The major appliance industry ended 2016 on a high note.
According to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), factory shipments of white-goods rose 8.5 percent year-over-year in December, to some 6.4 million units.
The increase was the second-highest monthly gain of 2016, trailing only November, when an inventory buildup for Black Friday fueled a 13 percent spike.
Leading last month’s charge was laundry, with shipments up 20 percent for washers and 22 percent for gas dryers.
Also putting in a strong showing was the cooking category, with factory shipments up 19 percent for wall ovens and 20 percent for gas cooktops.
Refrigerators and dishwashers also held their own, up 14.5 percent and 10.3 percent, respectively.
The gains more than offset steep declines in room air (down 19.5 percent), portable dishwashers (down 27.5 percent) and dehumidifiers (down 33 percent).
Providing a December snapshot is the “AHAM 6,” a composite of the core washer, dryer, dishwasher, refrigerator, freezer, range and oven categories, which rose 14.3 percent year over year.
Nonetheless, 2016 will hardly be one for the record books, with total-year shipments up a middling 3.3 percent, AHAM reported.
