The Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) reports that this is now the third June in a row that manufacturers have shattered the single-month unitary shipment record, thanks to replacements, warmer-than-normal weather in the Southwest and West, and a U.S. economy that showed surprising strength in the second quarter.

The industry saw its first-ever monthly shipment total over 900,000 units, notching a 10% jump over the previous record set in 1999.

Manufacturers also benefited from the warmest spring on record, as calculated by the National Climatic Data Center. However, says ARI, shipments over the last decade have become less dependent on the weather.

More than half of shipments result from consumers seeking replacements, which now account for 55% to 60% of the shipment total, a trend that is expected to continue as homeowners and businesses seek more efficient units and undertake remodeling.

Publication date: 08/21/2000