Tyre output down 1%, exports up 12%

Tyre production in all categories saw a reduction of one per cent whereas exports saw a rise of 12 per cent during April-September of 2013-14 on a year ago. Data of the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers' Association (ATMA) showed production by nine companies was 62 million tyres during the period against 63 million a year ago. Exports were 4.6 million during the period against four million a year ago.

Production fell in the scooter (three- and two-wheeler), passenger car and truck and bus tyre segments. The slowdown in the sales of cars, trucks and buses was the main reason. The production fall was more so in the scooter (three-wheeler) and car segments, down 11 per cent and seven per cent, respectively, during the period. In truck and bus segment, production was down two per cent at 8.5 million tyres during the period against 8.7 million a year ago. The best performance was recorded in the small-commercial vehicles (SCV) segment, which saw a rise of 12 per cent.

Rise in exports of SCV tyres
A rise of 3,048 per cent was seen in exports of the SCV segment at 16,874 tyres during the period. These were 536 a year ago. A 142 per cent rise was seen in tractor-trailer tyres. Around 1.5 million tyres were shipped in the car segment, a growth of 25 per cent.

Scooter (three-wheeler) and motorcycle tyre exports went up 40 per cent and 25 per cent, respectively.

In all categories, 4.6-million units were exported during the period against four million a year ago, a rise of 12 per cent.