Poland's torrent of tyres

Automotive News / December 12, 2005

When Poland joined the EU, its government had to end a ban on the import of second-hand vehicles from western Europe. A flood of used cars followed - 1.6 million in 2004 and 2005, many Euro200 bargains.”

But Poles quickly discovered that cheap cars come with thin tyres. Now the hottest imports from the West are used tyres.

People ask about used tyres all the time,” says Edward Karolak, proprietor of Edkar, a tyre wholesaler in Warsaw. They don't want to buy expensive new tyres for very cheap cars.”

There is no import tax, so Polish customs does not track used tyres, says statistician Pawel Zalewski. But Polish wholesalers estimate up to 4 million will come from western Europe this year. That compares to 7.6 million new tyres, said Jacek Pryczek, sales director of Goodyear Polska.

I send to Germany three or four trucks every month,” said one importer. In each I can bring to Poland 1,500 tyres.”

From Automotive News (A Crain publication)