According to the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI), shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps set a record in 2003. That was obviously good news to manufacturers. The upswing continues in 2004, as many of the major unitary manufacturers launched a surprisingly large number of brand-new residential and light commercial air conditioning products during the first quarter of this year, January through the end of March.
"We are seeing an upsurge," stated J.R. Jones, president of Rheem Air Conditioning Division, during a break at the 2004 Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) Conference. "All of our outdoor units are going under redevelopment, too."