2013 Tire Market Profile

Retail, commercial or wholesale, it’s hard to hit a moving target. With all of the shifts and changes and re-directions we’ve witnessed during the last 15 years, it’s little wonder anyone can stay ahead of the curve. To help steady the target, we’ve complied this comprehensive Tire Market Profile.

Click here to see the 2013 Tire Market Profile.

Combining real-world data from a range of resources with results from Tire Review’s annual Tire Dealer Profile and our editors’ best estimateson marketshares, this section will help you gain a better perspective of our industry, help you see emerging trends, and prepare your businessfor the road ahead.

Through painstaking research, we’ve been able to assemble this collection of data, which includes: the top 25 global tiremakers; tire import data; dealer channel brand marketshares; tire shipments by segment; a look at the OE and replacement high performance tire markets;a rundown on the most popular tire sizes at OE and replacement; brand and distribution channel segmentation; new vehicle sales; vehicle registrations; miles driven by vehicle type – and much, much more.

Tire Review’s Dealer Profile Study is our annual survey of hundreds of independent tire dealers throughout North America, who offered their insights on the structure, size and operations of today’s tire dealer, including a look at tire pricing levels, buying patterns, average gross margins and more.

To see previous years’ Tire Market Profiles, click here.

If you’re a shop looking to sell summer tires, it’s important to know that customers looking for these tires have very specific needs. Let’s talk about why, before recommending summer tires, you need to fully understand customer performance requirements.

Unlike all-season or all-terrain tires built for diverse driving conditions, UHP summer tires are designed with one priority: dry and wet traction for performance driving. Lateral and longitudinal grip in dry and wet conditions are also important, which is achieved through optimized contact patches, high silica tread compounds and circumferential grooves to channel water. Generally, UHP summer tire tread design features large blocks and fewer grooves for more road contact on dry surfaces. The grooves are designed to channel water away from the tire, reducing the risk of hydroplaning on wet roads.