Whirlpool Expands U.S. Manufacturing as Ohio Plants Anchor Past, Present and Future Growth

PERRYSBURG, Ohio—Whirlpool Corp. is expanding its U.S. manufacturing footprint with new investment in Ohio, building on decades of production history and positioning its operations for future growth.

The company announced plans to invest $300 million in its laundry manufacturing facilities in Clyde and Marion, Ohio, adding capacity for next-generation washers and dryers and creating 400 to 600 jobs. The investment is part of a broader strategy to strengthen domestic production and support supply chain resilience.

The expansion comes as Whirlpool marks a milestone at its Marion facility, which has produced clothes dryers since 1955. The plant, which began with 235 employees and an output of 300 units per day, now employs nearly 2,000 workers and can produce up to 22,000 dryers daily, reflecting decades of investment in manufacturing technology and workforce development.

“My father was an engineer at the Marion plant, and my grandfather worked here in the 1950s – I am following in their footsteps,” said Jason Ebert, Whirlpool Corporation senior vice president for North America manufacturing. “There is no other factory like it in the world, and what makes it truly special are the people who work here. This facility represents decades of American hard work and ingenuity to make clothes dryers millions of homes rely on every day.”

Company officials said the Ohio operations remain central to Whirlpool’s U.S. manufacturing strategy, with the Clyde facility serving as the world’s largest washing machine plant and the Marion site continuing to evolve through new equipment, processes and product introductions.

“Whirlpool Corporation’s unwavering commitment to American manufacturing is a cornerstone of our identity,” said Marc Bitzer, chairman and CEO. “This $300 million investment in our Clyde and Marion facilities underscores our dedication to creating jobs, fostering innovation and delivering high-quality, American-made appliances.”

Whirlpool manufactures approximately 80% of its major appliances sold in the United States domestically and has invested billions of dollars in U.S. operations over the past decade. The company said its approach combines large-scale production with ongoing upgrades to automation, product design and workforce capabilities.

Recent investments are focused on increasing flexibility and throughput, while supporting the transition to new product platforms and evolving consumer demand. Company officials said the strategy is designed to ensure long-term competitiveness as manufacturing shifts toward more advanced and connected production systems.

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“Across our U.S. operations, from the factory floor to design labs to distribution centers, our people are the foundation of everything we build,” said Kristin Day, vice president of U.S. manufacturing. “This investment builds on that legacy and ensures we can continue producing world-class appliances in the United States.”

Whirlpool said it plans to continue investing in its U.S. manufacturing network as it expands capacity, modernizes facilities and strengthens its position in the global appliance market.

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Hadrian opens ‘Factory of the Future’ in Alabama

Hadrian has opened a new advanced manufacturing facility in Cherokee, Alabama to support U.S. Navy Columbia- and Virginia-class submarine programs. The site, known as Factory 4, is designed to mass-produce critical components and help accelerate submarine construction.

The 2.2 million square foot facility will operate as a highly automated “factory of the future,” producing parts, assemblies and finished products identified as key drivers of submarine production timelines. Increased output is expected to reduce bottlenecks and enable faster delivery of submarines.

The project is funded through a public-private partnership combining $900 million in U.S. Navy investment with more than $1.5 billion in private capital. The total investment of over $2.4 billion reflects efforts to strengthen the maritime industrial base and expand production capacity.

The facility is also expected to create up to 1,000 high-paying jobs, supporting regional economic growth while addressing workforce shortages in the defence sector. Hadrian said its automated manufacturing platform will enable faster workforce training and improve production efficiency.

The opening comes as the Navy seeks to address long-standing capacity constraints in submarine construction. By shifting component manufacturing to dedicated facilities, shipyards can focus more resources on assembling submarine modules.

“Both chambers of Congress delivered the generational investment required to rebuild our shipbuilding capacity, bring those jobs back to Alabama and put American skilled laborers back at the center of American strength,” said Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan. “I look forward to building on this progress together in the months ahead, because we are just getting started. This factory is the first of three facilities designed to address the most critical bottlenecks in the maritime industrial base.”

Officials described the approach as part of a broader strategy to increase production rates through distributed manufacturing. “We call this distributed shipbuilding, and it’s a key tenet of our plan to achieve required shipbuilding production rates,” said Jason Potter, performing the duties of Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition.

“These factories of the future might be several states away from the yards where the ships are ultimately built, but by taking on this work they reduce bottlenecks, having a profound effect on the speed of delivery,” he added.

Hadrian said the facility will reach full production capacity within 18 to 24 months, following qualification processes and initial production phases. By the third year, the site is expected to sustain operations through regular delivery of submarine components.

Company leadership said the project reflects a coordinated effort between government and industry to expand manufacturing capacity. “The Administration has set the strategy, Congress has cleared a path, the Navy has set the requirement, and Secretary Phelan has been unambiguous that private-sector partnership is foundational, not optional, to deter threats to national security. Industry has to answer that call with real execution, and the window to do it is now. We are proud to be part of the coalition building that capacity, and this factory is Hadrian’s commitment to meeting this moment,” said Chris Power, founder and CEO of Hadrian.

Lawmakers attending the opening highlighted the strategic and economic impact of the investment. “This investment marks a major step forward in strengthening our nation’s defense industrial base while bringing high-quality jobs and economic growth to Northwest Alabama,” said Representative Robert Aderholt.

Officials said the facility is part of a wider effort to modernise U.S. manufacturing and strengthen long-term defence readiness. The project is expected to play a key role in increasing submarine production capacity and supporting national security objectives.

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