WASHINGTON—Tire shipments to the U.S. replacement market seem destined to set new records for 1999, based on 11-month data released by the Rubber Manufacturers Association. Aftermarket tire shipments rose across the board in November for the first time all year, as heavy truck tire shipments exceeded the year-earlier month for the first time since July 1998.
For the 11 months, shipments of replacement passenger, light truck, and medium and wide-base truck tires are on pace to break the records set in 1998, with passenger tires up 3.4 percent, light truck tires, 7.8 percent, and medium/wide-base truck tires, 7.9 percent. Only heavy truck tire shipments were lower, down 8.6 percent.
Tire shipments in the Canadian aftermarket by members of the Rubber Association of Canada also have been running strong. For the 11 months, passenger tire shipments grew 6.3 percent, while those of truck and bus tires (including light truck) climbed 7.6 percent.