The history of Whirlpool Corporation begins in 1911, with the appearance of the Upton Machine Company, in the state of Michigan (USA), with the production of washing machines. Although the first machines had defects, the errors were solved thanks to the efforts of the founder of the company: Luis Upton. In 1916 the first contract was signed between the Upton Machine Company and Sears Roebuck and Co. In just a few months, demand exceeded production. Like most manufacturing facilities in the United States, the Nineteen Hundred Corporation plants were used from 1942 on for the production of war material for World War II. The production of washing machines was normalized in August 1945, shortly after the end of the War. The 1950s marked a period of great growth for the company. It was precisely in 1950 when it changed its name to Whirlpool Corporation, which was used for the first time by the Horton Manufacturing Company (a company acquired by the Nineteen Hundred Corporation in 1922), as the name of their washing machines, becoming thus since 1950 in the definitive name of the Corporation ('Whirlpool' in Spanish means whirlwind). Already in 1955 the product line expanded, incorporating clothes dryers, kitchens, air conditioners. In 1967 the company launched its customer service. In the 1980s and 1990s, they presented the opportunity to expand for the company worldwide, incorporating the markets of Europe, Mexico, Canada, China, Africa, Argentina and Brazil. The expansion came hand in hand with new purchases. For example, it was the case of Ignis. Guido Borghi and his three sons founded the Ignis company in Comerio, Italy. It was first acquired by Philips in 1972 and subsequently by Whirlpool Corporation in 1989. In 2002 the company made a clear commitment to Spain and Portugal.
In 2006 Whirlpool acquired control of the Maytag Corporation, one of the most important companies in the US market. In this way it became the largest household appliance industry in the world with an annual turnover of 19 billion dollars, 60 production and technology centers, and more than 80,000 workers worldwide.
On November 11, 2010, at the New York Stock Exchange, Jeff Fettig, Chairman and CEO of Whirlpool Corporation, starred in the Closing Bell event as the start of the company's centennial celebrations that will take place on November 11, 2011 .
In July 2014, the company announced the purchase of 60.4% of the shareholding of Indesit, the Italian appliance brand.
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