According to the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA), U.S. tire shipments were projected to reach 296 million units in 2011, up nearly 11 million units over 2010 tire shipments. The original equipment sector for passenger tires forecast was lowered to 36 million units, up 8.5 percent compared to 2010 as a result of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in May 2011 that caused a disruption in the automobile manufacturing supply chain. Demand for replacement passenger car tires was projected to increase nearly 1 percent to an estimated 202 million units in 2011, an increase of nearly 2 million units compared to the previous year. The bottom line was that consumers were faced with higher fuel costs that translated into fewer miles driven along with a recovering economy that left consumers cautious.