WHIRLPOOL INDIA LIMITED

Background

Bauknecht, Ignis, Laden, Inglis, Brastemp and

Whirlpool of India Limited (WIL) is an 82.3 per cent

Consul.

subsidiary of Whirlpool Corporation, US, one of the

leading global consumer durable players. Whirlpool is
among Indias leading home appliances companies. It
manufactures and markets refrigerators, washing

Major player
in the home appliances market

Factors for success

Market share

Whirlpool India Ltd. has changed its strategy from

WIL has a market share of 22.8 per cent in the

being a premium-player to a mass-player. Whirlpool

direct cool segment, 17.5 per cent in the frost-free

has been concentrating on becoming a brand for the

segment, and 14 per cent in the washer segment.

mass-market and hence has introduced its products

Aggressive marketing and promotion

machines, air-conditioners and microwave ovens. Set

in all price categories. Whirlpool recently announced

up in 1995, Whirlpool India has 2,500 employees,

an alliance with the Italian appliances company Faber

Heatkraft to introduce its range of cooking appliances
in the Indian market. The products consisting of hobs,
chimneys and cooking ranges will be distributed and
sold by Faber through WILs dealer network and
exclusive outlets.

Taking quality initiatives

Whirlpool India initiated the Six-Sigma programme
in 1999 as a quality initiative to transform the
organisation to a globally competitive entity. It has
helped the organisation streamline operations, improve
quality and eliminate defects by increasing customer
satisfaction and enhancing its bottom line. Apart from
sales and marketing, Whirlpool has extended the Sixsigma initiative to customer focus.

an extensive sales and distribution network, a robust

manufacturing and R&D infrastructure. WIL has made

Wide product portfolio

substantial investments in India so far.

Whirlpool has a wide product portfolio ranging from

Whirlpool Corporation is one of the worlds leading

air-conditioners to microwaves. Whirlpool has just

manufacturers and marketers of major home

launched Whitemagic semi-automatic washing

appliances, with annual sales of over US$ 12.3 billion,

machines, which will boost its market share. The

68,000 employees, 50 manufacturing and technology

washing machines market has been growing at around

research centres around the globe. The company

14-16 per cent per annum. Among the washing

manufactures its products in 13 countries and markets

machines, the semi-automatic segment enjoys the

them in more than 170 countries under brand names

largest market where Whirlpool has a significant

such as Whirlpool, Kitchen Aid, Roper, Estate,

presence.

US COMPANIES IN INDIA

Leveraging the India Advantage

WIL is incubating both technical and managerial
talent in India
WIL offers shared services in India that will
undertake development work for Whirlpool Asia
WIL runs a technical centre for refrigeration in
Pune, and for laundry and kitchen aid appliances
at Pondicherry

WIL runs an Export Oriented Unit (EOU) in

Pondicherry to manufacture Kitchen Aid products
for overseas markets

Infrastructure

Whirlpool
GLANCE

India

Limited:

AT

Whirlpool Corporation: One of the leading

global consumer durable players. US$ 12.3
billion sales. 68,000 employees. 50

Whirlpool has manufacturing facilities at three locations

manufacturing and technology research

in India to manufacture refrigerators and washing

centres across the globe. Manufacturing units

machines.

in 13 countries. Marketing goods in 170

Whirlpool has set up a Regional Technology Centre

(RTC) at Ranjangaon, Pune, which mainly focuses on

countries
Whirlpool India: Amongst Indias leading

India as a major manufacturing centre for the Asia-

home-appliance

Pacific Region. Whirlpools Pune research lab develops

employees. Robust manufacturing and R&D

refrigerators and air-conditioners for Asia (including

infrastructure. Major player in the home

China), and Australia. 40 per cent of Whirlpools

Pune research labs resources are devoted to its core
research on global projects.
Whirlpool has set up design centres at Pondicherry
to meet the global business needs of the fabric care
and small appliance divisions.
Whirlpool is exporting refrigerators and washing
machines to South Asia, Asia-Pacific, Latin America
and West Asia and is the largest exporter of home
appliances from India. The manufacturing unit at
Pondicherry exports small kitchen appliances under
the Kitchen Aid brand to the US market. Products
under the brand include coffee making machines,
coffee grinders and portable ovens.

Future plans

companies.

2,500

appliances market
Factors for success: Aggressive marketing
and promotional activities. Taking quality
initiatives. Wide product portfolio
For Whirlpool, India is: A source for
technical and managerial talent. A shared
service base for development work. A
technical hub for refrigeration (Pune) and
laundry

and

kitchen

appliances

(Pondicherry). A manufacturing base for

Kitchen Aid products
Future plans, India: Grow the market.
Continue with operational and marketing
initiatives. Continue to innovate and increase
product portfolio. To make India the
biggest manufacturing base in Asia.

WILs future plans are to grow its existing market,

continue with its operational and marketing initiatives,
continue to innovate, expand its product portfolio
and start manufacturing everything in India. WIL plans
to make India its biggest manufacturing base in
Asia.

US COMPANIES IN INDIA