BENTON HARBOR, Mich., May 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni dedicated the new headquarters of Whirlpool EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) in Pero (Milan) today. Whirlpool Corporation President and Chief Operating Officer Marc Bitzer, Whirlpool EMEA President and Whirlpool Corporation Executive Vice-President Esther Berrozpe Galindo, Regione Lombardia President Roberto Maroni, and the Mayor of Pero Maria Rosa Belotti attended the ceremony.
The building chosen for Whirlpool EMEA's headquarters is in the Perseo Expo District and will accommodate 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 its 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.
"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," said Whirlpool EMEA President and Whirlpool Corporation Executive Vice President, Esther Berrozpe Galindo. "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. This 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 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.
About Whirlpool Corporation
Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is 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. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com, or find us on Twitter at @WhirlpoolCorp.
SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation