WASHINGTON-After reaching record levels in 1994, shipments of passenger and light truck tires to the U.S. replacement continued to grow in January 1995, according to recently released data from the Rubber Manufacturers Association. Aftermarket shipments of other types of tires also rose, with the exception of heavy truck and large off-the-road truck tires. Data on tractor and farm implement tires was not available, the RMA said, due to the transfer of some production facilities included in the report.
Compared with January 1994, replacement passenger tire shipments increased 1.9 percent, while those of light truck tires climbed 7.9 percent. Shipments of medium and wide-base truck tires advanced 7.3 percent.
The greatest increase came in the industrial and utility tire segment, where aftermarket shipments jumped 54.1 percent.
Replacement tire shipments also got off to a strong start in Canada, where passenger tires were up 6.3 percent and truck and bus tires (including light truck) surged 26.8 percent. Shipments of aftermarket tractor and implement tires plunged 29.7 percent, however.