There is a misconception that OTR tire manufacturers are shipping all of their large OTR tires to China, says Dave Cionek, vice president of sales and marketing for Michelin Earthmover Tires.
China is "not consuming any more tires than (its) historic use," Cionek told attendees at the Tire Industry Association's 2006 OTR Tire Conference this past weekend.
However, the country is consuming more raw materials as its economy grows.
"This, in turn, fuels the increased demand for mining tires in countries that provide raw materials to China."
The trend will continue, according to Cionek. China's Gross Domestic Product has grown at an average yearly rate of more than 9.5% since 1979. "Just two weeks ago, China leapfrogged France and Great Britian to be officially recognized as the world's fourth-largest economy."
