from Continental's perspective, sales across the EU in the truck tyre replacement market are up 29 per cent versus the same timeframe last year, with the UK figure said to be up 5.5 per cent, a few percentage points less than other estimates. Raw material costs are still increasing, with the knock-on effect of pushing tyre prices up. Supply is also expected to be tight in the second half, as tyre manufacturers are struggling to meet the increase in demand (and cope with the shortage of raw materials). "We are also seeing a high level of hire vehicle utilisation which could lead to vehicle shortages towards the end of the year," company representatives told Tyres & Accessories recently. So what does this mean for a truck tyre market that has already been battered by the effects of a recession?
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