The race for a spot among the world’s top five tire makers is heating up. While the upper echelon remains stable, the 5th-place seat is seeing fierce competition.
The annual Global Tire Report unveils extensive operational data for the industry. This year’s ranking draws particular attention to Yokohama Rubber. Founded back in 1917, this long-established tire manufacturer is rapidly moving up the rankings and has emerged as a strong contender vying for a top-five global position.
The top of the leaderboard has stayed consistent for seven years running: Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Continental and Pirelli retain their places as the world’s top five tire producers. Except for Michelin, the other four top players posted higher tire sales in 2025. Combined tire revenue of Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear and Continental reached $76 billion last year.
In 2025, major leading tire groups rolled out operational streamlining initiatives and refocused their strategies on their core tire business.
Within the top five, the fight for 5th place stands out.Pirelli has held the 5th global position for a long time and enjoyed solid results in 2025, with tire sales rising by more than $300 million year-on-year. Still, fierce competitors are closing the gap quickly.
Thanks largely to its acquisition of Goodyear’s off-the-road tire business in early 2025, Yokohama Rubber achieved a $1 billion increase in tire sales compared with 2024. In this year’s ranking, Yokohama Rubber and Sumitomo Rubber swapped positions, ranking 6th and 8th respectively. Hankook Tire maintained its 7th spot backed by robust sales growth. Sumitomo Rubber’s drop to 8th place mainly reflects the stronger performance of Yokohama and Hankook over the same period. Sumitomo completed the purchase of the Dunlop brand from Goodyear in May 2025, and its revenue is expected to grow further as it integrates the Dunlop portfolio.
Zhongce Rubber and Sailun Group have kept their 9th and 10th positions for two consecutive years and are likely to maintain their rankings next year.
Outside the top 10, Qingdao Doublestar saw the biggest jump in the ranking, climbing from 49th to 11th. This ranking shift stems from accounting adjustments related to its stake in Kumho Tire (ranked 15th, with Doublestar holding a 43% share).
External factors including geopolitical conflicts and tariff policies have created distinct challenges for tire manufacturers across the globe. Meanwhile, legacy tire producers are revamping internal operations to build competitiveness for the future. Every player in the global tire market is stepping on the gas, making this ranking race well worth watching.
