Women in Manufacturing Spotlight: Elba Caldas Dos Santos and Kimberly Crowell

Many people think of jobs in manufacturing primarily held by men. While that’s been true in the past, in recent years, that trend has slowed. At Whirlpool Corporation, we value diversity, including diversity of thought — which women bring to our Manufacturing operations every day.

Throughout Manufacturing Month, we are highlighting women at our factories in areas such as assembly, quality, management, finance, human resources and other functions.

Today we shine the spotlight on:
– Elba Caldas Dos Santos, value stream manager (Press & Fabrication) in Findlay, Ohio
– Kimberly Crowell, packaging engineer in Findlay, Ohio

from Whirlpool Corporation http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/women-in-manufacturing-spotlight-elba-caldas-dos-santos-and-kimberly-crowell/
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Whirlpool, City administration and Universities team up for the future of Comerio’s business centre

A Memorandum of Understanding to carry out a feasibility study for the conversion of Whirlpool EMEA Headquarters after its relocation to Milan in March 2017 was signed today.

Comerio (Varese), 3 November 2016 – A Memorandum of Understanding was signed today in Comerio’s town hall by Whirlpool EMEA, the town council and Varese’s two universities, LIUC and Uninsubria, to guarantee a sustainable future for the site of Whirlpool’s current Headquarters for Europe, Middle East and Africa, following the organization’s relocation (announced in April this year) to the heart of the Expo area, Pero, at the beginning of next year.

The document that seals the virtuous alliance between the company, local government and universities was signed by Esther Berrozpe Galindo, President Whirlpool EMEA and Executive Vice President Whirlpool Corporation, the mayor of Comerio Silvio Aimetti,  Professor Federico Visconti, dean of LIUC and Professor Alberto Coen Porisini, dean of Uninsubria.

The Memorandum of Understanding provides for the setting up of a working group to identify solutions for converting the area and defining a process to sustain and promote local economic development.  More specifically, its task will be, “to seek solutions that safeguard the Area’s mission for work and sport as originally envisaged just after the last war by the founder of IGNIS, Giovanni Borghi, and carried forward by Philips Ire and for over 25 years by Whirlpool itself. Pursuit of this objective will be based on a shared approach involving a wide spectrum of players who are important local stakeholders together with the Mayor of of Comerio and Whirlpool”.

The universities will take part in the coordination and drafting of the project and provide scientific expertise relevant to the socio-economic analysis of the area, organization of training and communication strategies.

“Caring for the territory and for the community are basic to Whirlpool’s corporate social responsibility model and they are inspirational principles that we share with the Mayor of Comerio,” said Whirlpool President Berrozpe.  “The approach we will adopt in leaving a tangible mark on the “New Life” of the Comerio site is rooted in our commitment to creating a major legacy for today’s citizens and their children by safeguarding the environment and the quality of the landscape.”

Silvio Aimetti, mayor of Comerio, said that “Comerio’s administration expresses satisfaction over the ongoing collaboration with Whirlpool’s management. This agreement is a starting point and we hope it will be fruitful not only for Comerio but for the entire community.”

from Whirlpool Corporation http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/whirlpool-city-administration-and-universities-team-up-for-the-future-of-comerios-business-centre/
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Whirlpool Corporation’s Pride Network Profiled in the Herald-Palladium

Three members of our Pride Network recently sat down to talk with the Herald-Palladium about their work on diversity with inclusion and the network’s community efforts.

We believe that all people matter, regardless of their nationality or language

Thanks to Tony Wittkowski of the Herald-Palladium for the nice article which shows how our values, work environment and company culture all seek to reward uniqueness.

Read the full story >>>

from Whirlpool Corporation http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/whirlpool-corporations-pride-network-profiled-in-the-herald-palladium/
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Women in Manufacturing Spotlight: Maddie Hying and Karen Hightower

Many people think of jobs in manufacturing primarily held by men. While that’s been true in the past, in recent years, that trend has slowed. At Whirlpool Corporation, we value diversity, including diversity of thought — which women bring to our Manufacturing operations every day.

Throughout Manufacturing Month in October, we are highlighting women at our factories in areas such as assembly, quality, management, finance, human resources and other functions.

Today we shine the spotlight on:
– Maddie Hying, Materials Engineer (MLDP) in Cleveland, Tenn.
– Karen Hightower, Quality Analyst in Tulsa, Okla.

from Whirlpool Corporation http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/women-in-manufacturing-spotlight-maddie-hying-and-karen-hightower/
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Plant Profiles: Ottawa

Whirlpool Corporation is wrapping up Manufacturing Month this week. We are shining the spotlight on all 14 of our North American plants where our 22,000 employees proudly produce quality appliances that find a home with our consumers — and make their lives better and easier.

Each week we are highlighting several of our plants which are world-class leaders in manufacturing. Today we feature our freezer plant in Ottawa, Ohio. Learn more below about our work at this factory, including some interesting facts.

from Whirlpool Corporation http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/plant-profiles-ottawa/
via Appliance Direct

Plant Profiles: Amana

Whirlpool Corporation is wrapping up Manufacturing Month this week. We are shining the spotlight on all 14 of our North American plants where our 22,000 employees proudly produce quality appliances that find a home with our consumers — and make their lives better and easier.

Each week we are highlighting several of our plants which are world-class leaders in manufacturing. Today we feature our refrigeration factory in Amana, Iowa. Learn more below about our work at this factory, including some interesting facts.

from Whirlpool Corporation http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/plant-profiles-amana/
via Appliance Direct

Volunteers build new Habitat home at IU

Over the last two weeks of September, more than 400 Indiana University undergraduate and graduate students along with faculty, administrators and alumni volunteered to help the Wyatt family build their new home. Whirlpool Corporation was happy to work side-by-side with IU and Habitat for Humanity for the 7th consecutive year to make a difference in the community, and especially for a deserving family.

Jim Peters, EVP and Chief Financial Officer was among the volunteers, and at the dedication ceremony stated, “We’re honored to take part in making homes affordable for families across the U.S. by providing a range and a refrigerator to every Habitat home built since 1999. That adds up to about 170,000 appliances for nearly 87,000 families in the U.S. alone.”

The Wyatt family has been dreaming of owning a “clean, safe home” for over three years, when they became permanent custodians of their granddaughters, Keelahlah (age 7) and Kyla (age 3). Their small, 506-square-foot apartment was drafty and cramped and in poor repair, with no safe space for the girls to play. Whirlpool volunteer Theresa Dunten described the girls’ joy over their new home. “The little girls were so excited for their new house that they had to give me two tours after we had finished building it…and show me where all their forts will be! Seeing them so happy and excited melted my heart.” Keelahlah proudly showed off her new home in another impromptu tour.

Among the volunteers were ten Whirlpool employees, both IU and MSU alumni, who spent a day or two at the home construction site and working with student volunteers from the Kelley School of Business, which afforded an opportunity to talk about Whirlpool career opportunities.

“[Whirlpool’s] partnership with Monroe County Habitat and with the Kelley School of Business is a natural one because they have long recruited top business school students right out of Kelley,” says Kerry Thomson, CEO, Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County. The CEO, CFO, and the lead manager for one of Whirlpool’s businesses are all alums of the Kelley School. At the home dedication on the IU campus, Jim Peters said, “We salute Habitat for Humanity for taking the lead on affordable housing and we salute IU for engaging tomorrow’s leaders in this important effort.  I’m just guessing a few of those will also be future Whirlpool leaders!”

from Whirlpool Corporation http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/volunteers-build-new-habitat-home-at-iu/
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Whirlpool Corporation Employees Volunteer at Boys & Girls Club During “Maytag Day of Dependability”

We’re proud of our employees who participated in our Maytag Day of Dependability yesterday/recently with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton Harbor!

Thanks to Tony Wittkowski of the Herald-Palladium for the nice article which spotlights our employees making a difference in the lives of boys & girls in Benton Harbor.

Read the full story >>>

from Whirlpool Corporation http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/whirlpool-corporation-employees-volunteer-at-boys-girls-club-during-maytag-day-of-dependability/
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Collaborative robots enhance manufacturing capabilities

As new manufacturing technologies become available, our plants evaluate and invest in those innovations with the ultimate goal of improving the products we build for consumers’ homes.

In the past 18 months, several of our plants have added collaborative robots to the assembly process. Collaborative robots are at the forefront of manufacturing technology and are designed to work alongside their human counterparts.

“Collaborative robots allow us to be much more flexible,” says Eric Howe, senior engineer and automation lead. “Because they’re fairly small and lightweight, they can easily be moved, if needed. They also are easier to program than traditional robots, which saves times, and they’re relatively inexpensive when compared to other technologies.”

Today, we are using collaborative robots in 7 of 9 of our U.S. plants. Howe says the robots are used for repetitive tasks as well as those that require detailed precision, such as applying the same amount of glue in an exact location.

“The addition of the robots allows our employees to focus on tasks that require greater cognitive skill,” he explains. “We truly are seeing ‘collaboration’ in our workplace, thanks to the innovation of these robots.”

The company has more than 20 robots, either in place or being implemented with plans to add more. “We are expanding very quickly,” Howe says. “We’re developing a user interface in-house so that we can be flexible and self-sufficient as we continue our implementation. We are also hiring automation leads at each of the plants to help lead this growth.”

Manufacturing can be complex, but through innovation it can become even more flexible and cost-effective. Collaborative robots are one piece of the solution that already is bringing results to our company with potential momentum for years to come.

from Whirlpool Corporation http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/collaborative-robots-enhance-manufacturing-capabilities/
via Appliance Direct

Attracting millennials to work in manufacturing

How does a 105-year old company that manufactures home appliances attract the most innovative young minds for the next generation of the workforce?

If you ask Mae Zyjewski of Whirlpool Corporation’s Advanced Manufacturing team, a good place to start is by focusing on the future.

“When we look at what’s happening with the evolution of technology, the changing perceptions of manufacturing are helping it becoming a more appealing place to work than ever before,” Zyjewski says.

Walking into one of Whirlpool Corporation’s global manufacturing facilities, a visitor may be able to witness a collaborative robot working alongside an operator. The robot may be programmed to replace repetitive tasks like placing a motor into a unit, therefore reducing ergonomic challenges and simplifying mundane tasks.

This “manufacturing plant of the future” is part of a larger trend of Industry 4.0, a term used to describe the how the digital revolution and the industrial revolution come together to make products more efficiently. With more than 40 manufacturing facilities around the world, Whirlpool Corporation has identified two manufacturing sites to become model facilities to test future technologies, one in Cleveland, Tenn., and the other in Poprad, Slovakia.

Just as the need for technology evolves, there is also an emerging need for companies to attract and retain top talent needed to stay ahead of the competition. Along with skilled trade workers and operators, there is also a growing need for innovative employees who understand data science, technology and advances in digital systems.

This summer a team from the University of Michigan Tauber Institute was given a challenge to use smart technologies on the assembly line. Within weeks, the team had programmed a robot to shoot screws into a unit on a moving assembly line using technology and collaborative robots. The results were so promising that one of the students was offered a full-time position with the company. She will begin working at Whirlpool in January.

“As we continue to innovate the spaces of manufacturing and production, we will need to keep focus on bringing in top talent to help us focus on the future of global manufacturing,” Zyjewski says.

from Whirlpool Corporation http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/attracting-millennials-to-work-in-manufacturing/
via Appliance Direct

Women in Manufacturing Spotlight: Connie Corwin

Many people think of jobs in manufacturing primarily held by men. While that’s been true in the past, in recent years, that trend has slowed. At Whirlpool Corporation, we value diversity, including diversity of thought — which women bring to our manufacturing operations every day.

Throughout Manufacturing Month in October, we are highlighting women at our factories in areas such as assembly, quality, management, finance, human resources and other functions.

Today we shine the spotlight on Connie Corwin, BDWF business unit manager in Clyde, Ohio.

from Whirlpool Corporation http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/women-in-manufacturing-spotlight-connie-corwin/
via Appliance Direct

Women in Manufacturing Spotlight: Jennifer Michael

Many people think of jobs in manufacturing primarily held by men. While that’s been true in the past, in recent years, that trend has slowed. At Whirlpool Corporation, we value diversity, including diversity of thought — which women bring to our manufacturing operations every day.

Throughout Manufacturing Month in October, we are highlighting women at our factories in areas such as assembly, quality, management, finance, human resources and other functions.

Today we shine the spotlight on Jennifer Michael, WPS project analyst at our plant in Amana, Iowa.

from Whirlpool Corporation http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/women-in-manufacturing-spotlight-jennifer-michael/
via Appliance Direct

Whirlpool publishes the 2015 Sustainability Report: improving environmental performance, growing commitment to the social sphere

• In line with the global results, the Europe, Middle East and Africa Region (EMEA) has recorded an 11% reduction of energy consumption, water consumption has reached a -27%, while CO2 emissions have decreased by 11 percentage points compared to 2014.

• Significant commitment towards communities: 60,000 of the more than 300,000 total employee volunteerism hours are “donated in EMEA”; more than 100 nonprofit organizations supported.

Comerio (Varese, Italy), 2 November 2016 – Whirlpool has published its 2015 Sustainability Report, which shows the commitment to projects that can deliver tangible value for the communities in which the Company operates, through an integrated approach to sustainability, both environmental and social. A value originating from solutions that help Customers and Society as a whole to spend quality time only, that time made of moments that truly matter.

Whirlpool has always been committed to create purposeful innovation, building technologies that can lower the environmental impact through renewables, as well as encouraging the recycling and recovery of products at the end of their life cycle. This commitment leads to a concrete economic and social benefit for the community.

According to the most recent G4 guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative, the Whirlpool 2015 Sustainability Report focuses on material (or relevant) issues for the Company and its stakeholders, identified through the dialogue and engagement process with the stakeholders themselves: a steady path that reflects Whirlpool sustainability journey and its ability to evolve in an ever-changing environment.

Three are the goals established in order to improve the performances:

• 90% full material transparency on all new products by 2020
• 15% reduction of energy and water use in manufacturing from 2014 levels
• Zero landfill waste from manufacturing by 2022

Reducing environmental impacts of processes and products

In 2015, Whirlpool Corporation has achieved in its facilities a net reduction of water and energy use, CO2 emissions and waste production, by encouraging also voluntary recycling of products at the end of their life cycle. In the EMEA region, the environmental performance recorded vs 2014:

• –11% energy consumption, from 28,91 to 25,67 KWh per unit produced. Savings equal to the average consumption of 30,000 homes.
• -27% water consumption, a reduction from 123.3 to 89.5 liters per unit produced. A delta equal to 8% of the annual consumption of water for household use in Italy.
• –11% CO2 emissions, which means that in 2015 the emission of over 20,000 tons of CO2 has been avoided, the equivalent of 3,000 cars with an average mileage of 30,000 km in a year.
• -8% waste production, the equivalent of what is produced on average by a 50,000-inhabitant city.

An honorable mention on the environmental front goes to Italy. The Naples plant has a photovoltaic system producing more than 630,000 kWh per year (approximately 10% of its electric needs), which brings a yearly saving of about 500 tons of CO2. In Siena production site, a heat recovery system allows the re-use of hot air produced by chillers of thermoforming machines and compressors to warm up factory locations and reduce energy use from heating systems.

The commitment towards an efficient waste management is not limited to industrial processes and encompasses the products’ sphere: in early October 2016, Whirlpool Corporation signed a partnership with standardized labeling system How2Recycle, which gives consumers simplified instructions on how to best recycle product packaging materials. By joining, Whirlpool Corporation has become the first appliance manufacturer member of the system.

Promoting social development by investing in the Communities

The territories in which Whirlpool operates are the basin of the community relations activities of the Group, where employees play the role of undisputed protagonists:

• 1 in 3 employees volunteer

• 316,500 employee volunteerism hours

• More than 300 nonprofit organizations impacted globally through volunteerism and donations.

In EMEA, 60,000 are the hours that employees Whirlpool in 2015 donated in social activities, 110 the non-profit associations supported, 470,000 euro the funds allocated and 2,500 the appliances donated. With clear and tangible results: there are more than 55,000 people, in fact, who have directly benefited from these concrete actions in the social sphere.

One in all, the partnership with Habitat for Humanity, an organization that helps people helps people to find strength, stability and independence through safe, decent and affordable shelters. Since 2004, Whirlpool has donated over 1,100 appliances to more than 75,000 families in 37 EMEA countries, and more than 1,000 employees have donated more than 21,000 hours of their work.

On the Italian side, the project with the Red Cross stands out, by welcoming migrants and refugees (about 2,500 beneficiaries) and managing the emergence of the August 24th earthquake that hit Central Italy, through donation of appliances and working hours from employees.

The Report is available online on our website at:
http://whirlpoolcorp.com/environmental-sustainability/

from Whirlpool Corporation http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/whirlpool-publishes-the-2015-sustainability-report-improving-environmental-performance-growing-commitment-to-the-social-sphere/
via Appliance Direct

Manufacturing – Where everything comes together

At Whirlpool Corporation, we love manufacturing because we get manufacturing. It’s where everything comes together, and we couldn’t be more proud of our people who make it happen every day.

from Whirlpool Corporation http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/manufacturing-where-everything-comes-together/
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Women in Manufacturing Spotlight: Chondra Richwine

Many people think of jobs in manufacturing primarily held by men. While that’s been true in the past, in recent years, that trend has slowed. At Whirlpool Corporation, we value diversity, including diversity of thought — which women bring to our manufacturing operations every day.

Throughout Manufacturing Month in October, we are highlighting women at our factories in areas such as assembly, quality, management, finance, human resources and other functions.

Today we shine the spotlight on Chondra Richwine, manager of Supplier Quality in Clyde, Ohio.

from Whirlpool Corporation http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/women-in-manufacturing-spotlight-chondra-richwine/
via Appliance Direct

Women in Manufacturing Spotlight: Kelly Szatkowski

Many people think of jobs in manufacturing primarily held by men. While that’s been true in the past, in recent years, that trend has slowed. At Whirlpool Corporation, we value diversity, including diversity of thought — which women bring to our manufacturing operations every day.

Throughout Manufacturing Month in October, we are highlighting women at our factories in areas such as assembly, quality, management, finance, human resources and other functions.

Today we shine the spotlight on Kelly Szatkowski, FDC senior manager at our plant in Greenville, Ohio.

from Whirlpool Corporation http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/women-in-manufacturing-spotlight-kelly-szatkowski/
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Whirlpool Corporation Breaks Ground on Newest Wind Project

Today, as part of Whirlpool Corporation’s ongoing commitment to producing products in the U.S. in a cost effective and environmentally efficient manner, the company broke ground on a wind turbine project at its manufacturing plant in Ottawa, Ohio. The project objectives are to save money while offsetting the facility’s electrical consumption by more than 30 percent, or enough energy to power 300-400 American homes annually.

The $3.3M “Wind for Industry” project will be built and funded by One Energy. The project was first announced in May of 2016 and is expected to be completed early in 2017.

“Wind power is a key component of our commitment to environmentally responsible operations and manufacturing,” said Ron Voglewede, Global Sustainability Director, Whirlpool Corporation. “We’re also excited for the opportunity to put our global commitment to sustainability into practice at a local level here in Ohio — where we have made a significant commitment to manufacturing, including by employing approximately 10,000 manufacturing employees.”

The Ottawa plant is one of three Whirlpool Corporation manufacturing plants in Ohio that are investing in wind energy. Earlier this year, the company announced a three-turbine wind farm project at its Marion plant as well as a two turbine farm at its Findlay plant that has been running since January. The completion of Whirlpool Corporation’s newest wind projects in Ottawa and Marion has the potential to make Whirlpool Corporation one of the largest Fortune 500 consumers of on-site wind energy in the United States. Collectively, the company expects to generate enough clean energy to power more than 2,400 average American homes per year.

“Not only will this allow us to incorporate sustainable practices into our manufacturing process, but the wind turbine will also give us the opportunity to further pursue operations efficiencies and cost reduction,” said Jenni Hanna, Ottawa Facilities Plant Lead at Whirlpool Corporation.

In honor of the new turbine, Whirlpool Corporation will also create a $5,000 Megawatt Scholarship to be awarded annually for the next 20 years to a graduating high school senior from the local school district. The scholarship is designed to encourage education in the technologies and industries of the future. Eligible local students will be those seeking a two or four year technical degree in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) at an accredited college.

from Whirlpool Corporation http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/whirlpool-corporation-breaks-ground-on-newest-wind-project/
via Appliance Direct

Women in Manufacturing Spotlight: Darlene Ownbey

Many people think of jobs in manufacturing primarily held by men. While that’s been true in the past, in recent years, that trend has slowed. At Whirlpool Corporation, we value diversity, including diversity of thought — which women bring to our manufacturing operations every day.

Throughout Manufacturing Month in October, we are highlighting women at our factories in areas such as assembly, quality, management, finance, human resources and other functions.

Today we shine the spotlight on Darlene Ownbey, Assembly Process Lead in Cleveland, Tenn.

from Whirlpool Corporation http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/women-in-manufacturing-spotlight-darlene-ownbey/
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Clyde Operations hosts TALENT Camp

This summer Clyde Operations partnered with Terra State College to host a skilled trades camp T.A.L.E.N.T. (Trades Awareness Leading and Excelling in New Talent) Camp, where high school students were exposed to electricity, welding, machining and robotics.

On Friday Oct 21, 2016 those same students were invited to spend the day on our manufacturing floor to understand and see how those trades interact with each other and align with producing a product for consumers.

from Whirlpool Corporation http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/clyde-operations-hosts-talent-camp/
via Appliance Direct

Women in Manufacturing Spotlight: Kate Jones

Many people think of jobs in manufacturing primarily held by men. While that’s been true in the past, in recent years, that trend has slowed. At Whirlpool Corporation, we value diversity, including diversity of thought — which women bring to our manufacturing operations every day.

Throughout Manufacturing Month in October, we are highlighting women at our factories in areas such as assembly, quality, management, finance, human resources and other functions.

Today we shine the spotlight on Kate Jones, who works in Finance at our plant in Marion, Ohio.

from Whirlpool Corporation http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/women-in-manufacturing-spotlight-kate-jones/
via Appliance Direct