News Release:
Cheaper Imports Threaten The Tire Retread Industry
Editor's Note: This news item was retrieved and first published through Tire Business' website.
While the nation's most recognized annual retread tradeshow in Louisville faded into the sunset when the ITRA, or International Tire & Rubber Association, merged with the National Tire Dealers & Retreaders Association and formed the Tire Industry Association (TIA), Tire Business continued to report on the commercial tire and retreading industry in April. Today, they stay current and continue to update readers on the shifts in the truck tires and retread tire industries. Today retread plants have high-tech equipment controlled by computers, lighting is exceptional, personnel is well trained and plants are well laid out and organized to ensure the most efficient processing and the highest productivity and quality.
According to Tire Business writer Peggy Fisher, "Most of the independent truck tire retreaders have become part of large tire company retread networks such as Bridgestone Bandag, Goodyear, Michelin Retread Tire/Oliver, Marangoni Tread and most recently Continental." High market demand in 2017 resulted in record aftermarket shipments of 19.2 million truck/bus tires in the U.S., which was an increase of 4.3 percent over 2016 (18.6 million units), according to U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) data. Retreaders have become worried that truck tire retreading could go the way of passenger retreading due to the presence of low cost imported truck tires in the market. U.S. government data show that imports of Chinese truck tires dropped, as key Chinese tire makers moved production to other Asia nations, primarily Thailand but also Indonesia and Vietnam. And by the Trump administration imposing tariffs of up to $50 billion worth on Chinese products in an effort to bolster manufacturing jobs in the U.S., these tires may continue to be exported to countries other than America.
For the full report by Peggy Fisher on Tire Business, click here.