Whirlpool: Whirlpool Cleared By EU To Buy Otto Appliance Brand
Whirlpool has received EU regulatory approval to buy the Privileg home appliances brand from German mail order group Otto.
The activities of Whirlpool and Privileg overlap in major and small domestic appliances but the deal will not raise competition concerns, the European Commission said in a statement.
Whirlpool have announced changes to its North American manufacturing operations, including the closure of its machining facility in Benton Harbor, Michigan.
The Company's newest, most energy efficient laundry products will be manufactured at the Clyde, Ohio, manufacturing facility. As a result, the machining of components at the Benton Harbor facility will be discontinued and 216 jobs will be eliminated when the plant closes at year end 2010 or early 2011. The announcement follows a comprehensive review of asset utilization of the Company's laundry manufacturing facilities.
Whirlpool, currently the world's largest appliance manufacturer, has lost a round in a patent fight with LG Electronics according to Reuters as the companies battle for the premium U.S. appliance market.
Whirlpool: Whirlpool Production To Start In Canada, Layoffs Elsewhere
Whirlpool has announced the former Ottawa W.C. Wood freezer manufacturing site will become an official Whirlpool factory, starting May 3rd with 190 full-time employees.
Whirlpool bought the factory and some inventory in December after W.C. Wood filed for bankruptcy protection and ceased production in October.
Whirlpool: Whirlpool Spend $200,000 In A Quarter To Lobby Government
According to reports today Whirlpool spent $200,000 in the fourth quarter to lobby the US federal government on appliance energy tax credits and other issues, according to a disclosure report.
That's down 13 percent from the $230,000 that appliance maker spent in the year-ago period, and 38 percent less than the $320,000 it spent in the third quarter of 2009. So perhaps the economic downturn has had some effect in this area of spending as well.
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