Between January and December 2008 the passenger car tyre segment in Europe (including the CIS) shrank for both the OE and replacement markets. The OE market dropped 7.2% during the year, while replacement market sales declined 4%. During the month of December 2008, OE sales plummeted 39.1% year-on-year, while aftermarket sales grew by 7.6%.

The European OE truck tyre market declined by 0.9% between January and December 2008, and the replacement tyre market by 9.7%. During December 2008 OE sales dropped 40.7% year-on-year, and replacement market sales 31%.

The N.A. OE passenger car tyre market shrank 16.5% during the year and the aftermarket by 5.3%. In December 2008 the OE market decreased by 29.7% year-on-year, while the replacement tyre market decreased by 4%. In terms of truck tyres, OE sales in North America declined 16.5% in 2008, 8.2% in the replacement market. In December 2008 OE truck tyre sales declined 19.8%, replacement market 15.1%. (Tyres & Accessories/Staffordshire, U.K.)