USTMA sees slight dip in 2017 tire shipments

WASHINGTON — U.S. tire shipments are projected to fall about 0.5 percent shy of the 2016 total to 316.8 million units, according to the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA), as a measurable drop in OE passenger tire shipments will outweigh slight gains in replacement shipments.

The USTMA's latest forecast represents a slight erosion from the association's projections from August, when the trade group saw 2017 shipments falling short of 2016 by only a few hundred thousand units, and from March, when the group forecast slight growth over 2016.

In the latest report, the USTMA forecasts that replacement passenger tire shipments will inch 0.4 percent to 209.4 million units, while replacement shipments of light truck tires will sag 2 percent to 31.9 million units.

Replacement medium/heavy truck/bus tire shipments, by contracts, should rise 3.9 percent to 19.4 million units, it said.

OE passenger tire shipments are expected to fall 6.9 percent to 45.9 million units from 2016's 49.3 million units, the USTMA said.

On the other hand, OE light truck tire shipments will rise 9.9 percent to 5.4 million units, and OE truck/bus tire shipments will increase 9.7 percent to 9.7 million units, it said.

The USTMA did not provide background for its forecasts nor comment on the progress of domestic shipments vs. imports.