Appliance dealers loaded up on inventory in June in advance of the key July 4th holiday shopping period.
According to the latest vendor data from the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), domestic shipments of white goods rose 14.3 percent to nearly 9.3 million units during the June cycle, which ran May 28-July 1.
That’s up from an 8.7 percent increase the prior month, and a 5.6 percent increase the prior year.
With summer approaching, room air helped lead the way with a 24 percent surge, although disposers captured the month with a 42 percent increase in volume.
Core categories also performed well, with washers up 10 percent and dryers up 7 percent; microwave ovens ahead 29 percent; and dishwashers cleaning up with a 6 percent increase for the period.
Oddly, demand for refrigerators cooled off for the Fourth, with factory shipments edging up just 1 percent.
All told, the pre-holiday push raised majap makers’ year-to-date gains to 7.4 percent, or 41.8 million units shipped through July 1.