Steel Markets
AHRI: Shipments Up in May
Written by Becca Moczygemba
July 18, 2023
US heating and cooling equipment shipments recovered in May, according to the most recent data released from the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI).
The total amount of units shipped for the month of May was 1.98 million, compared to 1.74 million units in April. Shipments were up 13% month-over-month (MoM), but down 6% year-over-year (YoY).
On a 12-month moving average (12MMA) basis, shipments were down to 1.85 million units per month compared to 2.03 million units in May 2022.
As shown in the chart below, the annual rate of change in heating and cooling shipments on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis has been trending downward since mid-2022.
Residential and commercial water heater shipments increased 10% YoY to a combined 814,889 units in May, increasing from 778,146 units in April.
May shipments of warm air furnaces totaled 249,477 units, showing no change compared to April, but down 23% from a year earlier.
Central air conditioners and air-source heat pump shipments were up 28% MoM but down 11% YoY. Units shipped in May totaled 908,050. When broken down by product, 527,908 air conditioners and 380,142 heat pumps were shipped.
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
ArcelorMittal plans wire-drawing closure in Hamilton, shifts production to Montreal
ArcelorMittal’s (AM) Hamilton location to be shuttered, wire production shifting to Montreal.
Tariffs, ample domestic supply cause importers to shift or cancel HR import orders
Subdued demand is causing importers to cancel hot-rolled (HR) coil orders and renegotiate the terms of shipments currently enroute to the US, importers say. An executive for a large overseas mill said customers might find it difficult to justify making imports buys after US President Donald Trump doubled the 25% Section 232 tariff on imported steel […]
CRU Insight: A 50% S232 tariff will raise US steel prices and shift trade flows
This CRU Insight examines how the increase in Section 232 tariffs on steel to challenging levels will lead to significatively higher prices for end consumers in the US market.
Steel market shakes tariffs off amid weak demand
Service centers and distributors contend that weak demand is to blame for the flattening of domestic steel spot prices, as reflected in Nucor Steel’s weekly Consumer Spot Price (CSP) notice. On Monday, the Charlotte, North Carolina-headquartered steel producer left prices unchanged from the previous week. Nucor has maintained prices of plate produced in Brandenburg since March 28.
SMU’s May at a glance
SMU’s Monthly Review provides a summary of our key steel market metrics for the previous month, with the latest data updated through May 30.