The European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers Association published figures concerning its members’ sales in 2013. After a 2012 which registered a substantial contraction of the market (with a double digit drop in sales for all the segments) and a very slow beginning of the year, 2013 showed timid signs of recovery that were consolidated towards the end of the year.
Consumer tyres segment in Poland noted sales decrease at about 5,65% compared to 2012. The results are as follows: for summer and racing tyres a decrease of 11,6%, while for winter tyres, a decrease of 0,15%. European data are slightly different - the consumer tyre segment decline of 0,7%, with summer tyres and sport grew by 1,2%, winter tyres decrease of 4,1%.[1]
In Poland there was a significant increase in sales of 4x4 tyres, up by 15,1%, while in Europe, sales recorded twice lower growth, remaining at 7,7% level.
Despite the market having stabilised, not all segments have enjoyed the same level of recovery. When analysing country data, this descending slope is confirmed by Germany – the biggest European Market – and by Poland. However, signs of recovery were evident in other major markets such as France, Italy, the UK and Spain.
With regard to the truck and bus segment, the increase in sales has been more evident with a +7,5% growth compared to the previous year, while the growth in Poland was greater, about 9%.[1]
- 2012 had been a particularly bad year for this segment which lost 19% compared to 2011. The departure level was therefore very low and a return to growth was strongly hoped for - said Mrs Cinaralp, Secretary General of ETRMA.
Trade data in these two segments confirms China as main source of import, as high as 40% of total imports for consumer tyres for total Europe and increasing significantly in the truck segment. In general, imports are growing in all categories and especially in the truck segment, where they constitute about 20% of the total European market.
The agricultural and motorcycle markets showed a somewhat stable performance compared to 2012 with a 1% and 2% growth, respectively. This stability only confirms the very low sales of 2012 and a full recovery is yet to be made for these two segments.
- 2013 was clearly not a year of boom on the tyre market, but sales data show a consolidation of the market and a return to growth after such a negative 2012. It is our hope that this trend will be confirmed by 2014, for which we could expect 2 to 3% growth – said Mrs Cinaralp, Secretary General of ETRMA.
With global economic recovery now visible even if still timid in Europe and with less critical stock levels in general across Europe we can assume that Mrs Cinaralp assumption should also be valid for most of the new central Eastern markets.
[1] Europool Market Share Report, 2013
Source: PTIA