ARLINGTON, Va. - Shipments of unitary air conditioners and air-source heat pumps surged past the 7 million unit mark for the first time in 2004, ending the year with 7,401,067 units shipped, which easily eclipsed the previous record of 6,807,262 units set in 2003, according to the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI).

Combined U.S. factory shipments of unitary air conditioners and air-source heat pumps for 2004 were 9 percent ahead of 2003.

Heat pumps ended up with a record 1,886,100 units shipped for 2004, jumping 16 percent ahead of 2003.

Publication date: 01/31/2005