Whirlpool to cut 1,100 jobs, shut plant in Indiana

[crazylikafox]

Source: AP

"BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (AP) -- Whirlpool Corp. said Friday it will cut 1,100 jobs and close a refrigerator factory in Evansville, Ind., to cut excess production capacity.

The jobs will be eliminated in mid-2010. The Benton Harbor, Mich.-based appliance maker has aggressively cut costs as demand for big-ticket items has shrunk in the recession.

The company said it is still deciding what to do with 300 employees who work at a product-development center at the Evansville location.

Whirlpool will move the main Evansville production work to Mexico and another yet-to-be-decided location."


Read more: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Whirlpool-to-cut-1100-jobs-apf-1499498954.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=7&asset=&ccode=

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They say they're cutting capacity, but moving work to Mexico. Yea, sure. It's all about the money.

[Wapsie B]

1. I remember when the Maytag family lost control of their company everything went in the crapper

Quality went downhill, sales dropped. Too bad the part of the family that runs the blue cheese production or the one who runs the brewery couldn't take it over. I hope the same fate doesn't befall Whirlpool. I like their appliances.

[high density]

8. My parents recently bought a Maytag clothes washer

The timer went on it after six loads. They had to wait a month for the part. Total crap.

[JDPriestly]

23. What is valuable with these companies is the name.

That is it: the brand name. The products aren't what sell. The name sells. Watch the movie, The Century of Self, and you will see how we have been trained as consumers.

[Grinchie]

25. In 2000, I bought a Maytag Range and Refrigerator, Washer and Dryer

You know, to populate the new house...

Maytgam great name right? My mom had a 40 years old washer that was going strong, so I went with a "Good" brand.

Lol. What a shock to the senses that was. Year .5 on the refrigerator. It failed one day. 27 Cubic feet worth of food spoils (Frozen items from my own farm too). Prognosis? Faulty relay. Fixed under warranty, and they gave us a new 3 cubic foot G.E. Mini fridge for my trouble.

Year .7 The New Maytag Neptune Dryer fails. Motor mount stamped out of thin gauge metal, causing motor to grind against frame and fail. Fixed under warranty.

Year 1.2 Refrigerator Relay fails again, fixed under extended Warranty....

Year 4. Enron crisis on top of Dot Com bubble. Income removed/reduced almost overnight. Lose Farm to bankruptcy Chapter 7. Trustee doesn't want crappy appliances, cars. farm equipment. Takes land instead.

Year 4.2 Give all maytag appliances to Mom, move out of California for good.

Year 4.5 Mom Calls, Refrigerator failed, lost all her food and frozen homegrown Ducks, and 5 gallons homegrown Raspberries. She replaces it with 30 year old frigidare that was sitting in the barn.

Two weeks ago. Maytag Range fails. During failure, it releases a cloud of Carbon Monoxide and fumes into the house. Mom is beside herself, and happy to be alive. She is 86.

This is an example of the modern quality of the Maytag/Admiral/Jenn Air Brand.

On a side note, the place we are living in right now has 2 50 year old Maytag built in ovens that work perfectly.

The moral of the story is that you can not trust Brands anymore. We no longer have any honor in the Corporate world, and things that should last forever are destroyed in lieu of items that require replacement every now and then.

I no longer buy brand names. We buy things that we can repair ourselves. Our washer is something we picked up off the street. It weighs about 300 pounds, is a Sears, and works perfectly. The person that set it out on the street said it didn't spin. He was wrong. It's about 40 years old, and built like an army jeep.

We use a clothes line. Haven't used a dryer in ages.

R.I.P. Maytag. I honor your older products, but the current crop is about as wholesome as a GMO Soy plant.

[high density]

26. They want an endless churn of customers

Make it cheap, unfixable, and disposable, and when it breaks we buy it again. With all the consolidation we are left with limited choices in the appliance market. There are lots of different brand names, but it's all the same poorly built and engineered crap that doesn't last. They hope we don't know that Brand X owns Brand Y.

My parents got a clothes washer when they were married. I think it was GE, and that lasted about 20 years. They replaced that with another GE about 10 years ago. That machine was total crap. It was loud and danced all over the place. My father replaced the transmission in it two or three times. Finally the transmission was going again, and they replaced it with a Maytag. The Maytag is nice and quiet, but it failed in the second week of operation.

These companies spend so much money to earn a customer with advertising, but they do absolutely nothing to keep them happy once they're on board. I only have to get burned once and I won't be back. Though I have to wonder by the time I'm my parents age whether or not there will be any companies left out there that I can trust to buy things from.

[Grinchie]

35. I have reverted to buying mostly antique tools that I can use

We are seeing what I call, the Hollywood economy. We have been marketed an image of what well equipped tools chest should consist of, but like Holloywood, it's just set dressing. When one walks into a Home Depot or Loawes, check out the Tool area and you'll see what I mean. Everything is mass produced, with sharp edges still remaining after the mold they use for the pot metal wears out and leaks through the seams. You will notice that if you actually use the tool like it is supposed to be used, it will cut you, or is unbalanced, and has a blade that cannot be sharpened without a high tech grinder.

You can buy a hand plane for 15 bucks, but it's just a prop in a movie. A real hand plane will set you back around 280 bucks new, if you go to a real manufacturer like Lee Valley Tools.. I bought mine at Estate sales for 10 Bucks, they are twice my age, and will outlive me given proper maintenance and service, such as sharpening correctly.

Axes are also for show. They generally have the wrong geometry, and to fix them to make them even slightly usable takes hours of work. Hand saws use a electrically applied tempering process that yields a hard edge, which tend to shatter easily, and cannot be sharpened with a slim taper file.. If you can find one at either store.

Want to drill a hole? You have a choice of a cordless drill, or a corded drill. Both look like they are escapees from the Nike Shoe factory. Dont forget the twist bits that last one or two holes. Want to drill big holes, get a whole hawg, and a 4000 watt generator to drive it if you happen to be off grid..

I now use a 1938 Millers Falls bit brace. I can drill 1.5 inch holes through 6 inches of kiln dried hardwood in about a minute, using Wood Bits with a square taper tang. No Chuck Keys, hand tight holds it form, and solid as a rock.

People don't have a clue about quality or craftsmanship today. It's all Hollywood props, that only fail when you actually try to use them for something. The designs are broken, and people are left with the self defeating impression that they are not capable of the work they attempted, thus further promoting a service base economy, where they have to call an "Expert", who either has the skill, or is just like them, all tooled up with worthless, yet high cost tools to make it look like they have the skills.

It's all for show.

Every once in a while, I pack up my tool kit and pay 2 bucks to get into the local pick and pull. I then spend the day taking things apart to see how they tick. Since all I am doing is taking note of various designs and repairability, I am just training myself on the current state of manufacturing in America and the world. Let me tell you, it doesn't look good. in a basic, 20 acre junyard, you can count at least 75 different ways to distribute spark to the spark plugs. At least 200 different, yet simlar methods of making cylinder heads, and at least as many more ways to design the valves system.

Yet, all the vehicles are virtually identical when it comes to gas mileage. It's all for show. It's all about money, and this GM mentality has spread into every industry on earth, including the Pharmaceutical and Health Industry.

You are right about one thing, the consolidation of the Aplliance market is readily apparent, and a cosmetic box doesn't hide the fact that refrigerators havent changed for over 50 years.

People just need to look no further than the "New" Washer and Dryers available at 1400 bucks a pop (If they still exist). Incredible bullshit, and most importantly, a true measure of the real inflation.

[jaxx]

2. The final cut to the jugular of what was once Maytag.

Don't buy that brand people, they have screwed the workers all throughout the midwest.

[Barack_America]

3. Alrighty then, guess I'll look elsewhere for my next appliance purchase. nt

[WriteDown]

4. The problem is.....

Everyone is buying LG and Samsung appliances.

[crazylikafox]

6. Are there any good American made brands left?

GE is crap. I used to love Maytag, but we see what's happened to that. Any others? Like cars, I'm more interested in American labor than American companies. Any of the foreign brands actually made in the US?

[sasquatch]

7. Roper

[high density]

9. I'm pretty sure Roper is under the Whirlpool umbrella NM

[mac56]

12. Whirlpool, Roper, Maytag, Kitchenaid all the same company now.

And they make Kenmore appliances too.

[Deja Q]

18. So now they're Furley?

:(

[WriteDown]

10. More about the problem...

If you walk into any appliance store, the LG and Samsung products are slick looking with bells and whistles galore. Many of the U.S.A brands just do not show well against them. The only reason I know was that I was looking for new appliances recently.

[Demeter]

13. I bought LG Refrigerator Because the Door Liner Wouldn't Be Broken

like the GE I had, which my disabled kid destroyed easily. It was the design, not made for rough handling, and unchanged for decades. Cheap, cheap cheap!

[WriteDown]

14. Yep...

I was amazed at the difference.

[Deja Q]

16. Lame Garbage and Shitsung? The Blackjack II was a real piece (reception quality) and

LG is one I'd stay away from...

But that's me.

Some people can't afford other brands, but there are many reasons...

[WriteDown]

17. I'm fairly certain their phone division is separate from their

appliance division.

[Deja Q]

19. Same brand name. Like FOX Broadcasting and FOX cable, they're both FOX.

At some point, even if it's minor, there's still a connection. Brand name connection is inevitable.

[WriteDown]

20. How so?

Different factories, different product, different everything. Good example is Nikon, they make outstanding SLR's and horrible compact cameras. Totally different products though.

[Deja Q]

21. Brand recognition. They might make a good product and a bad one, but when the customer sees

the brand name, they're more likely to remember the bad products.

Also, you mean "different products". Plural. Unless they only make two, in which case I'm sure you could fiddle with the relevant grammar too... the corporate doublespeak is annoying as hell...

[WriteDown]

22. Hyundai makes all sorts of things...

including computer monitors and cars. I am far more impressed with their car quality then computer monitor quality. But when I think of Hyundai, I do not think of computer products.

[Deja Q]

24. A matter of perspective and experience. Not all think like you do. Should we all think like you do?

[WriteDown]

27. Diversified thought is always a good thing. nt

[dysfunctional press]

28. i have an LG washing machine and an LG plasma tv, both that i'm quite happy with.

:shrug:

[WriteDown]

29. Yeah...

The LG LCD TV's I've looked at for my bedroom are pretty incredible. Deep blacks.

[dysfunctional press]

34. we splurged for a 60" plasma for the living room...

and i've never been happier with a television purchase.

[Tesha]

43. Well. as with cars, there may be good reason for that.

Our Maytag "Neptune" washer and dryer were new designs when we
bought them (about eleven years ago). Since then, the washer's
very fancy motor drive blew up* and was replaced with a totally new-
design motor and drive. Parts cost: $250 of which Maytag ate half.
More recently, the main drum water seal failed leading to the main
drum bearings corroding away. Parts cost: Should have been $450
for a completely new drum+bearings+seal, but Mr. Tesha worked
his butt off to replace just the bearings and seal so the parts cost
was only $125**; we'll see if the repair holds as the years go by.

Many other folks have had "wax motors" and electronics modules
fail in these washers, but so far (touch wood!), that hasn't happened
to us.

The Neptunes definitely don't live up to the reliability of the old,
conventional Maytag washers. We had one of those and I'll bet it
went at least twenty years with nothing more than the occasional
V-belt change.

Given our experience with the Neptune washer, we'd be unlikely
to buy another pair of Maytags.

Tesha

*The motor drive failed because a bad solder joint left a "damper
diode" disconnected, leading to a pair of MOSFETs blowing up.

**Maytag's advice to change the entire drum kit is actually pretty
sound; the bearings are an "interference fit" into an aluminum bore
molded into the overall plastic outer drum and it's almost impossible
to get the old bearings out without damaging the bore or the drum.
It's not too much easier to get the new bearings in, but at least you
can freeze the new bearings and heat the aluminum bore before
assembly, and then *WORK QUICK*; you only get one shot to get
it right!

[pattmarty]

5. USA, USA, the new third world shithole in the making!!!!!!!!!

[shanti]

45. and that's the truth, ruth!

n/t

[cindyfaulkner]

11. Sad stuff

that.

[Deja Q]

15. Here's a blast from the past - enjoy!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj-vIOMtVY0

[jayfish]

30. Wait A Minute. They Are Eliminating The Jobs To...

"cut excess production capacity", yet they are moving "the main Evansville production to Mexico and another yet-to-be-decided location". How exactly is it cutting production when you are moving said production to another location?

Jay

[crazylikafox]

32. yep. That's what caught my eye too.

What hypocrites. It's all about money. Nothing else.

[proteus_lives]

39. Exactly.

This pisses me off so much. My state needed those jobs. It will be a cold day in hell before I buy another Whirlpool product.

[jayfish]

42. The Thing These Companies Still Don't Seem To Get Is That...

neither will the people who used to work for them. They won't have the money to do so. The corps keep cutting off their nose to spite their face and wonder why they can't smell any roses. The cognitive dissonance is really hard to understand.

Jay

[this_side_up]

31. anyone have the link for the clothes

washer & dryer still made in the US? They are supposed to be so simple and
easy to repair yourself. I seem to have lost the bookmark.

[eringer]

33. My refrigerator was made in Mexico

It came with the house I bought new. Its a side-by-side GE made in Mexico. It is a POS. Its about 8 years old now and has the same issues it had when it was new -- it keeps freezing stuff in the refrigerator section. The freezer is turned to 1 and its still too cold. Whirlpool should reconsider.

[shanti]

46. i bought a GE Profile fridge

about 8 years ago too - total POS. the circuit board failed about 3 times after which time is said fuck it, dumped it, and bought a new whirlpool from costco. it has given me no problems, but it's one of the ones that was still being made in the usa. no more....

[crazylikafox]

47. I had the same experience.

Bought GE Profile fridge & range with all the bells & whistles. Paid a lot of money for them, & figured they would last a long time, since my previous GE fridge & stove had lasted for 25 years. Broke within 3 months. I won't go into all the details, but I've been limping along with them for awhile, now, figuring I'd replace them with whirlpool when I couldn't stand them any longer. I swore I'd never buy another GE product. That's what I've been telling people for years. But now I don't know what I'll replace it with. I don't want more Mexican crap.

[inwiththenew]

36. It's honestly a race to the bottom.

But if you say anything about you are obviously a pinko commie who hates freedom. Sigh.

[pinniped]

37. It looks like Cash 4 Appliances time.

Fire up those money printers.

[proteus_lives]

38. As a Hoosier I say this sucks!

Fuck'em for sending American jobs to Mexico! :mad:

[Mari333]

40. why arent there fines and repurcussions for companies that outsource???

fuck whirlpool...and they are in my neck of the woods...fuck em...

[AwakeAtLast]

41. I believe those were union jobs to boot

I also think that this plant has been on the chopping block for some time. It is a blow to Evansville's economy for sure. :(

[shanti]

44. well that sucks

whirlpool was the last decent appliance maker. costco sold them too, and they usually pick quality items to sell. i bought my last fridge from them.

now there are no u.s. made appliances...:(