RMA says total tire shipments will increase 2.7% vs. 2006, a year that saw the market drop anywhere from 3% to 7%, depending on the source. The increase, says RMA, will come despite a heavy decline in OE tire shipments and “are a reflection of revised U.S. economic growth forecasts for both the consumer and commercial sectors.”

Specifically, RMA sees the replacement passenger segment growing 3.3% to 203 million tires; the replacement LT-metric segment growing by 600,000 units to 34.2 million tires; and the medium truck segment dropping 2.7% to 16.4 million units.

On the OE side, P-metric shipments will drop 4.5% to 46 million tires; LT-metric will fall 12% to 4.4 million tires; and OE medium truck will drop 31% to 4.7 million tires.

RMA has not yet issued its final 2006 tire shipment data. (Tire Review/Akron)