Is it safe to call retreading a mature market?
We recently conducted the 2013 Modern Tire Dealer Retreaders Survey, which shows that more than 85% of the estimated 680 domestic retread plants have been in business more than 20 years.
Our survey also reveals that the number of retread plants in the U.S. has dropped nearly 80% in the last 30 years. Not many retreaders plan to expand, but some are. The newest retread plant in the United States was built by DLS Retreading Inc. in Fort Mill, S.C., this year. It is a ContiTread plant, the ninth in the U.S. and 20th in North America.
Are retreaders planning to buy new equipment in the next 18 months? Is SmartWay verification necessary to sell retreaded tires? What challenges do retreaders currently face?
To find out, see Are retreaders too passive? now available online and in the August issue of Modern Tire Dealer.
