ARLINGTON, Va. - Combined U.S. factory shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps totaled 739,871 for July, an increase of 8 percent over the same month last year, according to the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI).

ARI statistics also show that July heat pump shipments of 188,658 jumped 28 percent compared to July 2003. Combined unitary shipments for the first seven months of 2004 are up 11 percent compared to shipments from the same period last year.

Factory stocks for July 2004 were up 88,079 from the previous month, and up 239,481 from July 2003.

Distributor inventories were down from June 2004 with 77,489 units, but up 120,479 units from July 2004. Distributor shipments for July 2004 were up 3 percent from the same month last year with year-to-date shipments up 7 percent.

Publication date: 09/13/2004