U.S. manufacturing: Not dead yetU.S. manufacturing: Not dead yet
Whirlpool Corp. announced plans on Sept. 1 to construct a new plant in Cleveland, TN, that will be the centerpiece of a $300 million upgrade of domestic manufacturing facilities of the world’s largest household appliance maker by revenue.
September 9, 2010
Whirlpool noted that the new facility will be approximately 1 million ft2 of manufacturing space with a 400,000-ft2 distribution center. The new manufacturing facility will make built-in, premium cooking products. “The new operation will support the company’s commitment to delivering the world’s most innovative cooking products, and the energy efficient, LEED-certified facility will replace the existing, 100-year-old manufacturing plant located [in that city].
Whirlpool will invest $120 million in the new plant, and expects to add approximately 130 new jobs to its 1500 Cleveland, TN, employees. Construction is slated to begin in the fourth quarter.
“The new, premium cooking center of excellence that we will be building in Cleveland is evidence of our commitment to consumers and our confidence in the U.S. market,” said Mark Bitzer, president, Whirlpool Corporation North America.
Al Holaday, VP manufacturing, operations and quality, added, “Whirlpool is proud to employ more U.S. manufacturing workers than any appliance maker selling product in the U.S."
Other announcements include an $85 million renovation of the company’s headquarters facilities in Benton Harbor, MI; acquisition of the former WC Wood facility in Ottawa, OH, adding 190 jobs and bringing total employment in the state of Ohio to approximately 10,000, making it the largest manufacturing center for appliances in the U.S.; a $175 million investment in the company’s laundry facilities in Ohio, which will produce the most energy- and water-efficient laundry products ever made; a $20 million investment in its Amana, IA, refrigeration plant to drive improved productivity and efficiency; and a new $40 million, 1-million-ft2 regional distribution center in Wilmer, TX.
“Whirlpool continues to invest in our U.S.-based manufacturing footprint. We have a strong commitment that this is an excellent place to invest and create value for both our customers and our shareholders,” said Jeff M. Fettig, chairman and CEO of Whirlpool, in a prepared statement. “In 2010, a year of continued, significant economic challenge, Whirlpool continue to invest in innovation, our employees, and the infrastructure needed to ensure we continue to lead the industry with truly innovative products that meet the changing needs of consumers. Today’s announcement for $120 million in Cleveland, Tennessee, is the largest single investment we’ve ever made anywhere in the world and reinforces our commitment to the competiveness of U.S. manufacturing.”
Whirlpool Corp. had annual sales of approximately $17 billion in 2009, 67,000 employees and 67 manufacturing and technology R&D centers around the world. In North America, the company makes the brands Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, and Amana.
Caterpillar Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of construction equipment, has announced several new facilities and expansions of current plants. The company announced that it will construct an 850,000-ft2 manufacturing and assembly plant in Winston-Salem, NC that will provide increased capacity for the Company’s global mining operations. That facility will employ 400 workers.
Caterpillar also announced a new engineering and design center in Rapid City, SD. The Black Hills Engineering Design Center will provide support services for the Company’s U.S. operations. It will initially occupy 3100 ft2 in the Black Hills Business Development Center and will employ up to 100, said a Caterpillar press release.
Caterpillar will also expand its Compact Construction Equipment operations in Sanford, NC, with a 270,000-ft2 addition to be completed in July 2011, and will add 325 workers over a five-year period to bring the total work force there to 750.
The company will build a new 600,000-ft2 state-of-the-art hydraulic excavator manufacturing facility in Victoria, Texas. Production at the plant will begin in mid-2012, and will triple the current capacity of hydraulic excavators produced by Caterpillar in the U.S. The plant will employ 500. —Clare Goldsberry
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