Nowhere to go but up

OTR tire execs predict gradual recovery

By: Mike Manges

The North American OTR tire market has hit its low point, but will rebound, says Angie Jones, general manager, marketing, BATO, Off-Road Division.

Just when you thought the state of the OTR tire market couldn’t get any worse, you’re right — it probably won’t.  In terms of volume, the North American OTR tire segment has reached its lowest point in 10 years, a Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (BATO) executive told attendees at the 2010 Tire Industry Association OTR Tire Conference, held late February in Tucson, Ariz.

However, the segment will bounce back, said Angie Jones, general manager, marketing, BATO, Off-Road Division.

“In general, things are improving, but recovery will be gradual. There’s a clear correlation between gross domestic product (GDP) and market demand for OTR tires. For 2010, the GDP forecast calls for consistent, stable growth quarter by quarter.”

A rebound in the housing market will be critical to the OTR tire market’s recovery, she said.

Meanwhile, demand for coal and oil “is projected to be stable, and the demand for steel is expected to rebound in 2010, all the way back to 2008 levels.”

In addition, prices for gold, copper and nickel remain up, which will stimulate mine activity.

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Related Topics: Bridgestone, Michelin, OTR, Techking, Titan, Yokohama

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