No, Whirlpool is not an Indian company. It is an American multinational company engaged in the manufacturing, marketing and sales of home appliances. The company is headquartered in Benton Charter Township, Michigan, United States. Whirlpool Corporation owns a number of brands, including its flagship brand Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Amana, Bauknecht, Gladiator, JennAir and Indesit.
Whirlpool offers a wide range of home appliances, including refrigerators, washing machines, freezers, dishwashers, dryers, air conditioners and cooking appliances. It is a leading global brand of kitchen and laundry appliances. Whirlpool also manufactures appliances for other brands like IKEA and Kenmore. The company is present in multiple international markets, apart from the United States.
| Details | Info |
| Founded | 1911 |
| Founder | Louis and Emory Upton |
| Headquarters | Benton Charter Township, Michigan, United States |
| CEO | Marc Bitzer |
| Sector | Home appliances |
Company History
Whirlpool was founded on 11th November 1911 by Louis and Emory Upton as Upton Machine Company. It started operations by manufacturing motor-driven wringer washers and secured a contract with Sears, Roebucks and Company to supply washing machines. In the year 1929, Upton Machine Company merged with Ninteen Hundred Washer Company to form Nineteen Hundred Corporation. The company introduced automatic washing machine featuring spin-dry technology in the year 1948.
Ninteen Hundred Corporation was renamed Whirlpool Corporation in the year 1950. The company entered the refrigerator and air conditioner market in 1955. Whirlpool extended its operations to Brazil, Mexico and Canada in the 1960s and 70s. The company entered India in the year 1987 through a partnership with TVS Group and formed Whirlpool of India Limited.
Whirlpool acquired multiple brands over the years. Major acquisitions include KitchenAid in 1986, Kelvinator India in 1995, Maytag Corporation in 2006 and Indesit in 2014.
Current Status
Whirlpool’s 80% products are sold domestically in the United States. However, the company also operates in many other countries in North America, Latin America, Asia, Europe, Middle East and Africa. Whirlpool operates 40 manufacturing facilities and technology centres globally, with major manufacturing bases in US, India, Italy and Mexico.
Whirlpool continues to introduce product innovations like smart appliances equipped with Air Cooking and FreshFlow Vent System technologies, and Spin&Load Dishwasher Rack. In April 2024, Whirlpool merged its European appliance business with Arcelik A.S. to create Beko Europe B.V.
Future Outlook
Whirlpool is likely to focus more on high-margin markets like Americas and India. The company’s Indian subsidiary is set to grow, driven by the growing demand for appliances in the country. Whirlpool is expected to invest more in developing smart and eco-friendly appliances. Estimated high growth of the global kitchen appliance market presents immense opportunities to Whirlpool.