BENTON HARBOR, Mich.,
May 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/
-- Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) announced today it is
investing $15 million into its
factory in Tulsa, Oklahoma as part
of the company's ongoing efforts to further strengthen its U.S.
manufacturing capabilities and bring even more innovation, top
ranking consumer products and high-quality jobs to the
region. In conjunction with its investment, Whirlpool Corporation
will receive an additional $1 million
from the state of Oklahoma through its Business Expansion
Investment Program (BEIP). The plant produces freestanding and
slide-in ranges under the Whirlpool, Amana, Maytag, KitchenAid and
JennAir brands.
Through funding from both parties, Whirlpool Corporation expects
to create approximately 150 new jobs, building on the
company's Tulsa expansion project
announced in 2018. With the additional investment, Whirlpool
Corporation is committed to increase its factory headcount to a
total of over 2000 employees in Tulsa. In March of 2020, Whirlpool Corporation
opened an 800,000 square foot Factory Distribution Center which
doubled the size of its footprint in Tulsa.
"Whirlpool Corporation is committed to U.S. manufacturing, and
our investment in our Tulsa
factory highlights our dedication not only to the Tulsa community but to our current and future
colleagues in the region," said Don
Metzelaar, vice president of Integrated Supply Chain and
Quality for Whirlpool Corporation. "We greatly appreciate the
support and leadership of everyone who helped make this happen,
including the partnership of the state of Oklahoma and local officials, and we look
forward to continuing to work together in our shared efforts to
accelerate job creation in the Tulsa region."
Whirlpool Corporation will utilize the majority of its
$15 million allocation to invest in
machinery and equipment that will deliver increased production
capabilities, including capacity, with remaining funds to be
used for key building and infrastructure improvements including
health and safety protocols to accommodate the increase in
workers. The $1 million offered
by the state of Oklahoma, which is
tied to Whirlpool Corporation's investment and commitment to
delivering an increase in employment opportunities, will be
allocated toward capital investment and further job creation.
"Tulsa's Whirlpool facility is
the perfect example of how a public and private partnership
benefits a community," said Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt. "This new and impactful investment
will bring more jobs to our state, show that companies thrive in
Oklahoma, and takes our state one
step closer to being Top Ten for business."
The Whirlpool Corporation Tulsa plant is a part of the company's
investment in America, with 21,000 U.S. based employees, including
15,000 manufacturing workers across our nine plants.
About Whirlpool Corporation
Whirlpool Corporation
(NYSE: WHR) is the world's leading kitchen and laundry appliance
company, with approximately $19
billion in annual sales, 78,000 employees and 57
manufacturing and technology research centers in 2020. The company
markets Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana,
Bauknecht, JennAir, Indesit and other major brand names in nearly
every country throughout the world. Additional information about
the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com.
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SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation