Trailer Tire Segment Begins to Pull Forward After Downturn
After a down year in 2009, the trailer tire segment is heading back to its usual pattern of slow, steady growth. In the last decade, sales of trailer tires had grown year-on-year until last year’s economic downturn, where it seems no segment was left unaffected. As with all discretionary purchases, sales of trailers themselves –
Supply Nearly Meets Demand in OTR Segment, Market Loosening
The OTR tire market has gone through drastic supply and demand changes over the last several years, making it tough for dealers – and manufacturers – to adapt. The good news is things are forecasted to stabilize in the near future, even in the hard-to-produce 57- and 63-inch sizes. In the earlier part of the
Specialized Selling: Smart Dealers Can Stack Up Profits in Skid-Steer Market
In work sites across the country, one can find the versatile skid-steer loader. Because of its convenient size and capacity for special attachments, the machine can be used by consumers and pros in a multitude of applications, including construction, farming, excavation, recycling, landscaping, mining and snow removal. The skid-steer tire niche has changed quite a
Staying Strong: Despite Downturn, Farm Outlook ‘Looks Quite Positive’
By most measures, 2008 was a banner, record-setting year for the North American agricultural community, even considering the sudden, sharp economic decline that started in October 2008. 2009, though, is much different. After posting an all-time record of $87 billion in 2008, net farm income is projected to fall 34.5% to $57 billion for the
Moving Business: Container Handling Niche Offers Dealers Unique Opportunities
In a global economy where products are imported and exported worldwide, it takes a multitude of resources to keep things moving and on track. From load docks to loading bays, container handling equipment is everywhere products are being shipped, moved and inventoried. And vital to that equipment’s operation is – you guessed it – tires.
Industrial Tires Bring Rewards for Dealers who Work Hard
It’s no secret that tire dealers need to stay on their toes and adapttheir business in order to be successful in today’s ever-changingmarket. This includes exploring new options as far as the kinds oftires to stock and the types of customers to service. If you’rein an area with any amount of industry, it may be
On The Job: Demanding Police/Pursuit Segment Requires Dealer Focus
But just as police officers do more than flag down speeders, their high-powered cars “protect and serve” in many other ways. And that means specialized police/pursuit tires. Being a servicing tire supplier to local or state police doesn’t really take special equipment – regular tire changers, balancers and tire tools will do the job just
Pulling Ahead: Trailer Tire Market Offers Stability, Profitability
In these uncertain times, a tire segment that offers low inventory, high profit margins, limited competition and steady growth may seem too good to be true. Fortunately, this scenario isn’t fiction, as dealers who take the time to look into the specialty/trailer tire segment will soon discover. Because the majority of dealerships don’t carry these
Course Work: Golf Course Tire Dealers Must Aim High to Score Points
Rain, rain, go away. Come again another day. We’ve all sung that song at least once, hoping our chants would part the clouds and allow for fun outdoor activities. Like golf. Persistent rain dampened the golf course business last year, which saw total rounds played fall by 1.8% vs. 2007, the biggest decline in play
Switching Gears; Motorcycle, Scooter Market Requires Entirely Different Focus
With the sudden surge in fuel prices last summer, one would think sales of motorcycles and scooters would have drastically increased as well, as consumers looked for fuel-sipping transportation rather than their gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs. While there is some truth to that assumption, a deeper look shows otherwise. Yes, sales of scooters and dual
Downward Turn: Small OTR Market Sees Sales Slump, Overcapacity
Not that many months ago, the OTR market – small and giant tires – was flying high, burdened with lengthy backorders that kept prices up and production humming. Tires were hard to come by, a happy problem the industry enjoyed for half a decade. The global financial crash and burn – complete with sharp downturns
Continued Growth: Ag Tire Market Still Strong Despite Economic Downturn
In 2007, U.S. farmers saw record crop prices and hefty profits. The nation’s growing demand for ethanol boosted the price of corn, while the reduced supply of other crops, like wheat and soybeans, fetched higher than average prices, as well. That strong income resulted in farmers putting their money back into their business through land,