ITC To Investigate Washing Machine Dumping

Whirlpool Statement

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) voted today that imports of large residential washers from South Korea and Mexico -- including imports by Samsung Electronics (Samsung) and LG Electronics (LG) -- are harming the domestic appliance industry in the United States. This preliminary vote was taken as a result of the anti-dumping petition filed by Whirlpool Corporation against large residential washers from South Korea and Mexico, and a companion countervailing duty petition against the same products from South Korea.

"Whirlpool Corporation is pleased with the ITC's preliminary affirmative injury determination," spokesperson Kristine Vernier said. "This decision by the ITC validates the actions we've taken to protect the U.S. domestic appliance industry, our 23,000 U.S. employees and the communities in which they work."

Whirlpool Corporation filed its petitions with the ITC and U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) on December 30, 2011, to promote a fair and open global trading system, to protect American jobs and to ensure its ability to continue to innovate and invest in the United States. Of the products Whirlpool makes, more than 80 percent of those sold in the U.S. are made in the U.S.

"In the United States, the products affected by this case are made in Clyde, Ohio at the world's largest washing machine plant. More than 3,500 workers at the plant demonstrate the vitality of American manufacturing every day," said Vernier.

Samsung Statement

Samsung is disappointed that the International Trade Commission (ITC) made an affirmative preliminary determination in regard to washing machines produced in Korea and Mexico.

As demonstrated by Whirlpool's recent announcement of higher earnings and its continued dominant market share, we disagree that there is any material injury to the domestic washer industry. Samsung is one of the industry's innovators that continues to introduce feature-rich, premium home appliances that our customers have embraced.

Compared to our competition, Samsung consistently ranks higher in customer satisfaction and consumers have been willing to pay a premium for our high-quality and innovative products. We are concerned that positions such as those taken by Whirlpool in this proceeding will ultimately reduce choice and value for the American consumer.

We are confident that once the full investigation is concluded, it will be determined that Samsung is in compliance with U.S. trade laws. Samsung will fully cooperate with the ITC in its investigation and continue to respond to market demand, and satisfy our customers in the washing machine market in the U.S.

LG Statement

LG looks forward to the opportunity to show why imports from LG, a leading innovator in the washer machine industry, have in no manner injured Whirlpool,” said Chris Jung, President, Home Appliances, LG Electronics USA, Inc. “We are confident that LG will prevail in the final ITC determination.