ARLINGTON, Va. - Combined U.S. factory shipments of 573,401 central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps for September jumped 14 percent compared to shipments from the same month last year, making a record year possible, according to the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI). Combined unitary shipments of 6,206,168 units for the first nine months of 2004 are up 9 percent compared to shipments from the same period last year.

Heat pump shipments in September of 149,135 were up 15 percent compared to September 2003. The year-to-date total of 1,510,157 is up 17 percent from January-September 2003.

Distributor shipments for September were up 14 percent from September 2003, with year-to-date shipments up 7 percent.