Aftermarket Anticipating Harsh Winter

AKRON, Ohio--As weather experts predict a considerably colder climate for this winter, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. is anticipating an accelerated demand for its winter tires.

Early order shipments are up 4 percent this year, and the company plans to grow Goodyear’s winter tire market share by 25 percent and double it in the next three years.

Scientists from the National Weather Service are forecasting “a return to cold, snowy weather, now that La Nina and El Nino are out of the picture.” From New England to the Carolinas, cold weather will be routine this winter, they predict.

Despite a mild winter last year, in 1999 Goodyear shipped 37 percent more winter tires than in 1998. Mark Cherveny, Goodyear’s product manager for auto tires, said winter tire growth is expected to continue into 2000 and ‘01.

Weatherwise, experts expect a return to “normal” conditions in the Plains states, the Midwest and Northeast, according to Weather Service officials. Cold air outbreaks will lead to more days below zero degrees and heavier lake-effect snows.

Washington, D.C. could see average temperatures 4 degrees colder than the past three winters; Minneapolis is expected to be 6 degrees cooler; Chicago, 5 degrees colder. Even Florida, which will be warmer than normal, could see cold air outbreaks or “Florida Freezes.”

Meanwhile, Goodyear and other tire manufacturers have revamped their snow tire lines--and part of the reason for the demise of snow tires is due to snow tires themselves. “They were knobby, ugly and noisy,” said Cherveny. While they were good for driving in the snow, they had comparatively poor traction otherwise in the dry and wet, he added.

Thus Goodyear’s going with the winter tire--a type that can handle a variety of winter conditions and low temperatures, including snow, ice, dry pavement and wet and slushy conditions.

Cherveny said this new tire technology has contributed to the winter buying surge from mindful motorists. “I believe we made inroads into educating consumers on the important need for winter tires. There’s no substitute for the traction that winter tires offer,” he said.

“Tires play the single largest role in determining how your vehicle will handle in an emergency situation,” he said “It doesn’t matter how many electronic systems you have on your vehicle, such as traction control and anti-lock braking. The brakes might stop your wheels, but the tires stop your vehicle,” Cherveny added.

Goodyear has revamped its new passenger Ultra Grip tire lines with directional tread patterns and state-of-the-art tread compounds. These tread patterns, combined with special winter tread compounds, can handle a wide variety of conditions normally found during the winter season, according to Cherveny.

The company also has expanded its winter lineup with eight new sizes of its premium Ultra Grip Ice winter radial for a total of 22 sizes, five Ultra Grip winter tire sizes for 21 total sizes and four Eagle Ultra Grip performance sizes for a total of 21. Goodyear also sells a Wrangler Ultra Grip winter tire line for light trucks and sport utility vehicles, featuring the IceLoc silica tread compound for low-temperature traction on ice and on wet, slushy roads.

Cherveny said the studless Ultra Grip Ice radial delivers up to 35 percent improved snow traction and up to 40 percent better ice traction than conventional all-season tires.

Another issue driving winter tire sales is a resurgence in rear-wheel-drive vehicles that go beyond the traditional sports and large luxury cars, Cherveny reported. For example, DaimlerChrysler said it is considering switching its Dodge and Chrysler LH sedans to rear-wheel drive for the 2004 model year.

The automaker said it also may produce two concept cars--the Chrysler 300 Hemi C convertible and Dodge Charger R/T--in rear-wheel drive. These will be joined by large groups of rear-wheel-drive vehicles with Mercedes, BMW, Camaro, Mustang and Cadillac nameplates.

Automotive analysts say traction and stability control systems will improve rear-wheel-drive traction on wet or snowy roads. And that traction, said Cherveny, “will only be as good as the tires that grip the roadway.”