As the new appliance partner for Ashton Woods Homes, Whirlpool Corporation provides energy- and water-efficient appliances for the homebuilder's new homes and condominiums throughout the Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Raleigh, N.C., and Orlando and Tampa, Fla., markets.

According to Ralph Farrell, vice president of operations at Ashton Wood Homes, Whirlpool Corporation was selected as a partner because the appliance manufacturer has a better feel for each of the homebuilder's local markets.

"We carefully select building products and locations that best satisfy the lifestyles of local homebuyers, and Whirlpool Corporation does a great job of understanding the needs of each market," said Farrell. "Since partnering with Whirlpool Corporation, service and delivery have been beyond our expectations, and we are ahead of schedule with appliance training for our sales and construction teams. The company is a good fit for who we are and what we work to achieve."

As a Gold Level Environments for Living™ and ENERGY STAR® builder, Ashton Woods offers the most energy- and water-efficient appliances from both Whirlpool and KitchenAid brands.

"Ashton Woods has been at the forefront of green building, designing energy-efficient homes for several years," said Tom Halford, general manager, contract sales and marketing at Whirlpool Corporation. "It's an honor to be selected as appliance partner for a builder that truly understands the nuances of 'green' building and how best to satisfy its homeowners on a number of different levels."

About Ashton Woods Homes

Ashton Woods Homes is a subsidiary of the Great Gulf Group - a fully integrated collection of companies that spans the entire real estate spectrum in North America - from land acquisition and development to the design and construction of master planned communities. For more information, visit ashtonwoodshomes.com.

About Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation works to exceed expectations with appliances that help building professionals create homes of distinction. The Inside Advantage™ is designed to meet the needs of Whirlpool Corporation's building community customers. More than a program, The Inside Advantage™ provides trade customers with the strength of Powerful Brands, Innovative Products, Market Insight and Targeted Services, all from one company.

Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of approximately $17 billion in 2009, 67,000 employees, and 67 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht and other major brand names to consumers in nearly every country around the world. For more information on Whirlpool Corporation and its offerings for building professionals, please visit insideadvantage.com or call 1-800-952-2537.

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SOURCE: Whirlpool Corporation