Demand for all-steel radial tyre moulds has surged, with the engineering tyre market emerging as a new growth driver

Recently, the domestic tyre mould market has undergone structural changes. Benefiting from continued increases in national infrastructure investment, the recovery of the mining industry, and growing demand for infrastructure construction in countries along the ‘Belt and Road’ route, the market for all-steel radial tyre moulds—particularly those for construction tyres—has experienced explosive growth, becoming a new growth engine for the tyre mould industry.
According to statistics from the China Rubber Industry Association, in the first half of 2024, orders for engineering tyre moulds rose by 35% year-on-year, far outpacing the 12% growth rate of semi-steel radial tyre moulds. There is robust demand for moulds to produce tyres for construction machinery such as excavators, loaders and cranes, with large-sized, deep-tread and highly wear-resistant engineering tyre moulds becoming a market highlight. Major domestic tyre mould manufacturers have been adjusting their product portfolios and increasing investment in engineering tyre mould production capacity.
Industry analysts point out that the technical barriers for engineering tyre moulds are relatively high. Compared to passenger car tyre moulds, engineering tyre moulds are larger in size, more complex in structure and subject to higher load-bearing requirements, placing greater demands on mould material strength, machining precision and service life. Enterprises capable of producing large-size engineering tyre moulds must possess five-axis machining capabilities, EDM (electrical discharge machining) technology and extensive design and manufacturing experience.
It is worth noting that engineering tyre moulds are highly customised. As different types of construction machinery have significantly varying requirements for tyre performance, tyre manufacturers need to tailor mould structures and tread patterns to specific application scenarios. This places greater demands on mould manufacturers’ R&D capabilities and ability to respond rapidly. Companies such as Nachuan Mould, which possess end-to-end digital capabilities spanning CAD/CAM, CNC and EDM and can provide customised solutions, hold a distinct advantage in the competitive market.
From a regional perspective, demand for tyre moulds is most concentrated in Shandong, Jiangsu and Hunan—the main domestic production hubs for construction machinery. Meanwhile, the export market has also performed impressively, with infrastructure demand in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa driving growth in Chinese exports of construction tyre moulds by over 20%.
Looking ahead, with the advancement of new urbanisation initiatives, increased mining activity and the ongoing implementation of overseas infrastructure projects, the market for construction tyre moulds is expected to maintain a high growth trajectory. It is projected that by 2026, the construction tyre mould market will account for over 25% of the total tyre mould market, becoming the second-largest category after semi-steel radial tyre moulds.