Goodyear - Competitors

Goodyear Competition

Now Viewing Goodyear's competition in: Tire Manufacturers (primary)

Recent Developments

Tight Credit Requirements Hurting US Auto Sales - US auto sales, a demand driver for tires, declined 11 percent in the first eight months of 2008 compared to the same period in 2007, which experts blame on tighter credit requirements. Only consumers with unblemished, flawless credit are getting approved for auto loans, according to CSM Worldwide.

State Approves Controversial Grants to Tire Makers - North Carolina lawmakers gave final approval to as much as $60 million in grants for upgrading tire manufacturing facilities owned by Bridgestone Firestone and Goodyear. Critics of the controversial grants complain that the companies weren't required to add new jobs at the facilities, and could even cut jobs. Grant supporters countered that without aid, the companies might abandon the facilities and move operations overseas.

Polyurethane Tire Developed for Autos - A US tire company has developed a polyurethane (PU) tire for autos. Amerityre claims that its manufacturing technique for PU tires can produce perfectly round tires with lower rolling resistance, and with no layers that can delaminate and lead to tread separation. The company has produced prototype run-flat PU tires that have passed a key Federal Motor Vehicle safety standard, which is the first step toward commercialization.

Competitive Landscape

Demand is driven by sales of new vehicles and the need for replacement tires. Because tires are largely a commodity, profitability depends on cost-efficient operations. Small companies can compete by producing tires or tire-related products for niche markets, such as bicycles or farm equipment. Large companies can afford the research to develop tires from new, technologically advanced materials, and can invest in improving production efficiency. The industry is capital-intensive: average annual revenue per employee is over $200,000.

Full Industry Overview For Tire Manufacturers

Tire Manufacturers Industry Forecast

from Hoover's/D&B subsidiary First Research

The output of US tires is forecast to grow at an annual compounded rate of 2.4 percent between 2007 and 2012.

Tire Production Growth Slow

First Research forecasts are based on INFORUM forecasts that are licensed from the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc. (IERF) in College Park, MD. INFORUM's "interindustry-macro" approach to modeling the economy captures the links between industries and the aggregate economy.