WASHINGTON—Shipments of passenger and light and medium truck tires to the U.S. replacement market soared last July, compared with July 1995, according to data recently released by the Rubber Manufacturers Association. Passenger tire shipments climbed 17.4 percent from July to July, to 15.1 million units, putting the seven-month total 5.3-percent ahead of 1995 levels at 99.1 million units.
Aftermarket shipments of light truck tires leapt 25.5 percent to 2.38 million units and also were 5.3-percent ahead for the seven months at 15.1 million units.
For medium and wide-base truck tires, replacement shipments jumped 17.8 percent for the month to 990,000 units, but continued to lag 1995 for the year to date, by 4.2 percent at 6.61 million units.
Data for the remaining tire categories was incomplete and not reported, due in large part to the lack of participation by a major player in those segments, Titan Tire Corp., which is not a member of the RMA.
In the Canadian aftermarket, passenger tire shipments surged ahead 27.4 percent for the month, and were up 6.6 percent for the year to date. Truck and bus tire shipments, however, fell 7.7 percent for the month and 8.3 percent for the seven months.