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ETRMA: Q3 replacement tyre volumes increase; nine-month performance more mixed

The European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) has published its members’ replacement tyre sales figures for the third quarter of 2024.

Adam McCarthy, ETRMA secretary general, said: “Starting from a low base, the evolution of volumes in the first three quarters of 2024 is improving in the Consumer segment, mainly thanks to all season tyres, but is still negative in the truck segment.

“In the same period of 2023 (versus 2022) volumes fell by eight per cent for consumer tyres and by 17 per cent for truck tyres. In both the consumer and truck segments we are still far from pre-pandemic volumes: respectively down six per cent and 11 per cent versus YTD Sept 2019.

“The third quarter 2024 evolution is positive versus third quarter 2023 in all product lines, mainly due to a weak performance in Q3 2023.”

Imports of passenger car and light truck (PCLT) tyres into Europe (EU27 plus UK) have increased by 10 per cent in the first eight months of 2024. They are now 18 per cent higher than the same period in 2019, prior to the impact of the pandemic: this represents an additional volume of almost 16 million units.

Imports of PCLT tyres from China have risen at a faster pace, up 11 per cent year on year but up over 40 per cent on 2019 (more than 20 million extra units). In part these tyres replace imports from Russia (six million units in January to August 2019).

Imports from Korea have performed well in 2024, up 25 per cent from 2023. India has moved rapidly up the rankings, and from a low base imports have more than tripled since 2019; they are up a further 22 per cent in 2024. Japan and Thailand have meanwhile seen a further decline in their share of PCLT tyre imports.

In the first eight months of 2024, truck and bus tyre imports (EU27+UK) from outside Europe have fallen by five per cent, however they are still 11 per cent higher than in the same period of 2019.