The Goodyear Tire(US:GT) Sou Hu Cai Jing·2025-09-16 03:06Core Viewpoint - The German rubber industry, particularly the tire manufacturing sector, is facing a severe downturn characterized by declines in production, sales, and employment, prompting concerns about the future of this once-dominant industrial sector in Europe [1][6]. Industry Overview - The German rubber industry reported a total production decline of 8.2% in the first half of 2025, dropping to 560,000 tons [2]. - Tire manufacturing specifically saw a production decrease of 8.2%, amounting to 220,000 tons, while rubber products also fell by 8.1% to 340,000 tons [2]. - The average capacity utilization across the industry is at 77.8%, down by 1.1 percentage points from the previous year [4]. Employment and Sales Impact - Total employment in the rubber industry has decreased by 6.2%, resulting in 60,200 jobs, with the tire sector alone losing 7.7% of its workforce, leaving only 18,000 positions [4]. - Tire sales revenue continued to decline, with total sales dropping by 8.2% to €1.91 billion in the first half of the year. Domestic sales fell by 8.2% to €1.4 billion, while exports decreased by 8.1% to €510 million [4]. Factory Closures and Job Cuts - A significant wave of factory closures and layoffs is sweeping through the German tire manufacturing sector, with Michelin announcing the gradual shutdown of its Karlsruhe and Trier plants, effectively exiting the truck tire production business in Germany [8]. - Goodyear plans to completely close its Fulda plant by 2025, affecting approximately 1,050 jobs, and will cease tire manufacturing at its Pfaffenhausen plant by 2027, impacting around 700 positions [10]. - The closure of these facilities means that one-third of Germany's 12 tire production plants may shut down in the coming years, severely impacting industry production capacity [12]. Competitive Challenges - The challenges facing the German tire industry are attributed to multiple factors, including intense international competition, with Michelin citing the increasing competition from low-cost truck tires and a lack of competitiveness in both European and export markets [13]. - The transition of the German automotive industry towards electric vehicles is also straining upstream suppliers, as demand for traditional components declines while the new market landscape remains unstable [15]. - High operational costs and a complex regulatory environment are seen as significant barriers to competitiveness, with industry leaders calling for urgent reforms to alleviate these pressures [17].