Steel Markets
August Heating and Cooling Equipment Shipments
Written by Brett Linton
October 9, 2020
August heating and cooling equipment shipments totaled 2.01 million units, up 12.7 percent from the same month one year ago, according to recent data from the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI). Total August shipments declined 1.1 percent over the previous month, but recall that we are coming down from a recent record-high; June 2020 saw the highest monthly shipment level in SMU’s 12-year history.
As a three-month moving average (3MMA), total heating and cooling shipments were up 12.1 percent year-over-year, following a 1.9 percent increase in July. This is the second consecutive month that 3MMA shipments have increased on a year-over-year basis since last October. This is the largest 3MMA annual rate of change seen since September 2016.
Residential and commercial storage water heater shipments increased 6.4 percent year over year to a combined 812,216 units; 795,447 units were shipped for residential use and 16,769 units for commercial use.
Shipments of warm air furnaces totaled 325,837 units in August, an increase of 5.5 percent compared to the same month last year. This is the second consecutive month that warm air furnace shipments have increased on a year-over-year basis since mid-2019.
Central air conditioners and air-source heat pump shipments were up 21.8 percent over levels one year ago to 950,122 total units; 639,349 air conditioners and 310,773 heat pumps were shipped. This is the largest year-over-year percentage change seen since November 2016.
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. To use its interactive features, view the graph on our website by clicking here. For assistance with either logging in or navigating the website, contact info@SteelMarketUpdate.com.
Brett Linton
Read more from Brett LintonLatest in Steel Markets
US construction spending drops again in August
Construction spending in the US declined for a third month in August but showed an increase year over year (y/y). The US Census Bureau estimated construction spending to be $2.131 trillion in August on a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR). While this was 0.1% below July’s revised spending rate, it was 4.1% higher than spending […]
Global steel production eases in August
Steel mill output around the world totaled 144.8 million metric tons (mt) in August, the lowest monthly rate of 2024.
Dismal ABI suggests weakness in non-res construction will persist
The August Architecture Billings Index (ABI) continued to indicate weak business conditions amongst architecture firms through August, according to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Deltek.
AISI: Raw steel production slips to 5-week low
Domestic raw steel mill production eased last week but remains at a healthy rate, according to the latest release from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).
Plate report: Prices getting closer to pre-Covid norms
The US plate market finds itself in unfamiliar territory, well maybe unfamiliar territory for this side of the post-Covid “normal,” that is.