Rubber & tire industry in numbers

SHARE PRICES

Selected tire manufacturers’ share-price trends

Selected rubber product manufacturers’ share-price trends

MATERIALS

Natural rubber             

In its January 2026 digest the Rubber Trade Association of Europe reported that TSR 20 prices rose 5 €cents/kg during December from roughly 161.00 to 166.00 €cents/kg. The cause was primarily the upcoming Christmas and New Year holiday season when significant trading is avoided. The automotive market outlook in Europe began to show signs of improvement, while US and China appear to be healthier, noted RTAE. China, it added, remains “keen to remain the export centre for auto-related goods (as for much else) for the rest of the world. Geopolitical tensions and uncertainty look set to increase in 2026, the economic effects of which are rarely benign.”  (See chart above)

NR futures rose across all major exchanges during the trading week ended 23 Jan, supported by new speculative buying, including participation from Chinese commodity funds. Open interest increased across all exchanges, indicating the establishment of new long positions, while trading volumes declined on most markets, reported Japan Exchange Group (JPX) 26 Jan. The rubber futures forward curve, which according to JPX had remained “largely flattened” over the past few months, turned slightly contango, with higher premiums emerging in longer-dated contracts.

Selected rubber futures price trends on major trading exchanges

(ERJ calculation for selected futures pricing, as tracked by JPX) 

PROJECTS

Recently reported capacity additions & expansions

BUSINESS

Bekaert SA is to acquire Bridgestone’s tire reinforcement business in China and Thailand for €60m / As announced 28 Jan, the companies have also signed a long-term supply agreement, as well as the transfer of two of Bridgestone’s 'captive' tire cord manufacturing sites. The deal is expected to close in H1/26, and includes Bridgestone (Shenyang) Steel Cord in China and Rayong-based Bridgestone Metalpha (Thailand), with combined annual sales of around €80m.

Trelleborg Group reported a 2% increase in full-year earnings (EBITA, excluding items affecting comparability) to just under SEK6.3bn (€597m). Currency effects had a negative impact of SEK329m, while restructuring costs were 23% higher at SEK389m. Full-year sales were on par with 2024 at SEK34.3bn. Q4/25 sales fell 5% year-on-year to SEK8.3bn, while earnings dipped 3% to SEK1.54bn.  ERJ report

Hexpol AB has reported an 18.3% dip in Q4/25 earnings (adjusted EBITA) to MSEK545 (VS 667) on sales down 9.4% to SEK4,254m (4694). Adjusted EBITA-margin came in at 12.8%, versus a 14.2% in Q4/24. For full year 2025, sales at the Swedish group dropped 5.5% to SEK19,324m (20437), down 5% year-on-year, while earnings fell 13.3% to SEK2,933m. Adjusted EBITA margin fell to 15.2%, versus 16.6% in 2024.

MARKETS

EU’s new car registrations increased by 1.8% year-on-year to 10.82 million units, according to the latest data published by the ACEA. BEVs accounted for 17.4% of the EU market share in 2025, up from 13.6% one year earlier. HEV registrations captured 34.5% of the car market, remaining the preferred choice among consumers in the EU. Meanwhile, the combined market share of petrol and diesel cars fell to 35.5%, from 45.2% in 2024.

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