After the first six months of the year 2016, the German rubber industry noticed a decrease in turnover of 2.2 per cent. According to wdk (Organisation of German Manufacturers of Tyres and Technical Elastomers Products), the tyre manufacturers’ turnover fell by 6.2 per cent. In spite of higher sales figures for TEE (Technische Elastomer Erzeugnisse – Technical Elastomers Products) production decreased in German tyre plants and in TEE locations. While manufacturers of TEE were able to look back at a slightly positive business development in the first half of 2016, there was a decrease in turnover for tyre manufacturers in the same period. This was not only caused by low sales prices resulting from falling raw material costs.
German tyre manufacturers are continuously suffering from international competition not only in the summer tyre replacement business but also original equipment supplies are more and more spread over several international suppliers. The industry turnover went down to 5.7 billion euros in the first six months. Tyre manufacturers achieved a minus of 2 per cent concerning trade deliveries of its most important product, passenger car tyres for the replacement business, in the first half of 2016. One reason for this is a longer mileage performances of the latest tyre generation. The consumer often postpones the replacement of summer tyres, if possible. The car driver’s safety needs are far less developed concerning summer tyres than with regard to winter tyres. This is e.g. revealed by an increased demand for all-season tyres. The positive impulses of a growing total number of vehicles and a rising total driving performance have not paid off. According to the Organisation of German Manufacturers, a good winter tyre business will provide higher turnover for the tyre manufacturers. The consumer will have replacement needs. The prognosis for the industry of one per cent will remain valid in the year 2016.
(kle)
