OSAKA -- Three leading manufacturers of home-use air conditioners are continuing higher rates of production this month, which usually sees slow output in response to falling demand, industry officials said Tuesday.
Daikin Industries Ltd. has boosted production by about 40 percent from a year earlier at its Kusatsu plant in Shiga Prefecture. The company has also cut its summer vacation to nine days from the initially planned 13.
Toshiba Corp. has maintained capacity production at its subsidiary Toshiba Carrier Corp. in Fuji, Shizuoka Prefecture, which usually halves output in August. Mitsubishi Electric Corp. has raised production by 50 percent.
Daikin officials said the firm expects a 15 percent increase in shipments of air conditioners this summer compared to last year. Mitsubishi Electric officials likewise forecast a double-digit rise in shipments.
Overall shipments are expected to increase 5 percent to 6 percent to around 7.5 million units, and the three firms are estimated to share 30 percent to 40 percent of shipments so far.
In contrast with those three manufacturers, industry leader Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. has almost completed production for this summer and begun preparations for next season. Hitachi Ltd. and other makers have not boosted production.