Tread rubber shipments fall slightly

WASHINGTON (Feb. 10)—Tread rubber shipments fell less than 1 percent in 2001, recovering in the second half after a first-half decline of 3 percent, according to the Rubber Manufacturers Association. The trade group said demand should continue to grow through 2004. Retread shipments reached 16.3 million units in the U.S. in 2002, and should increase an average of 2.1 percent annually through 2004, the RMA said.