Whirlpool Corporation Spotlights U.S. Investments in Support of Manufacturing Day

Company's pledge of $1 billion in investment includes recent undertakings in Ohio, Iowa and Tennessee

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Oct 01, 2014, 01:30 ET

BENTON HARBOR, Mich., Oct. 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of Manufacturing Day on October 3, Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) reiterated the company's investment in American manufacturing and will salute its manufacturing employees for their hard work, dedication and shared commitment.

Whirlpool Corporation currently employs approximately 15,000 U.S. manufacturing workers. Eighty percent of the products Whirlpool sells in the U.S. are made in the U.S. In 2010, the company committed to invest $1 billion in its U.S. footprint through 2014, and is on track to surpass that goal. This includes upgrades to its manufacturing facilities in Iowa, Ohio, Oklahoma and Tennessee, and a new office complex in the company's Michigan headquarters community. Additionally:

A $40 million investment to nearly double the size of its Greenville, Ohio, small appliance manufacturing operations. Expansion is expected to generate approximately 400 new jobs by 2018, bringing the facility to a total workforce of about 1,400 employees.
A $20 million investment in its Amana, Iowa, refrigeration plant to drive improved productivity and efficiency.
An $18.8 million capital improvements investment at the Tulsa, Oklahoma, facility, adding about 150 jobs.
A $200 million investment in a one million square foot state-of-the art premium cooking products manufacturing plant and 400,000 square foot distribution center in Cleveland, Tennessee, that opened in 2012.

"More than a century after Whirlpool Corporation's founding in the United States, we are proud to showcase our continued investment in the advanced manufacturing jobs in our U.S. production facilities," said Jim Keppler, vice president, Integrated Supply Chain & Quality for Whirlpool Corporation. "This is a great opportunity for the public to learn more about the key role that their local manufacturing facilities play to keep the American economy moving forward."

Manufacturing Day provides manufacturers with the opportunity to open their doors and offer an inside look at manufacturing in America. The goal is to increase knowledge and improve the public perception of manufacturing careers and manufacturing's importance to the U.S. economy. Manufacturing Day seeks to connect future generations with manufacturers and provide the education and resources necessary to ensure the long-term prosperity of the manufacturing industry.

About Whirlpool Corporation
Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading global manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of approximately $19 billion in 2013, 69,000 employees, and 59 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht and other major brand names. We earn the trust of consumers in nearly every country by focusing on what matters most. Additional information about the company can be found at http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com.

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SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation