Michelin releases sales figures for May

ERJ staff report (DS)

Paris - Michelin has updated its website with tyre market data for the month of May. The new data shows that May was a poor month for replacement tyre sales.

Michelin said the total European OE market for car tyres in the five months to May 2008 was up by 3.1 percent, while the year-on-year figure for May fell by 4.9 percent. The site gives only percentage changes, not absolute numbers. The North American market continued its downtrend, with the equivalent figures showing a decline of 10.6 percent for the five-month period and a year-on-year decrease in May of 17.8 percent.

In the replacement business, the decline in Europe continued in May, with the five-month figures showing a fall of 1.9 percent and the one-month figure down by 4.3 percent. In North America, the replacement market fell by 2.3 percent in the first five months, while the decline continued into May, falling by 5.7 percent.

Chinese replacement sales continued to grow, with the increase in the year to date running at 19.5 percent.

In radial truck OE sales, Europe's growth recovered with a 14.3 percent increase in the first five months, boosted by an 11.2 percent increase in May. The appalling decline in North American truck OE sales may be slowing, with sales in the first five months down by 19.8 percent, although May showed a decline of just 6.5 percent.

Truck replacement tyres showed a different tendency. European truck tyre markets fell by 4.6 percent in the first five months, and by 12.5 percent in May. North America fell by 3.6 percent in the year to May, reflecting a decline of 13.1 percent in the year-on-year figure. In Brazil, a year-on-year growth of 9.1 percent helped the 5-mnoth figure grow to 21.7 percent.

Truck replacement tyres showed a different tendency. European truck tyre markets fell by 4.6 percent in the first five months, and by 12.5 percent in May. North America fell by 3.6 percent in the year to May, reflecting a decline of 13.1 percent in the year-on-year figure. Brazilian markets continued to roar ahead, with the five-month sales up by 28.7 percent and the one-month figure up by 30.1 percent. Japanese markets were mixed, with the five month figure up by 1.6 percent, despite a one-month decline of 5.3percent.

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Press release from Michelin