Robust demand for UHP tires in North America

Akron, Ohio — The North American market for ultra-high-performance (UHP) tires remains is continuing to perform robustly, official figures show.

Data from the US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) and the US Department of Commerce show strong growth for HP tires in both OE and replacement markets.

H-rated tires, approved for speeds of up to 130 mph, nearly tripled in OE demand between 2010 and 2017 to 16 million units from 5.9 million.

Demand for V-rated tires, approved for speeds of up to 149 mph, also showed strong OE growth between 2010 and 2017, increasing more than 5% a year to 6.2 million units from 4.5 million.

High-performance growth also was brisk in the replacement market between 2010 and 2017.

H-rated replacement tire shipments increased from 30.5 million to 48.8 million in those years; V-rated, from 13.1 million to 25.8 million; and Z-rated, from 12.1 million to 17.4 million.