Jatma publishes data on Japanese tyre business

Tokyo -- production of automobile tyres in 2004 increased 3.7% from the previous year to 1.27 million tons (excluding cart tyres, tubes and flaps) due to the rise for every market (original equipment, replacement and export), according to the annual review published by the Japanese Automobile Tyre Manufacturers' Association.

The automobile tyre production on a unit basis in 2004, increased 1.8% from the previous year, to 184.21 million tyres.

In terms of total rubber consumption, the production was 3.7% up from the previous year, to 1.28 million tons. Sales were 195.83 million tyres with 3.9% increase, which corresponds to 1.29 million tons of rubber consumption with 3.4% increase from the previous year.

The total production of each category of automobile tyres in 2004 exceeded that of the previous year owing to the rise both in domestic demand and exports. All of the three main categories increased from the previous year, truck and bus tyres up 5.1% (on a rubber consumption basis, the same for the following two figures), light truck tyres up 2.8%, and passenger car tyres up 3.5%. As a result, the production was record high for three consecutive years, increasing 3.7% from the previous year to 1.28 million

tons.