Over 70 Tire Manufacturers Announce Collective Price Hikes Amid Rising Raw Material Costs

[Market Update] Since mid-April, more than 70 tire manufacturers have intensively issued price increase notices, covering all product categories.

Core Trend: Leading Domestic and Foreign Brands Align on Price Adjustments, with Typical Increases of 2%–5%

Bridgestone (China) announced first on April 14 that passenger car tire prices would rise by 3%–5% effective May 1. The following day, major domestic brands—including Zhongce Rubber, Linglong Tire, Sailun, and Wanli—collectively followed suit. Some smaller manufacturers, such as Tengsen Rubber, implemented hikes as high as 10%.

Key Data: Raw Material Costs Account for Over 70%; Price Adjustments Fall Short of Cost Increases

The three primary raw materials in tire production—natural rubber, synthetic rubber, and carbon black—together constitute over 60% of total costs. Due to droughts in producing regions, soaring crude oil prices, and environmental production restrictions, natural rubber has reached a near five-year high, while carbon black prices surged 13% in a single month. As a result, the cost of all-steel radial tires in March rose nearly 7% compared to January, yet average price adjustments have only ranged from 1%–5%.

Strategic Rationale: Inflexible Cost Pressures Force Industry-Wide Price Revisions

This marks the second wave of price increases in 2026, following earlier coordinated adjustments in January and March. Companies acknowledge that current price hikes cannot fully offset rising input costs, indicating potential further upward pricing pressure ahead.