Forestry Tire Market Holding Steady, Poised for Growth
The forestry industry, which in recent years has seen ups in certain areas and downs in others, has remained steady overall – and likely is only going to get better, according to several tiremakers in this hard-working segment.While construction markets in North America tumbled during the recession – and have yet to fully get back
Skid-Steer Market on the Rebound as Construction Restarts
The versatility of skid-steer loaders opens the door to a wide array of potential tire customers. From construction, farming and forestry to landscaping and snow removal – and many, many areas in between – the applications for the hardy machines are nearly endless. Yet despite such application diversity, tire dealers who participate in this niche
New Charles City Plant will Allow Mitas to Meet Added Demand
Editor’s Note: The following story by Dan Crummett is from Farm Progress Magazine Group, which was among the limited media invited to attend the grand opening of Mitas Tire North America’s first U.S. tire plant. During the late April event, the tiremaker officially took the wraps off of its new $52 million ag tire plant
Tracking Farm, Weather Trends to Meet Customer Needs
continue to be shortages of certain sizes and types of tires. This will undoubtedly cause irritation to the tire dealer who is servicing the customer. Hopefully, this is a short-term problem. It is important that tire dealers know their market and carefully plan their needs for the season. Many tire manufacturers offer special order programs
Ag Tiremakers Gear Up for Another Near-Record Year
After a record year in 2011, the North American farm market is still strong. Though the U.S. Department of Agriculture(USDA) predicts declines in net farm income for 2012 compared to last year, ag tire manufacturers remain positive, considering 2011’s final numbers – $100.9 billion, up 28% from 2010, and the highest value on record. For
Taking a Negative to a Positive When Analyzing OTR Tire Takeoffs
We all have been in this situation: You’re looking at some removed OTR tires with the customer standing next to you looking for answers. You think you know the reason for the removal of the tires being inspected, but then you see something else that could also be a reason. Now you have to figure
Early Spring Kick-Starts Lawn and Garden Tire Segment
While the mild winter experienced throughout most of North America may have hurt winter tire sales, one tire segment saw a benefit. The lawn and garden tire market – which has seen slow, steady growth for the past several years – is starting 2012 off strong, particularly on the commercial landscaping side. “We’ve seen a
High Demand, Changing Trends in Giant OTR Segment
Strong demand for the tires that are vital to the global mining industry can indeed be viewed as a positive indicator, but it also can mean shortages in certain sizes that equipment manufacturers, tiremakers and tire dealers all must tackle.
Growing, Shifting Ag Market Calls for New Tire Trends
Last year was an important one for agriculture. Almost all areas of the market were up considerably, with many tire dealers and tire manufacturers seeing a record year in sales and profits. I have been around agriculture all my life and last year was one not seen since the heydays of the 1970s. There were
As Economy Rebounds, So Does Small OTR Tire Segment
The cyclical, unpredictable nature of the OTR tire segment definitely provides a challenge. And because the market is so strongly tied to construction trends and the economy, the past decade has been somewhat of a wild ride.The extremely high demand seen pre-recession took a nosedive when the economy slumped and construction ground to a halt
Utility Applications Hold Demand Steady in ATV/UTV Tire Segment
While sales of recreational all-terrain vehicles took a steep drop during the recent tough economic times, steady sales of utility terrain vehicles helped to stabilize the overall ATV/UTV market. The lag in equipment sales – and subsequent upswing as the economy began to rebound – was mirrored by ATV/UTV tire sales. The good news for
How Dealers Can Chase Down Profits in the Police/Pursuit Tire Market
To keep up with their demanding jobs, law enforcement officials need vehicles – and tires – that are up to the task. Enter the high-speed, high-performing market of police/pursuit tires. While compared to standard passenger tires, the segment isn’t particularly challenging from an SKU perspective, but dealers in the police/pursuit market must be adept at