Thailand, Vietnam tighten grip on EU truck tire imports

Brussels – Thailand and Vietnam continued to strengthen their position in the European truck and bus tire market during the first five months of 2026, as imports from both countries outpaced traditional Asian suppliers.

Truck and bus radial (TBR) tire imports into the EU27+UK from non-European markets increased 26.7% year-on-year to 3.6 million units during the January-May period, according to a 6 Aug report by Astutus Research for Tyres Europe.

Thailand remained the largest supplier, with exports rising 33% to 1.2 million tires from 0.9 million a year earlier.

Vietnam recorded the strongest growth among the major suppliers, with shipments surging 38% to 1.0 million tires from 0.7 million.

Together, the two countries accounted for almost 61% of EU27+UK truck and bus tire imports, up from a combined 57% a year earlier and less than 30% in 2019.

China retained the third place, with imports increasing 9% to 600,000 units, although its market share declined to 16% from around 19% a year earlier and in 2019.

The report said the shift reflects an increasing “concentration of supply within ASEAN” at the expense of more traditional exporting countries.

Imports from India tripled to 200,000 units, lifting its market share to 6.3% and making it the fourth-largest supplier.

India overtook both Egypt and South Korea, each of which recorded lower shipment volumes and a "meaningful erosion of market share."

South Korea's share declined to 4.3% from roughly 10% a year earlier, while Japan's slipped to 3.4% from a slightly higher basis the year before.

Egypt's share of the market fell to 4.9% from just over 6% the year before, and Indonesia accounted for 1.9% of imports.