Recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics paints a mixed picture for the domestic tire industry. In October 2025, the national output of rubber tires failed to reverse its sluggish trend, with a monthly output of 97.951 million units, a year-on-year decrease of 2.5%. Looking at the period from January to October, although the cumulative output increased slightly by 1% to 996.421 million units, the growth momentum was clearly insufficient, and the growth rate showed a gradual narrowing trend.
As the global tire manufacturing center, China relies on exports for over 60% of its tire production, and the current cooling of foreign trade has become the biggest challenge facing the industry.
According to statistics from the General Administration of Customs, tire exports in October experienced a decline in both volume and price: China’s rubber tire exports totaled 750,000 tons, amounting to 12.532 billion yuan, representing year-on-year decreases of 6.6% and 9.5%, respectively. Automobile tire exports, which accounted for the majority, reached 633,000 tons, amounting to 10.223 billion yuan, with even steeper year-on-year declines of 7.3% and 10.7%, respectively. Although the cumulative data for the first 10 months shows that rubber tire exports still maintained positive growth of 3.8% in volume and 2.8% in value, the growth momentum has slowed significantly, indicating weakening external market demand. Among the major tire market segments, semi-steel tires (mainly used in passenger cars) and all-steel tires (mainly used in trucks and buses) show drastically different trends. Semi-steel tires are facing a downturn; it is estimated that China’s semi-steel tire production in October 2025 will only be 51.68 million units, a significant decrease of 14.22% month-on-month and 8.16% year-on-year, indicating a significant weakness in market demand. All-steel tires showed resilience, with October production reaching 12.42 million units. While this represented a 5.48% decrease month-on-month, it bucked the trend with a 17.84% year-on-year increase, demonstrating a relatively stable market foundation. However, the month-on-month decline in October also indicates that it could not remain unaffected by the global downturn. It is noteworthy that compared to the 2.5% decrease in national production, the export market experienced a more dramatic decline of over 6%. This contrast precisely reveals signs of recovery in the domestic market. Especially driven by the robust new energy vehicle industry, the domestic original equipment tire market has ushered in a golden period of “leapfrog development.” Several leading tire companies revealed that this year’s original equipment orders are experiencing a “supply shortage.” Furthermore, the original equipment market for commercial vehicle tires also performed well. Statistics show that in October 2025, retail sales of heavy-duty trucks reached 70,900 units, a year-on-year increase of 56.25%; from January to October, cumulative retail sales of heavy-duty trucks reached 646,900 units, a year-on-year increase of 33.90%. Among them, cumulative sales of tractor units reached 360,800 units, a year-on-year increase of 40.17%. Despite the overall pressure on the industry, some tire companies have achieved a counter-trend increase in revenue through precise strategic planning, becoming highlights in the market. Wanli Tire’s operating performance has been booming, with revenue increasing by a remarkable 17.47% year-on-year. Its overseas market successfully overcame various trade barriers, with sales surging by 21% year-on-year, achieving a commendable breakthrough. Double Coin Group (Xinjiang) Kunlun Tire Co., Ltd. has seen steady growth in domestic sales while its products are exported globally. From January to October this year, the company completed a production of 1.692 million tires, achieving an output value of 1.64 billion yuan, delivering a solid performance. However, entering November, surveys showed that overall tire companies’ order performance was lower than in October. The EU further escalated trade barriers against Chinese tires, and with the domestic snow tire season nearing its end, actual new orders were limited. All-season tires mainly continued to be sold based on immediate needs, with order volume lower than the previous month. The Chinese tire industry still faces many challenges in the future.
