Tire Distributors Reporting Year-over-Year Tire Sales Gains in 2024, Bounces Back from 2023’s Low

The latest 2024 U.S. Tire Distribution Report has been released.

2024 has introduced a more complex business environment. Sales of both new and retread tires have declined—an effect felt across nearly all business sizes. While prices for both categories have risen, they remain below the levels recorded in 2023.

This shift underscores the evolving challenges tire distributors face, as they navigate pricing pressures and fluctuating demand in a post-pandemic market landscape.

This year’s report captures the 2024 landscape, but we’re already seeing dramatic shifts in 2025. With steel / steel cord making up approximately 15% of a truck tire’s composition, the recently implemented 25% steel tariff is significantly raising production costs (the most recent 50% tariff is not taken into account - the situation is fluid). Tire manufacturers are expected to pass these increases on to distributors and customers alike. The question now is—how will this affect tire distributors going forward? Only time will tell. Next year’s report finding could paint a very different picture.

For more information, please contact John Blodgett or call 630-916-6110.

2024 Construction Equipment Aftermarket Parts Demand Reaches $10.1 Billion

This report profiles 725 aftermarket components across 14 different types and sizes of construction equipment.

Aftermarket demand is influenced by equipment populations, parts pricing, usage rates, replacement frequency and type of replacements.....and we address all of these in our report.

Coming out of the pandemic years in 2022, the value of aftermarket demand for construction equipment rose 8.2%, followed by an increase of 2.3% in 2023. In 2024, aftermarket demand across the equipment categories tracked by DataMac is projected to reach $10.1 billion. This represents a 0.9% decline from 2023, despite a 2.5% increase in retail parts prices for the year.

Looking ahead to 2025, demand is expected to grow by 0.9%, effectively recovering the previous year's loss. From 2026 onward, year-over-year growth is forecast to range between 1% and 2%.

Our experienced team can help you with your research and data needs. Please email John Blodgett for more information or call 630-916-6110.

Brian VanCamp Provides Insights in Decisiv Podcast

As a supplement to the addition of Decisiv content to our DPP monthly reports, we’ve started a joint podcast series to summarize high-level details each quarter.  The 2nd recording is now available and touches on key topics such as part sales forecasts, hiring issues, part shortages, and market expectations for the next quarter.  Highlights are reported from monthly fleet, dealer, and distributor survey results. If you have suggestions or ideas for additional content please let us know!

Please email Brian VanCamp for more information or call 630-916-6110.

Excluding DEF, Primary Lubricant Demand for Construction Equipment in 2024 is down 2.3% Compared to 2023

Construction Equipment usage across fluids, lubricants, additives and consumables totals 573.6 million gallons in 2024. DEF constitutes the largest volume, but the transition to the population of machinery designed to consume DEF from pre-emission era equipment looks to have peaked. As such, we believe the constant increase each year should level out going forward with any changes directly related to equipment usage as measured in annual hours.

The total construction equipment operating population totals 2.3 million units. When segmented into fleet sizes, the two largest fleet sizes account for nearly 75% of the annual usage. Very little change is seen in fleet size demand year over year.  Exceptions can occur during periods of abnormal construction activity, but these do not frequently occur.

Reach out, we’d enjoy the opportunity to review the data and the companion online application with you and your team. Please email Brian VanCamp or John Blodgett for more information or call 630-916-6110.

MEMA-MacKay & Company Pulse Webinar

JUST IN: Hear from the fleets that were on our HDAD25 fleet panel in a 45-minute webinar on Wednesday, July 30th. As a follow-up to our January conversation, we will check in with Amanda Schuier (Jetco Delivery), Joe Phillips (Eagle Transport) and Nick Forte (Paragon Leasing). Among the topics, we will chat about:

1. How has 2025 been so far? What’s changed since January?

2. What changes have you made in your business plans since we last spoke?

3. Anything that suppliers can do to help you?

4. And take questions from the webinar attendees.

If you are a member of MEMA or a client of MacKay & Company, look for your email, mark your calendar and tee up for a conversation with the terrific trio!

ALSO, as part of MEMA’s ongoing Pulse Webinar series, Travis Kokenes and Bob Dieli will present the latest on the Economy and the Medium and Heavy Duty Aftermarket on Tuesday, August 19th. Registration is required and can be found on the MEMA website; we welcome your attendance and your questions during the Q & A portion of the presentation.

Mexico HD Aftermarket Pulse

Based on MacKay & Company’s last detailed study of the Mexico medium and heavy duty aftermarket for trucks, buses and trailers, we estimate the total market to be nearly $6.6 billion dollars (U.S. dollars). For more than 30 years, MacKay & Company has completed detailed studies of the parts aftermarket in Mexico (DataMac Truck & Bus Mexico). These studies are based on hundreds of surveys completed with fleets and parts distributors about their business.

While the DataMac Truck & Bus Mexico Reports are very detailed (down to the component level), it is currently updated every 4-5 years. This frequency may not provide enough current information on aftermarket conditions for our clients and may be more detailed with too high of an associated cost.

We now offer a quarterly report that will provide timely and top level data on the Mexico aftermarket for trucks, buses and trailers.

Paralleling topics in our DataPulse Plus report, on a quarterly basis, we will examine:

• Dealers’ Parts Sales: year-over-year, month-over-month, year to date and 2-3 month outlook

• Dealers’ Service Labor Sales: year-over-year, month-over-month, year to date and 2-3 month outlook

• Dealers’ Inventory Levels: year-over-year, month-over-month and 2-3 month outlook

• Independent Garages/HDDs’ Parts Sales: year-over-year, month-over-month, year to date and 2-3 month outlook

• Independent Garages/HDDs’ Service Labor Sales: year-over-year, month-over-month, year to date and 2-3 month outlook

• Independent Garages/HDDs’ Inventory Levels: year-over-year, month-over-month and 2-3 month outlook

For the U.S. and Canada, we have similar reports that are updated annually. We also have a monthly report, DataPulse Plus, that provides our customers with insights on aftermarket activity. Like DataPulse Plus, the Mexico Heavy Duty Aftermarket Pulse will provide readers with insights into aftermarket activity, based on quarterly feedback from truck dealers and independent parts suppliers, with the potential of adding fleets in the future.

Our current schedule is to have the first report completed in the next couple of weeks (mid-June). The report can be purchased with an annual subscription (4 reports). Discounts will be provided to DataMac Truck & Bus Mexico 2023 subscribers.

Please reach out to John Blodgett for more information.