Whirlpool Corporation
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040202/DETU004LOGO )
IDEA, one of the world's most prestigious design competitions, is co- sponsored by BusinessWeek magazine and the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA). Judging criteria focused on five areas of industrial design excellence: design innovation, benefit to the user, benefit to the client/business, ecological responsibility, and appropriate aesthetics and appeal. In 2003, the company received an IDEA for its Duet® front-loading washer and dryer.
"We are honored to be recognized for the design of our new Fabric Freshener product," said Chuck Jones, vice president of global consumer design, Whirlpool Corporation. "Our development and design of this product was driven by our in-depth knowledge of our customers' needs, wants and expectations, which enables us to create quality, innovative solutions that are unmatched in the appliance industry."
The BusinessWeek IDEA report hit newsstands today with an in-depth analysis of the winners. Details on the winners, including descriptions and photos, is available at http://www.idsa.org/ .
Fabric Freshener Saves Space, Time, Effort and Money
When a sweater smells stale or a suit has been crumpled, the Fabric Freshener does the work of a steamer and traditional clothesline without the manual labor. Consumers simply place up to two clothing items inside the appliance's garment bag, fill the reservoir with water, zip the bag and press the button.
According to the Clothing Care National Habits and Practices survey, 75 percent of clothes that are sent to the dry cleaner are to remove wrinkles and odors -- not to remove visible stains. The Fabric Freshener directly addresses this by enabling consumers to extend the period between dry cleanings to help save time, effort and money.
A combination of heat and steam helps relax wrinkles from common fabrics like wool, silk, polyester, rayon and cotton. That same combination reaches a temperature and steam level just high enough in an enclosed Fabric Freshener to tackle odors from smoke, food, pets and perfume. Since the Fabric Freshener uses no chemicals or detergents -- just distilled water, clothing looks new longer.
The Fabric Freshener is compact and portable so it's an ideal fit for every living situation. When fully upright, it stands approximately 58 inches high, 33 inches wide and 12 inches deep. When not in use, the unit can be collapsed to the size of a small vacuum (approximately 10 inches high, 33 inches wide and 12 inches deep) for easy storage and portability.
Available exclusively at Best Buy and http://www.whirlpool.com/ in August 2005, the Whirlpool® Fabric Freshener will have a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $249. Consumers can obtain more information on the Fabric Freshener by visiting http://www.whirlpool.com/ .
About IDEA, Industrial Designers and IDSA
The IDEA program fosters business and public understanding about the impact of industrial design excellence on the quality of life and the economy.
Industrial designers determine the form, use features and interaction qualities of manufactured products, packaging and digital media systems. They study people at work, at home and in motion to create satisfying experiences with products from the kitchen and the office to the hospital and the warehouse, shaping these to fit their customers and to make effective use of industrial processes. In this way, industrial designers have a quiet but profound presence in almost everything people encounter during the day.
IDSA is the nonprofit association that represents the profession of industrial design to education, business, government and the public and serves the profession's needs for information and networking.
About Whirlpool Corporation
Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of over $13 billion, 68,000 employees, and nearly 50 manufacturing and technology research centers around the globe. The company markets Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Brastemp, Bauknecht, Consul and other major brand names to consumers in more than 170 countries. Additional information about the company can be found on the Internet at http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/ .
SOURCE: Whirlpool Corporation
CONTACT: Jody Lau, Manager, Global Communications of Whirlpool
Corporation, +1-269-923-5918,
Director of Public Relations of Whirlpool Brand, +1-269-923-7557,