ETRMA asks EU to support tire makers as coronavirus pandemic worsens

BRUSSELS—The European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers Association is calling on the European Union and authorities from European nations to enact policies that will help European tire manufacturers through the coronavirus pandemic.

"The increasingly severe impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic on our societies and economy is unlike anything we have seen before," the ETRMA said in a March 24 press release.

"Health concerns, supply shortages, low demand and government measures have led the European tire industry to take decisive action," the association said.

The industry is taking all necessary steps to protect their employees and communities, including the temporary closure of tire production facilities, according to the ETRMA.

"The suspension of the main operational activities will undoubtedly have severe, long-lasting reverberations for our industry," ETRMA Secretary General Fazilet Cinaralp said in statement. "This is one of the biggest challenges our industry has ever faced, and it is as yet unclear when the European tire industry will be able to resume its production activities and the international supply chain will be up and running again."

The association said it supports constructive dialogue between industry, EU institutions and governments to develop policies that support both the well-being of tire industry workers during the crisis and the smooth return to manufacturing operations once the crisis is over.

To date, Apollo Tyres Ltd., Bridgestone Corp., Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., Goodyear and Pirelli Tyre have announced plant shutdowns and/or production scale-backs related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ETRMA represent nearly 4,400 companies in the E.U., directly employing about 370,000 people. Member companies operate 93 tire factories and 17 R&D centers.