Whirlpool will invest $55-million in a major new expansion project creating as many as 150 new jobs at the company’s Tulsa, Oklahoma facility in the form of a new Factory Distribution Center.
The Benton Harbor-based appliance giant revealed plans Tuesday for a new 798,000 square foot facility which will be erected adjacent to its existing cooking technology manufacturing plant in Tulsa. The expanded operations will create a warehouse to support increased production capacity and improve efficiencies within the existing supply chain across North America, while simultaneously supporting growth in the region.
Jim Keppler is Vice President of Integrated Supply Chain & Quality for the North America Region at Whirlpool. Keppler says, “This new facility will help us streamline operations, from both a production and distribution standpoint, and ultimately allow us to better serve our customers throughout the region.” Keppler adds, “This investment is a testament to our skilled workforce in Tulsa and our strong relationship with the state of Oklahoma and the Tulsa community. We’re excited to break ground and bring this project to life.”
Construction of the new, 798,000 square-foot facility is expected to begin in mid-November 2018, with a targeted completion date of December 2019. The $55-million capital investment in the Factory Distribution Center will allow Whirlpool Corporation to expand manufacturing and distribution at its Tulsa plant, which currently produces more than two million cooking appliance products each year. The new center will also create a central location among the company’s existing distribution centers in North America, further enhancing the company’s supply chain.
Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum was ecstatic, saying, “Today’s announcement by Whirlpool represents yet another major investment in the Tulsa community by one of the top companies in the world.” The mayor added, “Whirlpool has been a steadfast corporate citizen, and one of the region’s leaders in recruiting Tulsans of all backgrounds and nationalities into their workforce. They are a model of the work we are advocating through the New Tulsans Initiative, and we look forward to ensuring they are able to continue to grow their operations in the region.”
