OTR tire inventories "are at 1997 levels when the OTR market was at its peak," Gary Nash, Yokohama Tire Corp. director of off-road sales, announced at this week's Tire Industry Association (TIA) OTR Tire Conference.
"Most OTR tire (manufacturing) factories are operating at 100% capacity," according to Nash, due, in part, to increased production for the Iraq War.
More than 60,000 OTR tires were exported out of the United States in 2003, he says. That number is expected to be achieved this year and could increase due to domestic tiremakers forming joint ventures with foreign manufacturers.
TIA's 2004 OTR Tire Conference, held in Kissimmee, Fla., ends today.
