Michelin data confirms tyre boom is slowing

ERJ staff report (DS)

Paris -- Michelin has updated its website with a regional breakdown of the growth in the global tyre industry. While most regions and markets are still in growth, the overall picture is that the end of the post-recession boom is ending.

The site still only gives percentage changes from a year ago, but the data shows growth in all markets and nearly all regions. Data is given for March, and for the year to date, which covers the first three months of 2011.

In truck tyre markets, Europe's growth of 80.1 percent in the OE market in the year to date slowed in March to 68.9 percent. On the replacement side, growth in the first three months of 25.8 percent eased to13.6 percent in March.

In the Americas, North American OE markets rose by 66.2 percent in the year to date and accelerated to 83.9 percent in the month of March, while replacement sales were up by 25.2 percent in the year to date and accelerated to 30.2 percent in March. In Brazil, OE sales rose by 21.1 percent in the first three months, but the rate of growth eased to 16.8 percent in March, while replacement sales were up by 23.2 percent in the year to date and by 12.6 percent in March.

In Asia, China saw a decline of 18.4 percent in OE sales in the year to date, but that declined sharply in March with a decline of 37.5 percent, while replacement sales were up by 12.8 percent in the year to date, but March sales were up by 19.1 percent year-on-year.

Michelin did not report sales in Japan, Korea or South-east Asia.

In car tyre markets, Europe showed growth of 9.6 percent in the OE market for the first three months, slowing to 5.3 percent in March. On the replacement side, growth in the year to date was 12.0 percent, easing somewhat to 9.5 percent growth in March.

In the Americas, North American OE markets rose by 12.1 percent in the year to date and by 5.3 percent in March, while replacement sales were up by 6.7 percent in the year to date, but slowed somewhat to 4.9 percent growth in March. In Brazil, OE sales rose by just 0.9 percent in the year to date and fell by 17.0 percent in the most recent month, while replacement sales were up by 5.9 percent over the three months and by just 1.2 percent in March.

In China OE car tyre sales increased by 9.4 percent in the year to date, but accelerated somewhat to an increase of 12.0 percent in March, while replacement sales were up by 23.3 percent in the three months and maintained that growth with 23.3 percent reported in March.

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Data page from Michelin