Whirlpool opens Benton Harbor Technology Center

What once was a warehouse is now a state-of-the-art technology center in Benton Harbor. The center opened Dec. 19 and is part of Whirlpool’s  $155 million investment in the area that will be realized when a series of projects is completed in 2016.

At the same time it opened the Benton Harbor Technology Center, Whirlpool announced it will break ground on phase three of its Riverview campus in 2015. This phase includes a third, three-story building alongside two current buildings. The company also announced it will move forward with a third phase of renovations at its Global Headquarters facility.

Completion of those projects will represent the $155 million investment in the community. Plans for the new Riverview campus project as well as major renovations in the company’s global headquarters building were announced four years ago.

With the opening of the Benton Harbor Technology Center, the area is now home to more than 1,200 engineers and technicians. The center serves as the global technology hub for all of Whirlpool’s major categories including cooking, cleaning, laundry, and refrigeration.

The facility is Whirlpool Corporation’s largest refrigeration technology center and focuses on next generation processes and technologies.

“This is not just a new facility,” says Jeff M. Fettig, chairman and CEO of Whirlpool Corp. “It is a testament to our values as a company, our commitment to investing where it counts–right here at home.”

Source: Whirlpool Corp.