ISBN 1-85765-441-2

Executive Summary

Table of Contents

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The rubber manufacturing and processing industries, which are based on the consumption of either natural or synthetic rubber, are very dependent on sales to the transport industries (road, air, rail and marine). These industries collectively account for approximately 70 percent of the UK's estimated £2.77bn apparent market in 1998.
Sales of non-tyre products to the transport sector, such as vehicle hoses, tubing, fan belts, transmission belts, seals, sealants, cellular foam for seating and moulded profiles, etc., have an estimated market value of £560m. Other rubber-based goods made for industries outside the transport sector include conveyor and elevator belts, gloves, contraceptives, inflatable dinghies, roller coverings, industrial hoses, flooring, toys, tubing for medical equipment, hygienic aids and a variety of other products. Sales of these products have an estimated apparent market value of £840m.
Although manufacturers' sales increased by 12.1 percent between 1994 and 1998 to an estimated £3.1bn in 1998, the corresponding rate of increase in the apparent market was only 6.9 percent. Exports grew by 15.2 percent and imports by 3.8 percent in value terms.
The relatively slow growth in the industry's UK sales is due to intense price competition in the replacement tyre market, a drop in raw material prices including the cost of oil feedstock, and continuing growth in car and commercial vehicle imports which deprives domestic manufacturers of original equipment sales to this very important industry. Sales of elastomeric products to other industries are somewhat less affected by the intensity of price competition, but this sector is much smaller in value terms and, therefore, in its contribution to total sales than the transport sectors.
Prospects for future demand show a continuation of present trends, which indicates the likelihood of slow growth in the requirement for tyres, automotive components and general rubber products: the road network is saturated with vehicles, more restrictions on free circulation may reduce demand for replacements, and commercial vehicles could be more heavily penalised in order to force freight movements onto the rail network. To achieve greater consumption in the use of elastomers, there would have to be more customers who are prepared to replace other materials with rubber.
It is anticipated that the total apparent market will grow by 9.8 percent from £2.83bn in 1999 to £3.11bn in 2003. The tyre market is forecast to grow from £1.47bn to £1.62bn and general rubber products from £1.37bn to £1.5bn over the same period.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary

Market Definition

INTRODUCTION

MAIN RUBBER MATERIALS

MAJOR MARKETS FOR RUBBER CONSUMPTION

MARKET SECTORS

MARKET TRENDS

Table 1: Total World Production and Consumption of Natural and Synthetic Rubber (000 tonnes), 1994-1998

Table 2: World Production of Natural Rubber (000 tonnes), 1994-1998

Table 3: World Consumption of Natural Rubber (000 tonnes), 1994-1998

Table 4: World Production of Synthetic Rubber (000 tonnes), 1994-1998

Table 5: World Consumption of Synthetic Rubber (000 tonnes), 1994-1998

Table 6: UK Consumption of Natural and Synthetic Rubber (000 tonnes), 1994-1998

Market Size

TOTAL MARKET

BY MARKET SECTOR

OVERSEAS TRADE

Table 7: Total Apparent UK Market for Rubber Products (£m), 1994-1998

Table 8: Apparent UK Market for New Tyres, Tubes and Reconditioned Tyres (£m), 1994-1998

Table 9: Annual Production of Car and Truck Tyres in the UK (000 units), 1994-1998

Table 10: Rubber Consumption in Tyres and Tyre Products (000 tonnes), 1994-1998

Table 11: Apparent UK Market for General Rubber Products (£m), 1994-1998

Table 12: Rubber Consumption in General Rubber Products (000 tonnes), 1994-1998

Table 13: Exports of Tyres, Tubes and General Rubber Products (£m), 1996-1998

Table 14: Imports of Tyres, Tubes and General Rubber Products (£m), 1996-1998

Table 15: Exports of Car and Truck Tyres (000), 1994-1998

Table 16: Imports of Car and Truck Tyres (000), 1994-1998

Table 17: Trade Balance in Car and Truck Tyres (000), 1994-1998

Industry Background

STRUCTURE OF THE INDUSTRY

INDUSTRY CONCENTRATION

EMPLOYMENT

TYRE MANUFACTURERS

GENERAL RUBBER PRODUCTS

TRADE ASSOCIATIONS

Table 18: Number of Enterprises in the Manufacture of Rubber Tyres and Tubes by Turnover Size, 1998

Table 19: Number of Enterprises in the Retreading and Rebuilding of Rubber Tyres and Tubes by Turnover Size, 1998

Table 20: Number of Enterprises in the Manufacture of Other Rubber Products by Turnover Size, 1998

Table 21: Number of Enterprises in the Manufacture of Rubber Tyres and Tubes by Employment Size, 1998

Table 22: Number of Enterprises in the Retreading and Remoulding of Tyres by Employment Size, 1998

Table 23: Number of Enterprises in Other Rubber Products by Employment Size, 1998

Table 24: Production of Cars and Commercial Vehicles in the UK (000), 1994-1998

Table 25: New Motor Vehicle Registrations in Great Britain - All Categories (000), 1994-1998

Table 26: Number of Vehicles Currently Licensed in Great Britain - All Categories (000), 1994-1998

Competitor Analysis

INTRODUCTION

ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION

Table 27: Leading Companies in Rubber Manufacturing and Processing by Turnover (£m), 1997/1998

Table 28: Global Ranking of Leading Companies in Tyre and Non-Tyre Rubber Products (US$m), 1997

Table 29: Main Media Advertising Expenditure on Tyres (£000), 1997 and 1998

Table 30: Main Media Advertising Expenditure by Tyre and Exhaust Centres (£000), September 1997 and 1998

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT)

TYRES AND TUBES

GENERAL RUBBER PRODUCTS

Buying Behaviour

TYRES

GENERAL RUBBER PRODUCTS

Table 31: Tyre Buyers in the UK (000), 1998

Table 32: Tyre Purchases (000 and percent), 1998

Outside Suppliers to the Industry

INTRODUCTION

RAW AND PROCESSED MATERIALS

MACHINERY

Current Issues

TYRE DISPOSAL

HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT

NATURAL TYRE PRODUCTION

RUN FLAT TYRES

CONSOLIDATION IN WORLD TYRE MANUFACTURING

Forecasts

TOTAL APPARENT MARKET

TYRES

GENERAL RUBBER PRODUCTS

Table 33: Forecast of the Apparent UK Demand for Tyres and General Rubber Products (£m), 1999-2003

Table 34: Forecast of the Apparent UK Market for Tyres (£m), 1999-2003

Table 35: Forecast of the Apparent UK Market for General Rubber Products (£m), 1999-2000

Company Profiles

INTRODUCTION

DEFINITIONS

FURTHER INFORMATION

Further Sources

PERIODICALS

DIRECTORIES

GENERAL SOURCES

HBI UK INFORMATION SOURCES

GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS

OTHER SOURCES

Text © 1999 Key Note

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Last updated by Jacob van Eldik 21th January 2000