The European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association published today its members’ sales in the last quarter of 2014 as well as for the whole year.
The last quarter of 2014 further confirmed the downturn in sales registered in the third quarter of the year, with the exception of motorcycle tyres, which remained positive all the way through 2014.
One of the reasons for these results may be linked to the lower sales of winter tyres, due to the mild winters experienced on the continent for last couple of years.
Nevertheless, the year-end results remain positive, due to the extremely good sales of the first half of 2014.
The consumer’s tyre segment, after one year of decrease (2012) and one of stagnation (2013), show a positive, albeit timid, growth.
The truck and bus tyre segment has now been growing for two years in a row. “Although this segment has not yet recovered from its double-dip crisis, a steady growth gives the industry reason to hope that pre-2008 figures could be once more attained”, said Ms Cinaralp, Secretary General of ETRMA. The motorcycle tyre segment also keeps steadily growing.
“Although the early sales figures of 2014 made us hope in a year of much greater expansion of the market, the final results confirm a year of positive stability” concluded Ms Cinaralp.
