OTR Market Poised for Growth in 2026

Despite some headwinds, the OTR tire market in the United States performed fairly well in 2025, with the construction tire segment, in particular, holding steady. Executives from OTR tire manufacturers and suppliers provide detailed analysis in this MTD exclusive. They also discuss what 2026 will likely bring.

Year in review

"The U.S. aggregate and quarry tire segment experienced early challenges in 2025, driven by economic uncertainty related to tariffs, soft residential spending, and widespread weather-related disruptions that affected first-half production,” says Rob Seibert, president, Off the Road, Bridgestone Americas Inc.

"However, conditions improved meaningfully in the second half of the year, particularly in the third quarter, when favorable weather and strong public construction activity supported a rebound in production. These factors helped offset the difficult first half and positioned producers for modest full-year growth.

"Similarly, the construction segment grew in 2025,” says Seibert. “The industry was fueled by new work tied to AI-related data center projects, along with ongoing support from state and federal funding for infrastructure, resulting in strong demand for tires.”

Ryan Loethen, president of CEAT Specialty Tires, North America, calls 2025 “a year of recalibration in the U.S. OTR tire market. After the volatility of the prior cycles, the market moved toward more normal lead times and more disciplined purchasing. End users stayed focused on uptime and total cost per hour and dealers who could support faster turnarounds and dependable supply were in the best position.

"Demand held up better than many expected, but buying behavior changed. Customers were more price-aware and more intentional, and they asked tougher questions about performance per dollar.”

Both the mining and construction segments “are navigating a landscape defined by simultaneous growth drivers and structural challenges,” says Cara Junkins, director of OTR and ag, CMA. 

"The mining sector continues to show steady long‑term growth potential, supported by infrastructure development, manufacturing needs, and energy transition.  This has resulted in rising demand for raw materials, such as aggregates, metals and coal fueling mining operations.

"However, the sector has faced notable headwinds, such as volatile commodity prices, rising operational costs and supply chain interruptions. Despite these challenges, the mining OTR tire market remains resilient, with long‑term demand supported by both public and private investment in infrastructure and energy.

"The construction segment remains a major demand driver for OTR tires. The market is also contending with high interest rates and inflationary pressures which have slowed residential construction and private sector investments.”

Matt Futrelle, head of Americas, commercial specialty tire, Continental Tire the Americas LLC, says that the replacement construction market in the U.S. "was overall strong in 2025 due to a relatively strong economy, some tariff pre buys and rising prices.

"For construction, there are still many mega projects that are ramping up or in progress. Data center sites are popping up all over, but housing starts and commercial buildings have been lagging.

"The mining segment was relatively strong due to record high metal prices, demand for rare earths and demand for local industrial metals impacted by tariffs. 2025 volumes were particularly strong for us, as we released new products into the market in the construction and aggregates space."

Ydo Doornbos, director, North America, Global Rubber Industries (Pvt) Ltd. (GRI), says that “replacement demand in construction was noticeably stronger than mining, supported by ongoing infrastructure work, roadbuilding and utility projects. Even with some pressure from interest rates, fleets remained active and replacement needs stayed consistent.”

Jimmy McDonnell, vice president of sales and marketing for Maxam Tire North America, says the mining tire segment “was down in 2025, slightly behind the previous year. The OTR construction market was up modestly in 2025 (and) definitely finished better than expected, given market conditions.”

"The U.S. OTR mining and construction tire markets experienced some unevenness in demand patterns during 2025, particularly around the timing of replacement activity,” says Sarah Robinson, brand director, Construction, Mining, Tweel and B2G, Michelin North America Inc. “That said, when viewed over the full year, both segments finished relatively stable compared with the prior year.

"In construction especially, replacement demand was supported by equipment originally purchased in the 2022–2023 timeframe moving further into its service life. Higher financing costs also continued to encourage customers to extend the life of existing fleets, which helped underpin replacement activity across both mining and construction.”

The mining tire market has been “consistent and steady with improved commodity pricing driving interest,” says Ben Brown, global vice president, OEM sales and marketing, OTR Engineered Solutions. “Conversely, the construction market has been more stagnant, with only certain sectors performing at, or above, historical levels.

"In particular, new data center construction has created pockets of opportunity, but major infrastructure investments have been lacking, which often is the major driver of equipment demand across multiple segments. Replacement demand in the aftermarket outperformed new OEM demand in 2025, which is likely to continue through 2026.”

Joaquin Gonzalez, president of Tire Group International LLC (TGI), says demand for mining tires  “was fairly steady throughout the year, supported by consistent mining activity and a continued focus by fleets on uptime, casing life and cost-per-hour. While supply conditions were much better than in prior years, larger mining sizes still required planning and replacement demand help up well overall.

"The construction side was more mixed. This market is more fragmented and much more sensitive to broader economic conditions. In 2025, private construction was softer, which led to lower utilization in some fleets and in turn, slower replacement demand. Public infrastructure work and rental activity helped offset some of that softness, but overall replacement demand in construction was flat to slightly down compared to the prior year. Buyers were more price-conscious and flexible on brands, especially in smaller and mid-size segments, where availability and quick turn mattered most.”

Paul Hawkins, senior vice president of aftermarket sales at Titan International Inc., says the U.S. mining tire market “was largely replacement-driven" last year. "Demand was tied closely to equipment utilization at existing operations rather than new mine development. Globally, copper-related mining activity driven by electrification and data center demand helped drive the mining sector.

"The U.S. construction tire market told a more mixed story. Residential construction remained slow, but that softness was offset by strength in commercial, road and infrastructure-related projects. Public-sector funding at the municipal, county and state levels drove higher utilization across rental fleets and government-owned equipment, which supported replacement demand throughout the year.

"One noticeable shift in 2025 was in customer behavior. With higher interest rates, many dealers became more disciplined about inventory, focusing less on stocking ahead and more on making sure customers’ equipment stayed up and running. As a result, we saw requests for quotes and fitment recommendations come in closer to project start dates. That puts more pressure on dealers to respond quickly, especially when customers don’t want to wait weeks for product or tie up cash in excess inventory.”

The replacement mining tire channel in 2025 “was supportive to strong in 2025, for a simple reason: utilization did not collapse, even while some capital decisions stayed cautious,” according to Stephen Reynolds, OTR sales director, Triangle Tire USA. “With equipment demand described as soft and dealers scaling purchases, more operators leaned into maintaining existing iron. That generally pulls demand forward into replacement tires.”

The aggregates sector remained active, “even where certain metals projects slowed.” And in construction, “Dodge’s data still showed total construction starts up 5.1% year-to-date through November 2025, and up 5.7% on a trailing 12-month basis, underscoring that activity didn’t vanish. It rotated by segment and timing.”

He adds that public works projects “remained a key support in 2025, helped by federal infrastructure funding. Also data centers and related utilities work continued to be a stand-out driver.”

Loic Ravasio, president of Yokohama OTR, reports that underground mining was “the growth engine” in the mining tire segment in 2025. “The transition away from fossil fuels to metals and minerals for EVs and renewable energy will continue to create new opportunities for mining tires.

"The US construction tire market, while still growing, has been more challenged than mining,” he says. “E-commerce growth and warehouse expansions drive construction growth offsetting a slower residential construction market. Increasing infrastructure spending is also contributing to growth.”

"The U.S. tariff clouds were hovering over our heads the entire year” in the construction segment, says Chan Phothisane, OTR national sales director, ZC Rubber Americas Inc. “There were many uncertainties regarding the final tariff percentage on each country. Tire importers were unsure what price they would pay when the containers arrived at their door. The decision to stock less in the warehouse and buy only what was needed was a major trend.”

In the mining segment, “the U.S. government is investing in U.S. soil for critical minerals. The U.S. will increase domestic production in lithium and rare earth minerals. Foreign investors are building U.S. refineries to help support future growth in demands.” 

2026 projections 

Bridgestone’s Seibert says the U.S. OTR tire market “appears well-positioned to extend the positive momentum established in 2025. We anticipate stronger public construction activity and continued progress in infrastructure projects moving through the pipeline

With interest rates declining, new home construction and private-sector building activity are expected to improve and the ongoing expansion of AI data centers should further support demand within the OTR tire market. Although economic pressures persist, we are maintaining measured expectations and anticipate both the aggregate/quarry and construction segments to be poised for modest growth in 2026.”

Loethen says  CEAT expects to see “a competitive market with customers looking for measurable value. Dealers will see opportunities where they can reduce downtime and simplify procurement for end users. The winners won’t be the loudest voices. They’ll be the most consistent: consistent product, consistent service and consistent results in the field.

"The OTR tire market in 2026 is projected to continue to grow steadily, fueled by the same factors in 2025,” says CMA’s Junkins. “And the market will continue to face many of the same challenges. Both mining and construction sectors are expected to continue adapting to supply chain challenges, tariff impacts and evolving customer needs while maintaining strong demand.”

"We believe that the OTR Tire market will be flat-to-slightly-up in 2026," says Continental's Futrelle. "The replacement market saw a big first half due to tariff-related pre-buys, but then the market slowed down a bit. It will be tough to keep up with the first half year-over- year, but likely the year will be more balanced.

"The yellow iron OE market seems to be expecting a bit of a bounce back in 2026, depending on the segment. Housing starts have been declining, specifically multi-family, and this impacts certain construction business. There have been some portfolio, manufacturing and ownership changes with some industry participants, which could lead to some additional opportunities for us.

"The aggregates market has been very active with M&A, which should lead to some shaking up of tire suppliers. Mining should be a bright spot in most areas due to high prices and some countries working to increase local production and some looking to increase exports and realign sourcing."

GRI expects that the U.S. OTR tire market will “show stable to modest growth, led primarily by the replacement channel,” says Doornbos. “In construction, demand is likely to remain uneven but supported by infrastructure, utilities and industrial projects. Replacement will continue to be the backbone of the market, as fleets prioritize uptime and cost control regardless of new equipment cycles. Overall, 2026 is shaping up as a replacement-led market, where value, durability and application-specific performance matter most.”

Maxam’s McDonnell says his company is expecting “continued modest growth in the OTR tire market, with interest rates falling a bit. That will help drive construction."

Michelin’s Robinson believes “market fundamentals, such as commodity demand and construction activity, appear broadly steady. If those conditions hold, replacement demand should remain resilient, though customers continue to be thoughtful and measured in their purchasing decisions.

"The pace of any change in original equipment demand will likely depend on broader factors such as interest rate trends and the availability of used equipment. Overall, we’re approaching 2026 with a balanced outlook and a focus on supporting customers as conditions evolve.”

Brown of OTR Engineered Solutions believes that demand for OTR tires in 2026 will likely be flattish year-over-year “due to the continuance of high interest rates and supply chain headwinds, such as tariffs, which continue to add cost and complexity. Dealer inventory levels have improved, but with consumers and fleets alike watching their spending, only those machines that are in poor condition are likely to be replaced. Certainly, this bodes well for aftermarket replacement demand, but it puts OEM demand planning under continued pressure.”

"In 2026, the OTR tire market should feel relatively stable, with modest improvement on the construction side,” notes TGI’s Gonzalez. “Mining is expected to remain consistent, since tire demand is tied directly to operating activity and can’t be easily deferred without impacting production. Any changes there will be driven by utilization, not macro swings.

Construction should improve gradually as financing eases and postponed projects restart, with infrastructure spending continuing to provide a solid base. The recovery won’t be even, and competition will remain tight, but replacement demand should be better than in 2025.”

Titan’s Hawkins believes the OTR tire market will be led by the replacement market, “rather than entering a rebound or growth surge. Replacement cycles have largely normalized after several years of extended use, which is likely to continue. Infrastructure and commercial construction projects should remain a consistent source of demand, while mining activity is expected to follow commodity-driven needs, rather than a general expansion. This points to a market defined by measured, disciplined purchasing - not speculation.”

"Most indicators point to a cautious, uneven improvement in 2026 rather than a dramatic rebound,” says Triangle’s Reynolds. “Outlook commentary expects global construction growth to improve in 2026, with the pace picking up from 2025 levels.”

Yokohama OTR anticipates “a flat-to-slight growth market in 2026 for both the mining and construction segments in the U.S.,” says Ravasio, adding that tire management solutions will become increasingly important.

"Due to slow growth in 2025, we expect an up year,” says Phothisane of ZC Rubber. But tires “will be more expensive as tire dealers pass on the tariffs to the consumers. We expect residential construction to have slight increase the second half of the year. The state for Neveda continues to lead in gold mining. Mining projects in Alaska will increase and Arizona will continue to grow.”

Demand for larger diameter tires “will increase. First-tier tire brands continues to dominate the mining sector. If the tire price gets out of hand and there is a tire shortage in tier-one, there could be opportunity for mining companies to looking for options.”