Whirlpool Corp Opens New Riverview Campus

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR), the world's largest manufacturer of home appliances, officially opened its new, state-of-the-art Riverview Campus today in Benton Harbor, Mich. The company held a ribbon cutting ceremony followed by a tour of the new offices. 

"With the opening of this beautiful and spacious campus, we are looking forward to a continued future with the city of Benton Harbor, which we have been proud to call home for over 100 years," said Jeff Fettig, chairman and chief executive officer for Whirlpool Corporation. "The Riverview Campus allows Whirlpool Corporation to deliver on improvements in productivity, operations, energy efficiency, and overall employee experience."

An investment of $70 million, the Riverview Campus is located at 600 W. Main Street in Benton Harbor and covers 245,275 square feet on an 11.9 acre site. The campus is registered with the U.S. Green Building Council and is seeking LEED Gold certification.

James Hightower, Mayor of Benton Harbor, and Phil Maki, chairman of Cornerstone Alliance, attended the ceremony and provided remarks. Whirlpool executives in attendance included: Jeff Fettig; Marc Bitzer, president of North America Region; Lynanne Kunkel, vice president of North America Region Human Resources; and Jeff Noel, vice president of Communications & Public Affairs.

Construction began on the offices with a groundbreaking ceremony in November 2010, as part of the company's plan to consolidate its 15 owned and leased facilities into three centralized office campuses. The three campuses now include the existing Administrative Center and Technology Center Campuses, as well as the multiple building Riverview Campus. The company also plans to retain its Hilltop South offices at 150 Hilltop Road in St. Joseph and the Harbor Town offices at 145 East Main Street, Benton Harbor.

As the world's largest manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, Whirlpool Corporation spends more than $7.4 billion each year to operate its nine U.S. plants and keep its approximately 15,000 manufacturing employees at work. In fact, Whirlpool employs more U.S. manufacturing workers than all of its major competitors combined, contributing to its industry-leading innovation. Right here in Michigan and elsewhere around the country, Whirlpool continues to invest in America and its people who are helping to improve lives, one home one family at a time through world class products and services. In addition, more than 80 percent of the products Whirlpool Corporation makes that are sold in the U.S. are made in the U.S.Whirlpool Corporation continues to invest in U.S. manufacturing jobs and $1 billion in its U.S. footprint from 2010-2014, including:

• A new $200 million production facility and distribution center recently opened in Cleveland, Tennessee, adding 130 new jobs to the existing workforce there.
• Acquisition of the former WC Wood facility in Ottawa, Ohio, adding nearly 400 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 Clyde, Ohio laundry facilities, which produce some of the most energy and water efficient laundry products available.
• A $20 million investment in its Amana, Iowa refrigeration plant to drive improved productivity and efficiency. 

Source: Whirlpool 

Whirlpool and Meritage Homes New Partners

 Top-10 homebuilder Meritage Homes (NYSE: MTH) recently selected Whirlpool Corporation(NYSE: WHR) as the exclusive appliance provider to the builder's wide range of homes, including first-time, move-up, luxury and active-adult. Whirlpool Corporation will provide Jenn-Air, KitchenAid, Maytag and Whirlpool brand appliances to Meritage Homes' extensive communities throughout the Southern and Western states. 

"We believe Whirlpool Corporation, and its portfolio of brands, is the best choice for our homebuyers, as well as our business," said Bill Harrill, vice president of national purchasing at Meritage Homes. "With a variety of highly-regarded brands to choose from, Whirlpool's appliance selection meets our homebuyers' varied lifestyle and design needs. Buyers should find their services and products exceptional in quality, and their go-to-market strategy is a strong match with ours, which is key to maintaining our efficient homebuilding schedule."

Meritage Homes will also be one of the first homebuilders in the country to outfit many of its homes with the Whirlpool® Ice Collection, an entirely new kitchen suite of appliances that balances modern cues of metal against sparkling white and black surfaces. The suite is also available in stainless steel.

"Meritage Homes has a solid reputation for building high-quality, energy-efficient homes on schedule. We are honored to be selected as the exclusive appliance partner," said Bob Bergeth, general manager, national contract sales at Whirlpool Corporation. "We're confident this partnership will greatly benefit both companies and, more importantly, Meritage Homes' homebuyers."

About Meritage Homes Corporation

Meritage Homes is the ninth-largest homebuilder in the United States based on homes closed. Meritage builds a variety of homes across the Southern and Western states to appeal to a wide range of buyers, including first-time, move-up, luxury and active adults. As of March 31, 2012, the company had 150 actively selling communities in 15 metropolitan areas, including Northern California, East Bay/Central Valley and Southern California, Houston, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Phoenix/Scottsdale, Tucson, Las Vegas, Denver, Orlando, Tampa and Raleigh-Durham.

Meritage was the first large national homebuilder to be 100 percent ENERGY STAR® qualified in every home started since January 1, 2010. Meritage has designed and built nearly 70,000 homes in its 25-year history, and has a reputation for its distinctive style, quality construction, and positive customer experience.

For more information about the company, visit http://investors.meritagehomes.com. 

Source: Whirlpool 

WHIRLPOOL CANADA WINS 4th ENERGY STAR MANUFACTURER AWARD

Whirlpool Canada today was awarded the 2012 ENERGY STAR® Manufacturer of the Year award by Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN). The award recognizes the company's leadership in offering consumers energy and water efficiency through its leading home appliance brands.

The NRCAN Manufacturer of the Year award evaluates multiple product lines when determining the winner — making it a very comprehensive honor. This is Whirlpool Canada's ninth ENERGY STAR award and fourth consecutive Manufacturer of the Year win, earning that award for the seventh time in 10 years. Whirlpool has been honored with 25 ENERGY STAR awards overall in North America, more than any other appliance manufacturer.

"As Manufacturer of the Year, we are proud of our commitment and support for the ENERGY STAR program in Canada," said Joe Liotine, vice president and general manager, Whirlpool Canada. "Providing ENERGY STAR qualified products to Canadians is a crucial component to our business, and one we will continue to prioritize in partnership with the ENERGY STAR program in Canada."

As the market leader in efficiency, Whirlpool has made energy and water consumption a priority, and as a result, has driven innovation especially in High Efficiency Top Load Laundry units. In Canada, Whirlpool specifically offers some of the most water- and energy-efficient kitchen and laundry products that are on the market. In 2011, Whirlpool Canada achieved a new company record for ENERGY STAR qualified major household appliances manufactured in Canada. It also set new records for shipments of ENERGY STAR refrigerators and washers last year. Both milestones helped it qualify for the Manufacturer of the Year Award.

The company manufactures and markets over 470 ENERGY STAR qualified appliances for the U.S. and Canadian markets, more than any other appliance manufacturer. Product launches and other innovations from 2011 include:

--  Three new ENERGY STAR-qualified platforms were introduced in 2011. The platforms meet the Tier 3 high efficiency criteria set by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency.

--  Whirlpool Canada introduced a new premium line of top mount refrigerators. More than three-quarters of the models qualified for the ENERGY STAR logo.

-- Maytag brand delivered an award-winning advertising campaign during Hockey Night in Canada broadcasts of the Stanley Cup playoffs, resulting in an unprecedented number of impressions and sales of the Maytag Maxima that was featured in the ads.

--  Whirlpool Canada placed high priority on training sales associates about ENERGY STAR-qualified products. The company increased the number of trained associates by double digits and dedicated 80 percent of training content to ENERGY STAR.

-- Social media was also given much attention in 2011 and the Whirlpool brand increased its number of Facebook users to 65,000/month. This was done in part by posting energy saving tips and integrating Facebook with the company's Great Green Challenge, which allows Canadians to connect with other families who are trying new ways to conserve energy.

Source: Whirlpool 

WHIRLPOOL’S KEY ROLE IN DEVELOPING INDUSTRY”S FIRST EVER SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS

Experts from Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) played a key role in helping to develop the industry's first ever sustainability standards. The sustainability standards for refrigerators, announced today by the Association for Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), are the result of cooperative work by UL Environment, CSA Group and the AHAM taskforce consisting of industry experts fromWhirlpool Corporation and other manufacturers.

The new standard encompasses a very broad view of an appliance's environmental impact — taking into account not only the  energy a refrigerator consumes while in use, but also examining the environmental impact of  the product manufacturing process, materials used, and how recyclable the product is.  This new standard moves the industry well beyond its historical leadership in energy efficiency alone.

"We are proud of our involvement in this task force as it is truly an extension of our 30-year leadership in advancing important energy and water conservation standards." said JB Hoyt the director of sustainability and regulatory affairs for Whirlpool Corporation and vice chair of the AHAM taskforce. "Whirlpool is also pleased to have recently developed, and now offer to consumers, a variety of refrigerators that meet this new standard."

Whirlpool Corporation has led the way in advancing green initiatives for home appliances for more than three decades. During that time the energy of appliances has declined from nearly 60 percent of an average home's energy use, to levels as low as 15 percent. The company now sells refrigerators that use the equivalent power of a 40-watt light bulb and dishwashers that use seven times less water than hand washing dishes. 

Source: Whirlpool 

Whirlpool Corporation Encourages Consumers to Participate in Filter Fresh Month

Water makes up almost 60 percent of the human body, making it an essential nutrient. With this summer promising to be swelteringly hot, it's important to stay as hydrated as possible.  

This July marks the eighth semi-annual Filter Fresh month and in celebration, Whirlpool Corporation is urging consumers to fuel all summer activities with an ice cold glass of filtered water. Whirlpool Corporation is announcing a number of activities to support the initiative which began in 2009 as a way to remind people to change their refrigerator's water filter every six months.

Drink Up to Slim Down

On hot summer days or during a physical workout, sweating is the body's natural way to cool down. When you sweat, you need to replace the fluids lost — or your body could overheat. It is important to remember to drink plenty of water before, during and after physical activity to avoid dehydration and fatigue.

"To remain energized and feeling good throughout the day, staying hydrated is critical — and drinking fresh, clean tasting filtered water can play a vital role," said Monica Teague, Senior Manager PR and Brand Experience. "If you're committing to an active lifestyle in the hot summer months, drink filtered water to help stay hydrated."

Get In on the Conversation

Whirlpool is partnering with Miss Lori of Miss Lori's CAMPUS™ for a Twitter Party on July 11th from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. EST. Throughout the evening Miss Lori will share tips on healthy living and the importance of drinking plenty of filtered water. Attendees will have the chance to win a new Whirlpool® refrigerator with a PUR® filtration system along with other prizes.  To join the conversation, simply follow the hash tag #FilterFresh.

Make changing your filter easy

Properly maintaining your water filter is critical, as tap water may travel through miles of infrastructure before making its way into your home and your body, potentially picking-up contaminants along the way.

Whirlpool refrigerator water filters are a great way to ensure you drink enough water — but you have to make sure the filter stays fresh. Remembering to change your filter every six months is not only smart, but convenient, as many refrigerators have an easy access system located at the bottom of the grille or just inside the door.

To help consumers replace old filters, this month, The Home Depot is offering Buy One Water Filter, Get One Free discount (Model 4396841). You can also visit www.whirlpool.com/water-filters to save 25% off a 2-pack or more replacement filters using the promo code MULTI25. 

Whirlpool 

White Ice Collection Showcased in House Beautiful's 5th Annual Kitchen of the Year at Rockefeller Plaza

-- Signifying a shift in the culture of home appliances, Whirlpool brand introduces the Ice Collection. Defined by silver accents, elegant lines, sleek handles and streamlined controls, the collection is a break from the uniform whites, blacks and the ever-popular stainless steel. In other words, white is the new stainless.

From the little black dress to a crisp white tee, simplicity never goes out of style.  And who doesn't want their home life to be a little more like that? According to a recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Whirlpool Corporation, 91% of respondents want to simplify some household chore. With their minds laser-focused on consumer needs, Whirlpool brand's new collection is so advanced, it's simple.

"Not only is the new line truly innovative in that it takes the complexity out with beautiful yet useful features, the sophisticated style integrates seamlessly into any kitchen," said Pat Schiavone, VP of Global Consumer Design. "In addition to the intuitive technology, the line takes a fresh look at appliance design and features flawless exteriors that add beauty to any home."  

The Whirlpool® Ice Collection featuring White Ice appliances will be featured in House Beautiful magazine's 5th annual Kitchen of the Year atRockefeller Plaza, Monday, July 16, through Friday, July 20 in a 1,000-square-foot kitchen conservatory designed by the renowned Mick de Giulio. The Kitchen of the Year will host presentations on influential design trends and create interactive programs with designers, craftsmen and lifestyle leaders. Each day the kitchen will feature up-close culinary demonstrations from an array of celebrated and innovative chefs.

Consumers can enter on Whirlpool brand's Facebook page for a chance to win a Whirlpool® kitchen suite of their own — the very same White Icecollection that is being featured at House Beautiful magazine's Kitchen of the Year. Tell us the one thing that simplifies your life at home for a chance to win a full kitchen suite including a refrigerator, range, dishwasher and microwave from the new collection.  Visit www.facebook.com/whirlpool to enter.

With the amount of time families spend gathered around the table, the kitchen deserves to be as beautiful and inspiring as the rest of your home. The alluring finishes on the Ice collection which includes refrigerators, wall ovens, ranges, microwaves, and dishwashers exude refined style.  To learn more about Whirlpool brand Kitchen Collections visit Whirlpool.com/kitchen.  

http://investors.whirlpoolcorp.com/releases.cfm

Beazer Homes and Whirlpool Corp. Renewed Partnership

Top-10 homebuilder Beazer Homes USA (NYSE: BZH) and Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) have renewed an exclusive appliance partnership to provide an even wider array of Whirlpool, KitchenAid and Maytag brand appliances to Beazer homes throughout the United States. 

"With Whirlpool Corporation's breadth of appliance brands, we are well equipped to meet our homebuyers' personalized kitchen lifestyle needs," saidAllan Merrill, chief executive officer, president and director at Beazer Homes. "Renewing and expanding our relationship with Whirlpool will allow us to extend our buyers' range of energy efficient choices within the kitchen and laundry room."

Beazer builds homes that meet and exceed ENERGY STAR^® requirements, while appealing to homebuyers at various price points across multiple demographic segments in 16 states. In addition to saving energy, Beazer homes offer floor plans and elevations that allow homebuyers to personalize their new home to meet their needs.

"Beazer Homes is a leader in the industry and shares our passion for providing homeowners with the very best for nearly every walk of life," said Bob Bergeth, general manager, national contract sales at Whirlpool Corporation. "We're honored by their confidence in our company and are committed to providing innovative, energy efficient and compelling appliances for Beazer homebuyers."

About Beazer Homes

Beazer Homes USA Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, is a top-10 national homebuilder with homes for sale across the United States. We build homes that meet and exceed ENERGY STAR^® requirements while appealing to homebuyers at various price points across various demographic segments. In addition to saving energy, our homes allow personalization through our flexible floorplans and design upgrades.

Our long-term business strategy focuses on providing our customers with quality homes, while seeking to maximize our return on invested capital over time. Beazer Homes' legacy includes building homes for America's families for over 50 years - over 130,000 in the last 12 years alone. Beazer Homeshas been listed on the New York Stock Exchange since 1994 under the ticker symbol "BZH". 

Source: Whirlpool 

Whirlpool and Honeywell Introduce Green Insulation to U.S. Made Refrigerators

Demonstrating their mutual commitments to environmental leadership, Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) and Honeywell (NYSE: HON) have announced that all Whirlpool Corporation U.S.-made refrigerators will begin incorporating Honeywell's Solstice™ Liquid Blowing Agent. This includes future product lineups from Whirlpool Brand, Maytag®, Amana®, Jenn-Air® and KitchenAid® brands.  The most environmentally responsible blowing agent available, boasting the lowest Global Warming Potential (GWP) available among non-ozone depleting substitutes, Solstice Liquid Blowing Agent (LBA) outperforms commonly used hydrocarbons such as C-Pentane, providing better low-temperature insulation performance and higher energy savings. 

Whirlpool Corporation is the first refrigerator manufacturer in the U.S. committed to incorporating this new class of blowing agents into its products, providing customers with refrigerators that offer the best efficiency and lowest environmental footprint.   Honeywell Solstice LBA offers an 8-10 percent improvement in efficiency over refrigerator platforms tested with hydrocarbon blown foam insulation, and a 2 percent improvement over 245fa, currently the most widely-used foam blowing agent in the U.S.

"Whirlpool Corporation is an environmental leader, developing high-quality products that offer both efficiency and low environmental impact," saidLudovic Beaufils, general manager refrigeration and sustainability lead for Whirlpool North America.  "Through this collaboration with Honeywell, we are once again leading the way with the most advanced materials that offer the greatest benefits to consumers."

Honeywell Solstice Liquid Blowing Agent, which was recently granted approval under the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP), has a 100-year global warming potential between 4.7 and 7, a 99 percent improvement over 245fa, the most common manufacturing solution in the U.S. today.  A near drop-in replacement, it also offers cost benefits and is non-flammable providing safety advantages over other hydrocarbon blowing agents.

"Honeywell's Solstice™ branded solutions deliver the optimal combined enhancement of environment, performance, safety and cost effectiveness," said Terrence Hahn, vice president and general manager, Fluorine Products.  "We are pleased to supply Whirlpool with Solstice™ LBA to ensure those benefits are experienced both in their operations and for their customers."
Whirlpool will begin production in late 2013.
About Whirlpool Corporation  Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of approximately $19 billion in 2011, 68,000 employees, and 65 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 to consumers in nearly every country around the world.  Additional information about the company can be found at http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com.
About Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies
Performance Materials and Technologies is a global leader in developing and manufacturing advanced materials and process technologies. These materials and technologies are used by people every day in a wide range of industries and applications, from petroleum refining to environmentally friendlier refrigerants to bullet-resistant vests. Our advanced materials are critical in the manufacture of products ranging from nylon to computer chips to pharmaceutical packaging. Process technologies developed by our UOP business form the foundation for most of the world's refiners, efficiently producing gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and petrochemicals. UOP is now pioneering technology to produce real fuels from renewable energy sources.

About Honeywell 
Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; turbochargers; and performance materials. Based in Morris Township, N.J., Honeywell's shares are traded on the New York, London, and Chicago Stock Exchanges. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywellnow.com.

This release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that we or our management intends, expects, projects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Such statements are based upon certain assumptions and assessments made by our management in light of their experience and their perception of historical trends, current economic and industry conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate. The forward-looking statements included in this release are also subject to a number of material risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to economic, competitive, governmental, and technological factors affecting our operations, markets, products, services and prices. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results, developments and business decisions may differ from those envisaged by such forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation

News Provided by Acquire Media