Michelin: Romanian Winter Tire Market Surged 130% In Jan-Sept To 1.46M Units

While in 2010, winter tire sales stood at 1.3 million units, they surged to 1.5 million in the first nine months of 2011, due to new regulations which force drivers to equip their cars with winter tires, said Ghica.

Under the new legislation, which takes effect on November 1, 2011, drivers must equip their cars with winter tires, or else they risk fines.

This summer, Michelin Romania representatives estimated the Romanian car tire market would increase 11% to 12% in 2011 compared with 2010, to about 3.4 million units.

Local car tire sales climbed 25% last year compared with 2009, to 3 million units.

France-based tire producer Michelin has been present on the Romanian market since 2001 and owns three tire factories locally – RomSteel Cord Zalau, Silvania Zalau and Victoria Floresti.

Since 2005, Michelin Romania has been coordinating operations in Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.

The French company employs 3,000 people in Romania.