ST. JOSEPH, Mich. — Over the past few years, Whirlpool Corp. Commercial Laundry, a division of Whirlpool Corp., has “strived to move the industry forward” through substantial investments in facilities, products and services, the company says.
“It is an exciting time,” says Trey Northrup, general manager of Whirlpool Corp. Commercial Laundry. “We are celebrating the completion of ongoing investments in the Fall River, Mass., commercial laundry production facility and distribution center. Through listening to our customers, we have made great moves to continue our commitment to our portfolio of products and services.”
The Fall River manufacturing facility is intended to support strong customer demand for Whirlpool-built commercial laundry equipment.
The $35 million project includes upgrades to its 300,000-square-foot commercial laundry state-of-the-art facility. The company says it will be its largest plant in the world dedicated to commercial laundry.
With the acquisition of the Fall River manufacturing facility by Whirlpool Corp., the Maytag®Commercial Laundry brand now has customized production washer capabilities, according to Northrup.
“The advanced production here supports the growth of our premium commercial laundry business, which includes some of the most innovative multi-load washers and dryers, specialty products and industrial dryers offered in the marketplace,” he says. “We’ve done this to continue our leadership in engineering, design, and manufacturing solutions to meet the increasing demands of the commercial laundry industry.”
“The Fall River facility allows for flexibility and nimble product offerings through its configure-to-order capability” adds Raul Rincon, Fall River plant director.
The latest platform advancement is a production line solely dedicated to MaytagCommercial Laundry brand’s rigid- and soft-mount multi-load washers. The washers range in size from 20 to 60 pounds and are customizable.
As part of the 59th Maytag Commercial Laundry Meeting in Fall River earlier in May, guests ranging from customers to local dignitaries got a first-hand look at the new washer platform to complete Maytag Brand’s model line-up.
James and Rhonda West, fourth-generation owners of Best Wash Inc., an equipment distributor in Humble, Texas, enjoyed seeing how Maytag machines are made.
“We got a lot of good information about how and where the product is being made,” says James West. “And, it was really interesting to see the testing stations and environmental control lab.”
In addition to the manufacturing facility, the company says sales and service support have been expanded to include more resources and an enhanced call center located in the Fall River facility.
“These investments in our manufacturing facilities, products and services are examples of our ongoing commitment to manufacturing and reinforce our belief that the state of Mass serves as a manufacturing center of excellence for commercial laundry equipment,” says Pam Klyn, vice president of the global product organization for Whirlpool Corp.
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