023. The figures show a year-on-year decline in all market segments.
The expansion of Bridgestone Enliten into the replacement tyre market will commence in Europe this year with the launch of Bridgestone Turanza 6 and Duravis Van products featuring the technology. The tyre maker plans to debut a total of eight Enliten products for the European aftermarket in 2023, a figure representing around five per cent of all Bridgestone passenger car and light commercial vehicle tyres in the European replacement market.
The first month of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has already revealed several consequences for mobility and the global tyre industry, as Tyrepress’s continuing coverage of the situation has shown. The resultant sanctions imposed on Russia by an international alliance and the response of multinational companies, at least 450 of which had scaled back their business in the country as of the publication of this article, will send reverberations around global economies. The tyre industry faces impacts on several fronts – higher fuel prices and further interruption to logistics chains and materials supply will have knock-on consequences for tyre sales that will unfold over the coming months. At nearly a month after the conflict began, tyre business analyst Astutus Research examines the immediate consequences for tyre manufacturing in Russia, as well as its neighbours Ukraine and Belarus. This analysis looks at the impact of events on the global manufacturers whose plants were collectively responsible for around 70 per cent of Russia’s passenger car and light truck (PCLT) output. For more Astutus Research analysis and forecasts for the global tyre business, see the report series ‘Beyond Covid-19’ in Tyrepress’s Report Shop.
Pirelli has shared further details about its new Powergy range. The tyre maker says it will offer this replacement market summer tyres for cars, crossovers, SUVs and MPVs in 55 sizes for 17- to 20-inch rims and H to Y speed ratings by the end of this year.
Although the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association has reported that its members’ sales declined in all segments during the third quarter of this year, it interprets the figures as indicating “a general stabilisation of the market.”
Brexit is perhaps just over a month away, and while many companies face an uncertain future, Nokian Tyres is in the happy position of being relatively unconcerned about the UK rescinding its European Union membership. That’s just as well, as the Finnish tyre maker has other things to worry about.
It may not be the best-selling Korean tyre brand worldwide, but at home Kumho outsells its domestic rivals. Data from the Korea Tire Manufacturers Association (KOTMA) indicates that 6.52 million replacement market Kumho tyres were sold in South Korea in 2018. This is more than 40 per cent of all locally-made tyres sold in the country.
Michelin North America has announced that its Harley-Davidson co-branded motorcycle tyre, the Michelin Scorcher, will now be available through all authorised Michelin and Harley-Davidson dealers. The Scorcher portfolio – the Scorcher 11, Scorcher 31 and Scorcher 32 – were previously only sold through Harley-Davidson dealerships. Scorcher tyres are original equipment on the Harley-Davidson Sportster, Dyna, V-Rod and Street, and their replacement market availability is now growing.
Former UK and Ireland director of consumer tyres for Goodyear Dunlop, Jürgen Titz, has been appointed head of consumer replacement for the tyre maker’s Germany, Austria and Switzerland, or DACH, region cluster. In his new role, he will coordinate all consumer tyre-related sales and marketing activities in the three German-speaking countries. Titz will also join the management of Goodyear Dunlop Tires Germany, which is led by George Rietbergen. Jürgen Titz succeeds his brother Frank Titz, who as general manager will lead Goodyear’s business in Russia.
Market research publisher Bharat books has released a new report on the UK tyre market. Introducing the new product, the company contexualises the research against the backdrop of “anticipated growth in the UK automotive industry and expansion in the overall automotive fleet”, saying these markets are “expected to boost tyre demand in the United Kingdom”. Without giving any further details, the publisher suggest that there are “growing online sales of replacement tyres” and “rising demand for retreaded tyres, especially in commercial vehicles”.
The start-stop batteries Exide Technologies developed for original equipment customers are now available in the aftermarket. This new replacement range, unveiled at the Automechanika show in Frankfurt, Germany, includes all the features from Exide’s current original equipment generation and is said to offer “significant performance gains.”
Despite the ongoing political upheaval which has been plaguing the Thais since the start of 2014, replacement car tyre sales grew by 22 per cent in terms of unit volume in the first quarter of 2014 compared with the same quarter last year. This equates to some US$175 million in first three months of 2014.
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.
Nokian Tyres
