ARLINGTON, Va. - Combined U.S. factory shipments of 730,851 central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps for March were up 8 percent compared to shipments from the same month last year, according to statistics from the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI). Heat pump shipments of 168,631 were also up 13 percent compared to March 2003. Shipments for the first three months of 2004 were up 5 percent compared to shipments from the same period last year.

Factory stocks for March 2004 were up 162,937 units from February 2004, and up 101,909 units from March 2003. Distributor inventories for March 2004 were up 56,297 units from February 2004, and down 140,396 units from March 2003. March 2004 distributor shipments were up 8 percent from March 2003, with year-to-date shipments up 9 percent.

Publication date: 05/10/2004