Whirlpool has completed the production and R&D consolidation process at its factory in Cassinetta di Biandronno, in Varese Province (Lombardy). The aim is to boost the competitiveness of built-in appliance production in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. On 28 March, after 2 months of talks, an agreement was reached with Swedish trade unions to close the micro-wave factory in Norrkopeing, including its technology and logistics centres, by the end of 2014.
The business plan, which strengthens Whirlpool’s Italian presence, also envisages an increase in production of about 500,000 units per year. When fully implemented, and taken with existing production, this will bring production levels to about 2.3 million units/year.
The plan Whirlpool introduced in 2013 will bring investment in Cassinetta to 280 million euros by the end of 2016. As Davide Castiglioni, CEO of Whirlpool EMEA, observed, the site offers the size and synergies needed to create a hub of excellence. Source: Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor. More news, in Italian, from Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, Croatia, Germany, Russia and Spain
