Magazine for the professional tire industry
Issue link: https://mtd.epubxp.com/i/114173
News/views April 11-13 Automechanika Istanbul, TUYAP Fair, Convention and Congress Center, Istanbul, Turkey +90 212 296 26 26 www.automechanika.com April 12-13 New England Tire & Service Association Convention & Trade Show, Mohegan Sun Resort, Uncasville, Ct. (866) 847-3763 or (207) 846-0986 www.netsa.org April 12-14 Virginia Automotive Association Annual Convention and Trade Show, The Homestead, Hot Springs, Va. (800) 488-2732 or (804) 739-1400 www.vaautomotive.org April 18-20 Southern Plains Farm Show, State Fair Park, Oklahoma City, Okla. (507) 437-7969 www.farmshowsusa.com April 22-24 Rubber Division, American Chemical Society, 183rd Technical Meeting, Hilton Akron/Fairlawn, Akron, Ohio (330) 972-7814 www.rubber.org April 23-25 Equipment and Tool Institute ToolTech 2013, Hyatt Mission Bay, San Diego, Calif. (248) 656-5085 www.etools.org April 24-26 Clemson University's 29th Annual Tire Conference, Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa, Hilton Head Island, S.C. (800) 258-1017 www.clemsontireconference.com 16 RMA: Replacement and OE tire shipments top 284 million units The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) released the preliminary edition of its "2013 Factbook" on Feb. 15. The publication is a report on tire shipment activity in the United States for 2012. Compared to 2011, the replacement numbers were down across the board. In the domestic replacement market, passenger tire shipments were down 1.5% (from 194.4 million units to 191.4 million), while light truck tire shipments were down 2% (from 28.6 million to 28 million). Truck and bus tire shipments were down 3.6% (from 16.5 million to 15.9 million). Original equipment shipments rose in two of the three segments — and stayed the same in one. Passenger tire shipments were up 12% to 40 million units (after being up 7.8% the year before). Light truck tire shipments remained level at 42 million units, while truck tire shipments were up 4% to 5.1 million. Replacement and OE shipments combined for 284.6 million units, up one-tenth of a percent versus 2011. Consumer (passenger and light truck) and commercial (medium, heavy and wide-base) tire exports from RMA members were down 2.8%, from 31.5 million to 30.6 million. Overall RMA production was down 5.6% to 161.9 million units, broken out as follows: Passenger tire shipments were down 6.1%, light truck tire shipments were down 2.3%, and truck tire shipments were down 7%. In contrast, tire imports, based on U.S. Department of Commerce data, were up 5% broken out as follows: Passenger tire imports were up 5.8%, light truck tire imports were up 2.4%, and truck tire shipments were up 1.9%. ■ UP April 19-20 North Carolina Tire Dealers Association Expo & Trade Show, Embassy Suites Hotel & Convention Center, Concord, N.C.. (877) 784-0111 www.nctda.com Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc. continues to expand its Facebook presence and has reached three million fans on the social media site. Nitto says it continues to outrank all other Japanese companies except Sony on Facebook and is now one of the top 2,000 pages overall, among notable brands like Honda, Jeep, and Gatorade. Its fan base also dwarfs that of other tire companies. Nitto says its success has been attributed to unique engagement strategies, which have included letting fans virtually build and vote for their favorite Nittoclad car, compelling automotive photography, and a yearlong sponsorship of DJ and producer Steve Aoki in 2012. Nitto Tire is currently offering to the next 3,000 people who sign up at its Facebook page an exclusive commemorative comic book tracing the history of the brand. Visit www.facebook.com/NittoTire and enter to win. & DOWN dates Where does Nitto have 3 million fans? MTD March 2013