Light trucks, LT tires growing together

AKRON — As recently as 2013, the market for new consumer vehicles in the U.S. was split 50-50 between cars and light trucks. But low gasoline prices and new products have combined since then to spur increasing demand for bigger vehicles.

Fast forward to 2016. Sales of light commercial vehicles in the U.S. — aided in part by generous manufacturer incentives in the fourth quarter — topped 10 million units for the first time, pushing light trucks' share of new consumer vehicle sales to nearly 61 percent.

The trend has continued into 2017. Sales of light commercial vehicles through May were up 4.8 percent over the first five months of 2016, according to Automotive News data.

• This story appears in the June 16 print edition of Tire Business.

Meanwhile, sales of traditional passenger car fell last year to 6.9 million, the fourth-lowest total since 1962.

Quite naturally, tire trends in the past several years have reflected this change in the vehicle parc.

Last year replacement shipments of light truck tires in the U.S. topped 30 million units for the first time, and OE light truck tire shipments jumped 12-plus percent to nearly 5 million units, according to U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) data.

Production, imports and exports all grew as well.

The USTMA is forecasting growth in the sector again this year, albeit at a much slower pace — 0.5 percent for OE and 0.9 percent for replacement.

In addition, USTMA data indicate the share of true light truck tires mounted on light commercial vehicles both at OE and in the replacement market increased in 2016 to their highest levels in years.

Imports of light truck tires jumped 14.4 percent last year over 2015, despite the imposition of elevated import duties on passenger and light truck tires from China. Imports from China fell 22 percent, but the volume was replaced by imports from Thailand (volume doubled vs. 2015), Indonesia (up 164 percent) and Brazil (up 204 percent), according to U.S. Commerce Department data.

Key light truck tire launches of the past several months include:

Bridgestone Americas Inc. launched the Firestone Destination M/T2, the successor to the 15-year-old Firestone Destination M/T, and expanded the Bridgestone Dueler light truck tire line with a heavy-duty offering for pickup trucks.

Bridgestone said the Destination M/T2 is a product the company is counting on to increase the Firestone brand's share of the light truck tire market.

"This is an extremely important high-performance piece for truck tires in the premium category," said Justin Reinke, director of brand marketing.

The Bridgestone Dueler H/T 685 tire is designed for towing and hauling heavy loads during all seasons, the company said.

"The Bridgestone Dueler H/T 685 tire is a great addition to our best-in-class Dueler tire line," said Erik Seidel, president, consumer replacement tire sales, U.S. and Canada.

Continental Tire the Americas L.L.C. added a pair of all-terrain light truck lines — the Continental TerrainContact A/T and General Grabber X3 — along with a new product, the Grabber HD heavy-duty all-season light truck tire for the rapidly growing commercial light truck and van market.

The debut of the TerrainContact A/T marks Continental's entry into the all-terrain segment with a Continental-branded product, while the X3 represents an expansion of the Grabber product line into the mud-terrain segment, Conti said.

The TerrainContact incorporates the tire maker's "TractionPlus" technology, which helps to provide durable performance through dirt and gravel while maintaining a quiet, comfortable ride on pavement.

"This tire is the perfect balance of on- and off-road performance for light truck and SUV owners," Travis Roffler, director of marketing for Continental Tire, said.

"While this is a new segment for Continental Tire, we are confident that the hours and miles we've invested in testing this tire will pay off.

"Whether dry, wet, pavement, dirt, gravel, or grass, we believe consumers will be extremely happy with the off-road durability and traction while also experiencing a quiet, comfortable ride on-road."

The Grabber HD is a new product category for the Fort Mill, S.C.-based company, and is created for the new generation of commercial vans — the Chevrolet Express, Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter, Nissan NV/NV200, Ram ProMaster, etc. It is designed to deliver long, even tread life as well as durability, confident traction and handling.

General said the tire features Duragen casing technology for durability and a flatter footprint for longer wear; and sidewall curb guards to help protect the tire from potential sidewall abrasions.

Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. recently launched the Evolution H/T all season highway tire, replacing the Discoverer H/T, and has added a size 40X13.50R17 tire to its popular Discoverer STT Pro light truck product line,

The latest product offers improved grip, stability and comfort as well as premium Cooper features at a mid-rage price point, the company said. The line covers 28 tire sizes to meet the needs of crossover vehicles, sport utility vehicles and light duty pickup trucks.

"The market for SUVs, CUVs and pickups continues to expand rapidly," said Scott Jamieson, Cooper's director of product management for North America.

Cooper said the tire's premium features include StabilEdge, a technology for enhanced handling and dry tracking stability, and 3D Micro-Gauge to maintain wet traction and superior handling. The tire carries a 60,000-mile treadwear warranty.

Cooper said a 40-inch version of the STT Pro has been a sought-after size within the community because it provides extra height for clearing obstacles.

Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc. expanded its Grappler line with the Ridge Grappler, a tire offering drivers a balance between off-road performance and ride comfort.

The Ridge Grappler features a hybrid tread pattern that includes noise-reducing, variable-pitch tread blocks that work to minimize highway hum inherent in most aggressive tread patterns, the Cypress, Calif.-based tire marketer said.

"The Ridge Grappler offers our truck customers the perfect balance between aggressive tread design, capable off-road performance and day-to-day ride comfort," said Alan Ngo, Nitto senior staff engineer.

The company is slotting the new tire in between its Trail Grappler mud-terrain and Terra Grappler G2 all-terrain models.

The new tires are available in an F load range rating in select sizes. Overall, the Ridge Grappler will be offered in 30 sizes, Nitto said, with fitments for Jeep Wranglers as well as 3/4 and 1-ton trucks.

Nokian Tyres P.L.C. developed the Rockproof light truck tire line specifically for the North American market as part of its strategy to reach a broader customer base in one of the Finnish tire maker's key growth markets.

Geared toward applications in quarries, forests and mining areas, the Rockproof launched with 13 sizes encompassing rim diameters from 16 to 20 inches.

Developed in cooperation with Nokian's Heavy Tyres division, the tires feature a cut-resistant hybrid tread compound; an aggressive tread pattern for improved resistance in rough off-road conditions; and aramid-reinforced sidewalls.

The tire combines the special durability of heavy machine tires with the comfort of passenger tires, Nokian said.

Pirelli Tire North America L.L.C., looking to grab a larger share of the light truck/SUV tire market, is developing a pair of North American-exclusive aftermarket products — including its first true all-terrain tire — for debut this year.

The new tires are the Scorpion A/T Plus and Scorpion Zero A/S Plus, which together will cover up to 95 percent of their targeted market segments, PTNA CEO and Chairman Pierluigi Dinelli told Tire Business at last year's Los Angeles Auto Show

Pirelli expects to roll out the Scorpion A/T Plus in the second half of 2017 in a range of 18- to 22-inch sizes, Mr. Dinelli said.

Meanwhile the Scorpion Zero A/S Plus should be available by the second quarter in 20 sizes.

Pirelli is targeting a larger market presence in the U.S. West/Midwest and the central part of Canada by adding an all-terrain tire, the top PTNA exec said.

Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. added F-load range tires to its Open Country line of light truck products, allowing for higher carrying capacity at a higher inflation pressure compared with tires of the same size with an E-load range.

The higher carrying capacity tires were developed to meet the needs of late model truck owners and dealers, the company said, and is available in the Open Country M/T, R/T and A/T II lines in sizes that include 35x12.50R20LT, 33X12.50R18LT and 37X12.50R22LT.

Yokohama Tire Corp. added a mud-terrain version to its Geolandar light truck/SUV tire line, the Geolandar M/T G003.