COLUMBUS, Ohio - Heating, Airconditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) announced national HVACR distributor sales for March 2009 were (at median) -10.8 percent when compared to March 2008 in its Monthly Targeted and Regional Economic News for Distribution Strategies (TRENDS) report. The HARDI West region posted the steepest decline at -32.7 percent at median.

However, three regions reported sales gains (at median) in March - Southwest, +15.7 percent; Great Lakes, +3.6 percent; and Canada +0.6 percent.

By sales volume, only the small firm category ($5 million or less) posted a sales gain for March at +11 percent. Median Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) stood at 52.43 days up 1.2 days from February 2009.

The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) released its March numbers as well. The combined U.S. factory shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps for March totaled 465,454, down 22 percent, compared with the same month a year ago.

For the year-to-date, combined shipments totaled 955,317, down 24 percent compared with the same period last year. Heat pump shipments were down 16 percent for March and 20 percent year-to-date.

U.S. factory shipments of gas-fired, warm-air furnaces in March totaled 160,339, a 20 percent drop compared with the same month a year ago. For the year-to-date, gas furnace shipments totaled 418,338, a 20.8 percent drop compared with the same period last year.

Oil-fired, warm-air furnaces for the same month totaled 3,337; a 20.3 percent drop compared with March 2008 totals. Oil furnace shipments for the year-to-date totaled 10,147, a 26 percent drop compared with the same period last year.

For more information, visit www.hardinet.org or www.ahrinet.org.

Publication date: 05/25/2009