AUTO AND TYRE INDUSTRY ARE CLOSELY RELATED
Auto
and Tyre industry are closely related. The
vehicle sector has been the engine of growth for the Chinese
rubber industry. By 2013, it is expected that China will
be the world's second largest car market after the U.S.
with 8% of global sales.
The
production of vehicles in China reached 3.48 million units
in 2002 an increase of 35% from that of the previous year,
while production of passenger car tyres rose by 55%. The
total length of structured roads expanded to 1.7 million
Km. in 2002 with truck roads measuring 1.34 million Km.,
of which an estimate of 19,400 Km. were express ways.
In
2002, express ways totaled 25,000 Km. The rapid growth
in the vehicle and transport industries has created demand
for tyres which increased by 13.8% in 2002 compared with
that in 2001 and was the most significant growth recorded
in the last decade.
In
2005, tyre production is forecasted to exceed 1.50 million
units of which radial tyres will make up 60-70 million
units. Consumption of rubber by the tyre industry is estimated
to be 1.55 million tons with NR and SR consumption accounting
for 925,000 and 625,000 tonnes respectively.
