Consumer tire units: down 5.7%, says RMA

Replacement domestic consumer tire shipments dropped 5.7% in 2008 vs. 2007, according to the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA).

In its "2009 Preliminary Factbook," the RMA breaks out last year's replacement shipments, which totaled 224.5 million units, as follows:

P-metric: 195.1 million units, down 4.3%;

LT-sizing: 29.4 million, down 14%.

The drop in original equipment shipments in the United States was even more dramatic. OE passenger tire shipments were down 18.7%, to 37.6 million units, while OE LT tire shipments were down 34.6%, to 2.9 million.

Overall, consumer OE tire shipments were down 20.1%, from to 50.7 million units to 40.5 million.

Replacement and OE medium truck tire shipments were down 10.7% and 18.2%, respectively.

For its data, the RMA combines information from its members with tire imports as reported by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Imports for December were estimated.