Whirlpool Expands Ohio Assembly Plant

OTTAWA, OH—Whirlpool Corp. will invest more than $65 million over the next several years to expand its assembly plant here. The project is expected to create more than 100 jobs.

The investment will accommodate production of premium refrigeration products, including built-in refrigerators.

The expansion is expected to begin in mid-2022 and assume full production in 2023.

“We’re excited about this investment in the future of the Ottawa Operations and in our people,” says Don Metzelaar, Whirlpool’s vice president of integrated supply chain and quality. “This is a testament to our skilled workforce, and will unlock our potential to bring the newest and best refrigeration innovation to our customers.”

The Ottawa assembly plant was established in 1990 and produces freezers, under-counter ice makers and hybrid heat-pump bases for ventless dryers. With more than 485 employees, the plant assembles products for the Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Amana, Maytag, Gladiator and JennAir brands.

The ASSEMBLY Show South

ASSEMBLY is thrilled to return to the Music City Center in Nashville, TN for The ASSEMBLY Show SOUTH on May 1-2, 2024. This is a booming time for manufacturing and the U.S. South is right in the heart of the action. According to ASSEMBLY’s most recent annual capital spending survey, the South is projected to account for 31 percent of total spending this year, marking the fifth straight year this region has accounted for at least 30 percent of capital spending in the U.S.

In this session, manufacturers will learn how Quality function deployment (QFD) can transform consumers’ qualitative demands into quantitative parameters that will shape the design of their product and, ultimately, their manufacturing process.

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