Steel Markets

AHRI: Shipments Decline After Two Months of Increases
Written by Becca Moczygemba
June 9, 2023
US heating and cooling equipment shipments saw a drop in April from the previous month and year over year, according to the most recent data released from the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI).
Total shipments in April were 1.74 million units, compared to 2.03 million units in March. Shipments were down 14% month over month (MoM), and down 16% year over year (YoY). This April drop follows two months of increases.
On a 12-month moving average (12MMA) basis, shipments were down to 1.86 million units per month compared to 2.03 million units in April 2022.
As shown in the chart below, total heating and cooling shipments on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis through April were down 12% compared with the same period last year.
Residential and commercial storage water heater shipments decreased 4% YoY to a combined 778,156 units in April, but increased MoM from 882,119 units.
April shipments of warm air furnaces totaled 250,557 units, a decrease of 7% compared to March, but down 22% from a year earlier.
Central air conditioners and air-source heat pump shipments were down 19% MoM and dropped by 16% YoY. Units shipped in April totaled 712,049. When broken down by product, 418,975 air conditioners and 293,074 heat pumps were shipped, respectively.
The full press release from which this data comes from is available on the AHRI website.
An interactive history of heating and cooling equipment shipment data is available on our website. If you need assistance logging in to or navigating the website, please contact us at info@steelmarketupdate.com.
By Becca Moczygemba, becca@steelmarketupdate.com

Becca Moczygemba
Read more from Becca MoczygembaLatest in Steel Markets

USW cheers Evraz NA agreement with Atlas Holdings
The United Steelworkers (USW) labor union celebrated recent news of the signed agreement between Atlas Holdings and Evraz NA in which the Connecticut-based private equity company said it plans to acquire North America’s Evraz facilities.

Steel buyer spirits tempered by soft spot market conditions
Steel sheet buyers report feeling bogged down by the ongoing stresses of stagnant demand, news fatigue, tariff negotiations or implementation timelines, and persistent macroeconomic uncertainty.

Hot-rolled coil buyers continue seeking certainty
Steel market participants contend that buyers will remain in “wait-and-see" mode until some market stability is restored.

Latin American steel advocates warn on cheap import flood
Subsidized Chinese steel imports and cheap steel products from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) entering Latin American (LATAM) are threatening the region's steel market.

CRU: Steel prices fall amid global demand weakness
The forceful headwinds bearing down on steel markets across the globe have created demand challenges and sent prices southward. The US, however, challenged the global trend.