The Winter Tire Inventory Gamble

David Poling, vice president of R&D and technical for Giti Tire (USA) Ltd., discuss how advancements in all-weather tire technology are changing the winter tire market.

Sara Welch

Oct. 29, 2026

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Key Highlights

All-weather tires are reshaping winter tire demand, with improved treadwear and wet performance allowing all-weather tires to capture market share from traditional all-season and dedicated winter tires.
Poling discusses how changing vehicle fitments and overlapping product categories make stocking decisions increasingly complicated.
Domestic manufacturing could change the tire inventory equation.

New technological advancements across tire categories are changing the inventory game for key segments, including winter tires.

How can tire dealers prepare for a winter they can't predict?

Stock too many tires and valuable inventory dollars are tied up. Stock too few and dealers risk losing sales when winter weather hits.

In this episode of The Modern Tire Dealer Show, David Poling, vice president of R&D and technical for Giti Tire (USA) Ltd., joins MTD Managing Editor Sara Welch to discuss how advancements in all-weather tire technology are changing the winter tire market and complicating dealers' inventory decisions.

Poling explains why dealers must rethink their product mix as tire categories increasingly overlap, how to match customers with the right tires for their driving conditions and why domestic manufacturing could help reduce the risks associated with seasonal inventory planning.

About the Author

Sara Welch

Managing Editor

Sara Welch is Modern Tire Dealer's managing editor. She is an award-winning journalist who covered agriculture in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia for 10 years and sports for five years before coming to MTD. She can be reached at [email protected].