The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-06-24
TODAY'S
BUSINESS
MIRROR
BY SAM DAWSON

NEW 4Ohh III DSLIQ4t QPl1-
mism is spreading to Akron.
The auto industry, setting a pro-
duction record IN the first half of
this year, is boosting its goals for
the rest of 1858.
And some in me tire industry
insisting they're unGistlrbed that
stocks of unsold tires are one
fourth larger than a year ago
are raising 1858 sales estimates
by three million more passenger
car castings.
Counting in truck tires, many
in the industry look for 100 million
tires to be sold this year.
B. F. Goodrich spokesman say
passenger car tire sales this year
should run six million more than
last year. The auto industry's
squirt gets most of the credit.
E. J. Thomas, president of
Goodyear, has raised his estimates
of passenger car tire safes by three
million since his predictions of last
November. He believes the auto
industry will turn out six million
cars this year, giving an original
tire demand (including spares) of
3112 million. He expects replace
ment sales to be around 80 million,
as previously estimated and ex-
port sales to hold around one half
million.
To these total sales of 81 million.
he adds a year-end inventory of
two million tires. The IS million
total production would be IL per
cent higher than last year, he says.
Although the tire industry en-
tered the big-sales season with in
ventOries higher than in 1852 or
1851, Firestone spokesman say
stocks are now in normal rela-
tionship with safes.
They point out that in the two
preceding years, "tire inventories
were subnormal because of the
tremendous over-buying Of tires
by motorists in the summer of
1880, scare that the Korean War
would bring back tire rationing
FireStone. too, expects record
high consumption of rubber this
year and demand for more than
100 million tires" It has been pro-
ducing tires at a capacity rate on
a six-day basis all this year.
Increased military buying Of
trucks and truck tires has led
Thomas TO raise by one million
his estimates of total truck tire
sales this year TO Is million tires.
The Goodyear presidents guess
of total tire production of 90 mil
lion, is little more conservative
than others in The industry.
B. F, Goodrich, for instance.
thinks the industry will sell so mil
lion replacement tires for passen-
ger cars this year Zone million
more than Goodyear's guess. Last
year the industry provided ASIA
million requirements.
Truck tire requirements will
rise moderately to nine million
units, B. F. Goodrich expects.
Looking farther ahead. 3. F.
Goodrich predicts that by 1860
there will be 65tz million motor
vehicles registered, 81 million of
them passenger CATS. To service
them. the industry would sell
around &c million replacement
tires.
The estimate takes into consid-
Grafton an expected Is per cent
lengthening of tire life in the 1850
to 1860 decade. Should this i'm
provement fail 10 come as pre-
dicted, replacement sales in 1850
might then be even higher than
&C million.
IN their optimistic raising of
production goals for the balance
Of this year. the tire companies
have one hurdle 10 face right away.
This week and next the big rub
Der companies start wage nego-
tiations with the Ci0 United Rub
Der Workers. A strike could wreck
their plans.
So could any sIip-up in the ex.
pected big sales e autos for the
rest a this year, or large scale
business slump.