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AHAM Reports Sales Chilled in December

By Tedra Meyer On Jan 29 2001 - 8:00am

WASHINGTON - Factory shipments of major cooking appliances continued to head south in December, falling 4.4 percent below the same month last year, according to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM).

December's numbers served as salt in the industry's wound, following an October fall of 11.1 percent in factory sales and November's negligible recovery of 1.4 percent, compared with the same periods in 1999.

AHAM reported 5.6 million units shipped in December 2000, compared with 5.9 million the previous December. However, year-end totals increased in all categories, with 65 million units shipping, 3.7 percent more than in 1999.

Taking the hardest hit for the month were the cooking and home comfort categories, which fell 16.1 percent and 15.1 percent, respectively, when compared with the same period last year. Refrigerators and freezers fell 6.0 percent.

The home laundry category was the only one to see considerable light in December, with 1.5 million units shipping, or 14.4 percent more than the same month in 1999. Kitchen cleanup products increased 1.1 percent, compared with the year-ago period.

The so-called "AHAM 6" - washers, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, and freestanding and built-in ranges - grew slightly, with 3.7 million units shipping, 2.5 percent more than December 1999. The year total also grew 1.9 percent, with 38.4 million units shipping.

Industry Shipments Of Major Appliances* / Units in 1,000s

Product	2000 DECEMBER	1999 DECEMBER	% Chg.	2000 12 mos.	1999 12 mos.	% Chg.
ALL MAJOR APPLIANCES	5,621.00	5,876.70	-4.40	64,997.90	62,687.60	3.70
COOKING - TOTAL	1,904.10	2,268.60	-16.10	20,845.50	19,540.60	6.70
ELECTRIC RANGES - TOTAL	506	502.3	0.70	5,025.70	4,982.40	0.90
Freestanding	384.3	385.5	-0.30	3,826.10	3,784.80	1.10
Built-In	73.3	69.7	5.10	705.9	704.5	0.20
Surface Cooking Units	48.3	47.1	2.70	493.7	493.1	0.10
GAS RANGES - TOTAL	323.2	322.8	0.10	3,176.30	3,136.20	1.30
Freestanding	278.1	282.6	-1.60	2,729.10	2,697.60	1.20
Built-In	7.6	6.9	9.30	69.9	71.9	-2.70
Surface Cooking Units	37.5	33.3	12.50	377.3	366.7	2.90
MICROWAVE OVENS	1,075.00	1,443.50	-25.50	12,643.60	11,421.90	10.70
HOME LAUNDRY - TOTAL	1,456.50	1,272.70	14.40	14,069.50	13,621.60	3.30
AUTOMATIC WASHERS	773.2	665.1	16.30	7,495.00	7,313.20	2.50
DRYERS - TOTAL	683.3	607.6	12.50	6,574.50	6,308.40	4.20
Electric	532	473.2	12.40	5,094.70	4,864.70	4.70
Gas	151.4	134.4	12.60	1,479.80	1,443.70	2.50
KITCHEN CLEANUP - TOTAL	1,168.80	1,155.90	1.10	11,430.90	11,195.40	2.10
DISPOSERS	565.5	519.3	8.90	5,485.00	5,369.40	2.20
DISHWASHERS - TOTAL	590	624.1	-5.50	5,827.70	5,711.20	2.00
Built-In	570.1	602.2	-5.30	5,663.30	5,541.60	2.20
Portable	19.9	21.9	-9.40	164.4	169.6	-3.10
COMPACTORS	13.3	12.5	6.50	118.2	114.7	3.00
FOOD PRESERVATION - TOTAL	928.9	987.9	-6.00	11,180.10	11,085.70	0.90
REFRIGERATORS	755.7	768	-1.60	9,216.60	9,098.60	1.30
FREEZERS - TOTAL	173.2	219.9	-21.20	1,963.50	1,987.10	-1.20
Chest	94.7	121.6	-22.10	1,075.50	1,057.70	1.70
Upright	78.5	98.2	-20.10	888	929.5	-4.50
HOME COMFORT - TOTAL	162.6	191.6	-15.10	7,471.80	7,244.40	3.10
ROOM AIR CONDITIONERS	148.4	180.5	-17.80	6,496.40	6,294.20	3.20
DEHUMIDIFIERS	14.3	11.1	28.40	975.4	950.2	2.70
AHAM 6**	3,718.70	3,629.40	2.50	38,408.40	37,677.40	1.90