The new Double Coin plant in Thailand, which incorporates some of the most advanced tire-making equipment in the world, began OTR radial production at a good time:

• Demand for OTR radials is up.
• More and more small OTR tread patterns are radial, as opposed to bias.

The U.S. economy is still recovering from the Great Recession and likely approaching another lesser downturn in 2019 or 2020, according to McKinsey & Associates.

Under economic strains, it’s all the more important for the construction industry to clamp down on inefficiency and improve productivity levels, which are second to last among all U.S. sectors, the McKinsey & Co. report noted.

Aggregates producers are moving full-steam ahead, according to the latest USGS production figures. Are your tires ready?