AC demand no longer seasonal predicts Lawton Tubes, as AC-related sales surge by 60%

Air conditioning engineers are being urged to prepare themselves for the “new normal” of red-hot demand for cooling systems all year round.

That’s the view of one of the UK’s leading suppliers into the industry, Lawton Tubes, who supply enough copper tube to the air conditioning industry every year to run the length of the UK 20 times.

In June alone, the business saw a 60 per cent rise in orders from air conditioning wholesalers as a result of more people seeking home installations due to the latest heatwaves.

The surge in demand has mainly been for the company’s new pre-insulated pair coils, saving the engineer much needed time and money.

The Coventry-based manufacturer believes the increase is another sign that air conditioning demand is becoming more consistent, with installers needing to prepare their businesses for increasingly frequent spikes in enquiries.

Chris White, Head of Air Conditioning and Refrigeration at Lawton Tubes, said every major heatwave now creates a wave of enquiries that often lasts long after temperatures have cooled.

He said: “The intensity and frequency of UK summer heat is now convincing more homeowners that they cannot experience another summer without air conditioning.

“The 60 per cent increase we’ve seen in demand over the past month reflects what many of our customers have been telling us for some time – residential air conditioning is no longer a niche market. It’s becoming a much more mainstream home improvement.

“That presents a fantastic opportunity for installers, but it also means preparing for demand that arrives in waves and can quickly stretch every part of the supply chain.”

Having worked with air conditioning wholesalers across the UK for decades, Chris says the businesses that perform best during busy periods are often those that have built the strongest partnerships with their suppliers.

He said: “The relationship across the supply chain has become much more important over the last few years.

“This industry is renowned for a last minute approach, and it’s why we offer efficient customer service, delivering into wholesalers next day or worse case within two to three days from order placement.

Chris believes installers can also improve capacity by identifying where time is being lost outside of the installation itself.

“One thing we hear repeatedly is that during heatwaves, it’s often surveys and quotations that become the biggest bottleneck rather than fitting the systems.

“Businesses that streamline those processes, allocate dedicated time for surveys or make better use of digital quoting tools can often complete more installations without needing to increase headcount.

“Likewise, reviewing the products and fittings used across projects can help simplify procurement and reduce unnecessary delays when demand is at its highest.

“Every surge in demand provides valuable insight.

“It’s worth taking stock afterwards and asking simple questions. Which products were hardest to source? Which types of jobs proved most profitable? Where were the delays? Which suppliers added the most value?

“The businesses that review those lessons after every busy period are usually the ones that cope best when the next heatwave arrives.”

Chris added that the increasingly unpredictable nature of British summers means collaboration across the supply chain will become even more important.

“As manufacturers, merchants and installers, we’re all adapting to a market that’s changing.

“A supplier should be a partner that understands your business, communicates openly and helps you plan ahead when demand shifts.

“The weather may be outside our control, but how well we prepare for it certainly isn’t.”

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