Steel Markets

Heating and Cooling Equipment Shipments Slip in October
Written by Brett Linton
December 13, 2019
October heating and cooling equipment shipments came in at 1.52 million units, down 2.3 percent from the same month one year ago, according to recent data from the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI). This is the second consecutive month in which total shipments have decreased on a year-over-year basis.
Residential and commercial storage water heater shipments fell 2.8 percent year over year to a combined 712,371 units; 692,576 units were shipped for residential use and 19,795 units for commercial use. Prior to this month, year-over-year water heater shipments were up each of the past three months.
Shipments of warm air furnaces totaled 295,521 units in October, down 7.6 percent compared to the same month last year. This is the fourth consecutive month warm air furnace shipments have decreased on a year-over-year basis.
Central air conditioners and air-source heat pump shipments rose 1.8 percent over a year ago to 516,476 total units; 315,498 air conditioners and 200,978 heat pumps were shipped. This is the fourth consecutive month air conditioners and air-source heat pump shipments have increased on a year-over-year basis.
The full press release is available on the AHRI website here.
Below is a graph showing the history of total water heater, warm air furnace and air conditioner shipments. You will need to view the graph on our website to use it’s interactive features; you can do so by clicking here. If you need assistance with either logging in or navigating the website, contact info@SteelMarketUpdate.com.

Brett Linton
Read more from Brett LintonLatest in Steel Markets

Hot-rolled sources say demand continues to dwindle, prices feel arbitrary
Genuine demand, they stated, will return when the market feels stable again.

FabArc Steel Supply completes projects in Mississippi, Georgia
FabArc Steel Supply announced this week the completion of two large-scale projects in Georgia and Mississippi.

Thin demand keeps plate prices hovering at lowest levels since February
Participants in the domestic plate market say spot prices appear to have hit the floor, and they continue to linger there. They say demand for steel remains thin, with plate products no exception.

Worldsteel: Global steel demand flat, but modest rebound forecast for 2026
The World Steel Association (worldsteel) Short Range Outlook for global steel demand predicts that 2025’s steel demand will clock in at the same level as in 2024. In its October report, the Brussels-based association stated that this year’s steel demand will reach ~1,750 million metric tons (mt). The organization forecasts a 1.3% demand rebound in 2026, pushing […]

CRU: China’s indirect steel exports find new destination markets
The boom in China’s direct steel exports has not stopped this year, even with a rise in protectionist measures globally. The increase is driven by...