BRUSSELS — Buoyed by above-average demand across the board in the fourth quarter, full-year tire shipments in Europe last year were up over 2023 in all but the medium truck/bus tire category, according to the latest European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers Association (ETRMA) data.
Led by double-digit demand in the quarter for all-season (18%) and winter tires (16%), replacement consumer tire shipments in Europe jumped 11.5% in the quarter to 50.7 million units and 5.2% for the year to 223.3 million units, the ETRMA said.
Full-year demand for all-season and winter tires came in 16% and 7%, respectively, above the 2023 level, though summer tire volumes fell 2%.
Replacement market shipments of truck/bus tires rose 4.3% in the quarter, to 2.76 million units, but for the year the segment was off 0.8% to 11.3 million units. The truck/bus tire segment continues to be impacted by the growth of imports from companies/brands outside of the ETRMA membership — so-called "non-pool" entities — despite antidumping duties, the trade group said.
Shipments of tires to original equipment customers fell 6% for consumer tires and 22% on the commercial side, the ETRMA said, in an environment of "economic and political uncertainty." The trade group did not publish OE shipment figures.
Production of both light (car and light commercial) and heavy commercial vehicles fell in 2024 from 2023, following growth in 2023 versus 2022.
Supported by rainy weather conditions, shipments of farm tires grew 5% for the full year to 716,000 units, while two-wheeler demand was up 4.3 % at 9.03 million units.
Despite the growth, replacement market shipments of consumer and commercial tires remain "far from the pre-pandemic volumes," ETRMA Secretary General Adam McCarthy said, being down 3.5% and 10.3%, respectively, from 2019.
Imports of consumer tires (passenger and light truck/van tires) from outside the European Union continue to rise, McCarthy said, and were on track through 11 months to reach exceed 165 million units, which would be roughly 17% ahead of 2023 and would represent nearly three-fourths of all aftermarket shipments
China accounts for over 70% of consumer tire imports, according to Astutus Research data.
Imports of truck/bus tires from outside of Europe were up 3% through 11 months over the same 2023 period, the ETRMA data show. Imports of approximately 6.5 million units would represent about 60% of the European truck/bus tire replacement market.
The ETRMA's data refer to markets in 35 European countries, stretching from Ireland in the West to Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and the Baltics in the East plus Malta and Turkey.T
The ETRMA membership includes 14 tire-manufacturing companies whose corporate sales represent 70% of total global tire sales.