October Majap Shipments Slip 3.8%

By Alan Wolf On Dec 7 2009 - 8:00am

The freefall in factory shipments of major appliances abated in October, when wholesale sales slipped by a relatively modest 3.8 percent year over year.

According to the latest data compiled by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), at least two core categories — laundry and kitchen cleanup — showed positive growth during the month, while declines in other key sectors slowed to the single digits.

Kitchen cleanup proved to be October's strongest performer, with gains of 2 percent, led by a 2.7 percent rise in dishwasher shipments, to about 443,100 units, and a 1.7 percent increase in disposers. Together they offset a 29 percent decline in wholesale sales of trash compactors.

Home laundry put in the second-strongest performance of the month, with a 1 percent gain in shipments to 1.1 million units. Gas dryers showed the greatest growth, up 5.6 percent in wholesale sales year over year, followed by washers, which increased 2.4 percent to about 602,100 units.

But continuing their successive monthly wholesale declines were the cooking and food preservation categories. The former fell 5.8 percent to 1.5 million units, although pockets of strength appeared in gas ranges (up 9.7 percent) and gas ovens (ahead 4.2 percent). Microwave oven shipments declined 8.6 percent, and electric cooking products decreased 6.3 percent.

The biggest relative hit came in the core food preservation category, which retreated 7.8 percent on double-digit declines in stand-alone freezers. Refrigerator shipments held up better, falling only 4.3 percent year over year to about 653,900 units.

Taking it on the chin in October was home comfort, which fell nearly 89 percent to 5 million units as retailers returned some 52,800 unsold room air conditioners.

Shipments of the so-called “AHAM 6” — a composite category that combines washers, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, ranges and ovens — slipped by a modest 1.7 percent to 2.9 million units, but is down 11.2 percent year to date through October, AHAM reported.

Industry Shipments of Major Appliances*
(In Thousands of Units)