Whirlpool to Cut 730 Manufacturing Jobs, or 1% of Work Force

Whirlpool said it would cut 730 jobs in manufacturing plants in Tennessee as part of an ongoing move to control manufacturing costs.

WHIRLPOOL
AP
WHIRLPOOL

The cuts represent about 1% of Whirlpool’s global work force.

The company said it is it is negotiating a licensing agreement with outside partners to manufacture products like dehumidifiers and air purifiers.

It plans to stop making those products at its Lavergne, Tenn., plant this year, eliminating 330 jobs.

The company also will transfer production of some free-standing cooking ranges to plants in Mexico and Tulsa from its Cleveland, Tenn., facility, cutting about 400 jobs in Cleveland.

Whirlpool has announced a host of plant changes to support production of its brands, which include Jenn-Air and Amana, which were acquired with the purchase of Maytag last year. It is also looking to cut costs as growth in U.S. appliance shipments weakens.