European replacement car tire sales dip in first half

Brussels – European replacement passenger car tires sales fell 3.7% year-on-year to 101 million units in the first six months of 2019, the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) reported 18 July.

Truck tire replacement sales grew 5.4% to 5.1 million units over the six-month period, helped by 10% growth in the first quarter, the figures based on data from ETRMA member companies also show.

Demand for agricultural tires declined in the second quarter following a slight increase in the first three months of the year.  Overall, the segment posted a drop of 4.4% for the first half of the year.

Motorcycle tires registered an increase for the second quarter resulting in an overall positive performance of 3.2% for the first half of 2019.

“The tire market provides a good picture of the general economic situation,” commented Fazilet Cinaralp, secretary general of the ETRMA.

The dip in replacement sales of passenger car tire, she said, “mirror” new car registrations in the EU, which also declined in this first semester.