Combined U.S. factory shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps for March totaled 636,199, up 65% from last month’s total, but down 12% from March 2006 shipments, according to the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI).

Year-to-date combined U.S. factory shipments totaled 1.3 million, down 32% from the same period last year. Heat pump shipments for March totaled 195,470, up 43% from last month, but down 21% compared with March 2006 shipments. Year-to-date heat pump shipments totaled 449,123, down 22% from the same period last year.

Visithttp://www.ari.org/newsroom/stats/March07.htmfor more information.