'Optimism reigns' in the tire industy, says analyst Saul Ludwig

Feb. 20, 2007

Tire industry analyst Saul Ludwig, in the February installment of the "Ludwig Report" in Modern Tire Dealer magazine, says, "With its new labor contract, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. is very excited about its prospects; at Cooper Tire a new CEO is the catalyst for improvement, at Michelin North America they have sharply expanded their field sales force, Continental looks for profitable operations in North America this year, and at Bridgestone, the Bandag acquisitions will fortify its position in truck tires.

"It is clear that optimism reigns and that is a sharp reversal from one year ago when tire demand was tumbling and raw material costs were surging higher.

"What a difference a year can make!"

Ludwig is a managing director with KeyBanc Capital Markets, a division of McDonald Investments Inc. based in Cleveland, Ohio. Look for the full "Ludwig Report" in the February issue of Modern Tire Dealer magazine.