Goodyear Says Asia-Pacific Sales Will Ease Slightly

(Akron/Tire Review) Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. expects sales in the Asia-Pacific region to ease slightly this year as a result of slowing auto sales in China, according to a Reuters report.

Published: March 17, 2006

Sales in the region rose 8.5% in 2005. However, Goodyear’s Asia-Pacific President Pierre Cohade was quoted as saying that sales in the region will only increase 6% this year. Goodyear currently has about 20% of the tire market in Asia. Replacement tires account for 40% of Goodyear’s China sales. Cohade said replacement sales could exceed 50% in five years.

Last year, Goodyear announced an investment of $120 million at its Dalian plant in China to increase production to 5.3 million tires annually by 2007. The tiremaker increased prices in China by 3% due to rising raw material costs.

Recommending summer tires based on customer demand

Let’s talk about why clear communication with customers is key with this segment.

By Christian Hinton

Published: April 25, 2024

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.