On July 14, the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) released data for its members replacement tire sales for the second quarter of 2020. The figures show that the COVID-19 pandemic caused the worst sales results in the history of ETRMA.
Comparing the second quarter of 2020 to Q2 2019, passenger car tires sales declined by 31%, while the decline for the first half of 2020 was 22%. In truck tires, Q2 sales declined 23%, while sale for the first half of 2020 were down 14%. Agricultural tires fared the best, seeing a decline of just 4% in Q2 and 9% for the first half of 2020.
After having been shut for an average of 33 days due to Covid-19, all tyre manufacturers in Europe slowly resumed their production in May when most European countries eased their lockdowns. As a result, there was a slight upward trend in tyre replacement sales visible towards the end of the quarter. Whether this trend will hold remains to be seen in the coming months. Being a global industry, the recovery of the tyre sector is not just dependent on Europe’s situation but how other parts of the world and global trade routes continue to be impacted by and address the pandemic.