Estimates by the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) for Model Year (MY) 2004, that ended in February, indicate that snow thrower ship-ments grew significantly (54.2 per-cent) from the 2003 level. Last year’s expectations for growth in 2004 were fulfilled, because the snow thrower shipment season is short and has always been sub-ject to large swings in retail inventory.

Recent history clearly demon-strates this. While 2002 was a great year for shipments, the season was dry and mild so retail inventory accumulated. This in turn damp-ened snow thrower shipments dur-ing the 2003 Model Year. The harsh winter of MY 2003 greatly reduced the level of product invent-ory, which in turn created the increase in shipments during MY 2004.

The 2004 Model Year (March 2003 through February 2004) indicated that shipments for snow throwers were 872,205 compared to 565,549 for MY 2003.

OPEI is the major international trade association representing the manufacturers and their suppliers of consumer and commercial outdoor power equipment such as lawnmowers, garden tractors, utility vehicles, trimmers, edgers, chain saws, snow throwers, tillers, leaf blowers and other related products. Founded in 1952, the Institute is dedicated to promoting the outdoor power equipment industry by undertaking activities that can be pursued more effectively by an association than by individual companies.