ARLINGTON, Va. - Combined U.S. factory shipments of 557,509 central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps in August were down 10 percent compared to the same month last year, according to statistics from the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI). ARI also reports that heat pump shipments of 144,364 were up 2 percent compared to August 2003. Total shipments of 5,632,767 units are up 9 percent for the first eight months of 2004.

Factory stocks for August 2004 were up 91,082 units from July 2004, and up 210,237 units from August 2003. Distributor inventories were down 185,454 units in August 2004 compared to July 2004, and up 67,596 units from August 2003.

Distributor shipments for August 2004 were down 1 percent from August of the previous year, with year-to-date shipments up 6 percent.

Publication date: 10/11/2004