More than 600 Whirlpool employees from 28 countries will be housed in new offices from today forward following dedication ceremonies at the Benton Harbor-based appliance giant’s new Whirlpool EMEA headquarters in Pero (Milan), Italy.
Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni himself dedicated the striking new headquarters from Whirlpool’s operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa today. He was joined in the formal ribbon cutting by Whirlpool Corporation President & Chief Operating Officer Marc Bitzer, and Whirlpool EMEA President & Whirlpool Corporation Executive Vice-President Esther Berrozpe Galindo. Also on hand were Regione Lombardia President Roberto Maroni and the Mayor of Pero, Maria Rosa Belotti.
The building selected for Whirlpool EMEA’s headquarters is in the Perseo Expo District and will accommodate those more than 600 employees from 28 countries in a modern and collaborative working environment. The new headquarters has the latest technology and was built to meet current sustainability standards, including a rooftop solar power system that is expected to save 16 tons of CO2 emissions each year.
In line with Whirlpool’s corporate social responsibility goals, the company promotes alternative and sustainable transport for its employees through a carpooling app and free shuttle bus services. It has also teamed up with Banco Alimentare, an organization dedicated to redistributing food waste, to reduce unused food at the new headquarters.
Berrozpe Galindo says, “The Prime Minister’s visit is a great honor for us at a very important time for Whirlpool EMEA in Italy. In addition to the new headquarters, in the last few years we have invested $500 million into product innovation, state of the art industrial processes and ongoing training for our employees.” She adds, “And the location of our new headquarters offers our employees a dynamic and multicultural environment.”
Whirlpool EMEA also opened The World of Whirlpool, its new flagship showroom in Milan, to showcase the world’s most advanced home appliance technology and design. That new 5,400 sq. ft. facility displays products from four of Whirlpool Corporation’s leading European brands – KitchenAid, Whirlpool, Hotpoint, and Indesit. It is designed to give guests an opportunity to explore and experiment with products via interactive content, demonstration cooking stations and educational and recreational activities.
Whirlpool Corporation employs more than 6,000 people in eight locations in Italy. The company plans to invest $350 million into research and development in the EMEA region by the end of 2018, with the majority having been allocated to its two advanced research centers in Italy.
Whirlpool will also retain its roots in the Varese area. The EMEA region’s built-in products center (microwaves, fridges and ovens) in Cassinetta di Biandronno will continue with approximately 2,000 employees working in industrial operations, procurement and two global Research and Design centers: Global Consumer Design and Global Food Institute. The company is working with local government and universities to identify possible new uses for the the site of their former headquarters building in Comerio.
Whirlpool Corporation continues to be the number one major appliance manufacturer in the world, with approximately $21 billion in annual sales, 93,000 employees and 70 manufacturing and technology research centers in 2016. The company markets Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, Jenn-Air, Indesit and other major brand names in nearly every country throughout the world, with global headquarters on M-63 north of St. Joseph and Benton Harbor in Benton Charter Township.
