US shipments continue to rise

USA: Sales of air conditioning and refrigeration equipment continue to show growth but the pace appears to be slowing.

Latest figures from the US Air-conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) report US shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps totalled 673,360 units in April 2015, up 3.8% from 648,404 units shipped in April 2014. Shipments of air conditioners was up 5.3%, to 456,072 units and air-source heat pumps increased 0.9%, to 217,288 units, up from 215,326 units shipped in April 2014.

Year-to-date combined shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps increased 12.2%, to 2,304,780 units, up from 2,054,421 units shipped in April 2014.

Distributor sales increase

In a separate survey, heating, air conditioning and refrigeration distributors reported average sales increases of 4.9% in April.

The figures, based on returns from members of HARDI (Heating, Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International), reveal an annualised growth through April 2015 of 6.3%.

“The continued growth in HARDI member sales is consistent with gains in overall consumer activity,” said HARDI’s senior economist Danielle Marceau. “However, we are starting to see tentative signs that are telling us the pace may begin to slow as we head into the latter half of the year.”

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