The European replacement tyre market displayed mixed signals in the first quarter of 2025, with consumer tyres growing modestly while truck and agricultural segments contracted, according to data released by the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA).

Consumer tyre sales grew 3 percent in the first quarter compared to the same period last year, continuing the recovery observed in the second half of 2024. The all-seasons segment emerged as the standout performer with a robust 14 percent growth, whilst winter tyres rose 5 percent. Summer tyres declined by 3 percent.

"In Consumer tyres, the recovery observed in the second half of 2024 (+8 percent) has continued in the first quarter of 2025. Volumes were close to those reached in the first quarter of 2019, before the impact of the pandemic," said Adam McCarthy, ETRMA's Secretary General.

The truck tyre segment, however, showed weakness with a 4 percent decline compared to Q1 2024 and remains 11 percent below pre-pandemic levels. Agricultural tyres mirrored this downward trend with a 4 percent reduction, whilst motorcycle and scooter tyres grew 7 percent against what the association described as "a relatively weak first quarter of 2024".

McCarthy attributed the truck segment's poor performance to "economic and political uncertainties" affecting the market.

The data reveals a striking trend in tyre imports, with passenger car and light truck tyre imports into Europe surging 12 percent in the first two months of 2025 compared to the same period last year. This follows a 17 percent increase in 2024, with Chinese imports up 18 percent, Korean imports up 30 percent, and Indian imports up 34 percent.

Industry analysts suggest this import surge reflects both consumer cost pressures and production challenges facing European manufacturers.

"Pressure on household budgets has increased demand for low-cost imports whilst European tyre production costs, particularly for energy, have increased at a faster pace than in other regions," the ETRMA report noted.

In a separate trend, truck and bus tyre imports from outside Europe grew 8 percent in early 2025, with ASEAN countries now representing over 60 percent of imported volumes. Vietnam's share has grown significantly, accounting for over a quarter of imports in the period.

The association also highlighted that despite significant changes in mobility patterns, with car traffic yet to fully recover from pandemic lows, the total light vehicle fleet in Europe grew by 1.4 percent in 2024, adding more than 4 million vehicles. Light commercial vehicles showed stronger growth, driven by e-commerce and last-mile delivery expansion.

The report estimates that nearly 4.5 million tonnes of used tyres were generated across Europe in 2024, with only about 600,000 tonnes reused or retreaded.

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South Korean tyre major Nexen Tire has added another feather to its cap and has received a Gold rating from EcoVadis for the second year in succession. This places the company among the top 3 percent of over 150,000 companies assessed globally.

Established in 2007 in France, EcoVadis evaluates corporate sustainability performance across Environment, Labour & Human Rights, Ethics and Sustainable Procurement. Its ratings are Platinum (top 1 percent), Gold (top 5 percent), Silver (top 15 percent) and Bronze (top 35 percent).

Nexen Tire showed improvements across all assessment areas. In the Environment category, the company's involvement in global sustainability initiatives, including the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR), the UN Global Compact (UNGC) and the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) was noted. Climate education programmes and greenhouse gas emissions disclosure were contributors.

For Labour & Human Rights, Nexen Tire's human rights policy aligns with international standards from the United Nations and the International Labour Organization (ILO). The company also began human rights assessments for risk management.

In the Ethics pillar, the company reinforced internal systems for risk prevention, monitoring, and mitigation. The Sustainable Procurement score improved through ESG assessments, supplier audits and risk response strategies.

John Bosco (Hyeon Suk) Kim, CEO, Nexen Tire, said, “Receiving the Gold rating from EcoVadis for the second consecutive year is a significant affirmation of our global ESG efforts. We remain committed to responsible and transparent management practices that meet the expectations of our stakeholders worldwide.”

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TÜV SÜD AG’s Supervisory Board has named Ishan Palit as Interim CEO (Chairman of the Board of Management) effective 15 July 2025, following Dr Johannes Bussmann’s departure to assume the CEO role at MTU Aero Engines AG. Bussmann will leave TÜV SÜD on 14 July 2025. Palit will co-lead the company with CFO Sabine Nitzsche until a permanent successor is appointed.

With over 30 years at TÜV SÜD, Palit has held key leadership roles, including establishing the company’s India operations, serving as Asia Pacific CEO and leading the global Product Service Division. Since 2017, he has been Chief Operating Officer, driving strategic and operational initiatives.

Nitzsche, who joined as CFO in March 2025, brings extensive financial and executive expertise from the high-tech and automotive sectors. Her prior roles include CFO of Vitesco Technologies AG and senior financial leadership positions at Infineon Technologies and GlobalFoundries.

Frank Hyldmar, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of TÜV SÜD AG, said, “We are very pleased that Ishan and Sabine will oversee the interim management of TÜV SÜD during this transition. Ishan is a seasoned TÜV SÜD senior executive with deep knowledge of our business and strong global leadership experience. Sabine brings a proven track record as CFO across multiple multinational enterprises. Together, they form a strong leadership team as we work towards appointing a long-term CEO.”

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Hankook Tire & Technology has announced a series of executive leadership changes at its North American headquarters in Nashville, reinforcing its commitment to growth in passenger and commercial tyre markets. The restructuring brings fresh leadership across key sales and marketing functions.

Kyuwang (Ken) Cho assumes the role of Senior Vice President of North America Marketing, transitioning from his previous dual leadership of PC/LT Sales and Marketing. The industry veteran brings 25 years of Hankook experience, including a stint as Vice President of Global Sales in Korea. K C Jensen steps up as Vice President of US PC/LT Sales, expanding his responsibilities from regional to national oversight after demonstrating strong leadership in the Western market since 2018.

The company welcomes back Mark Roe as Vice President of US TBR Sales, where his four decades of commercial tyre expertise will guide replacement and OE sales strategies. Roe's extensive background includes previous leadership roles at Hankook and most recently at Ralson Tire North America.

Regional sales teams also see strategic promotions. Shaun Prott advances to Regional Director of PC/LT Sales for the West, building on his eight-year tenure with Hankook and prior experience with National Tire Warehouse. Travis Jones rejoins the organisation as Northeast Regional Director, bringing valuable perspective from Michelin and Pirelli. Brian Ford earns promotion to Regional Director of TBR Sales for the West after successfully managing key commercial accounts since 2021.

Rob Williams, President of Hankook Tire America Corp, said, "These leadership appointments reflect Hankook's strong momentum in North America. Ken, K.C. and Mark each bring exceptional industry experience, strategic focus and leadership qualities to their roles. Together, they will help elevate our presence across both consumer and commercial channels, and support our long-term growth ambitions in the US. These moves speak to the strength of our internal talent pipeline & ability to attract top talent and our continued investment in customer relationships. Shaun, Travis and Brian all bring deep knowledge of their markets and proven ability to grow key partnerships."

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French tyre major Michelin has introduced its new X Line Grip D range, which is designed to work up to 1 million miles (1.6 million kilometres) with up to four retreads. The company shared its designers' claim that this is a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ leap in tyre technology for fleets.

In addition to the higher range, the tyres also provide 20 percent more mileage and a 20 percent reduction in rolling resistance compared to the Michelin XDN2 tyre.

Designed to meet both wet and snowy conditions thanks to the chevron tread design, these tyres are said to prove 90 percent better starting traction in snow and over 25 percent better wet starting traction.

Fleets also benefit from using the Michelin X Line Grip D tyre, as it is built on the company’s Duracore casing, featuring Infinicoil and Powercoil technologies. 

Pierluigi Cumo, VP – B2B Marketing, Michelin North America, said, “Michelin is never satisfied with current tyre technology when it comes to constantly improving and innovating our products. That’s why Michelin is so proud to introduce the Michelin X Line Grip D tyre. This tyre has the potential going forward to redefine the drive tyre standard in fleets for years to come. It is not an evolution to existing products, but something entirely different the fleet world has never seen before.”

“Michelin has a proven track record of delivering high-quality, reliable products that exceed performance expectations. This fantastic leap in drive tyre technology bring new levels of performance to the road and new levels of savings to our customers,” he concluded.

The Michelin X Line Grip D tyre is available in sizes 295/75R22.5 and 11R22.5.

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