Whirlpool entered India in the late 1980s as part of its global expansion strategy. It forayed into the market under a joint venture with TVS group and established the first Whirlpool manufacturing facility in Pondicherry for washing machine category. In 1995 Whirlpool acquired Kelvinator India Limited and marked an entry into the refrigerator market as well. The same year the company also saw acquisition of major shares in TVS joint venture and later in 1996, Kelvinator and TVS acquisitions were merged to create, Whirlpool of India Limited. This expanded the company's portfolio in the Indian subcontinent to washing machines, refrigerator, microwave ovens and air conditioners. Whirlpool of India Limited headquartered in Gurugram, is now one of the leading manufacturers and marketers of major home appliances in the country. The company owns three state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities at Faridabad, Pondicherry and Pune. Each of the manufacturing set-up features an infrastructure that is witness of Whirlpool's commitment to providing its consumer with forward looking solutions.
Business area of the company
The company is now one of the leading manufacturers and marketers of major home appliances in the country.
Products
Refrigerators
Washing Machine
Kitchenware
Air Purifiers
Water Purifiers
Air Conditioners
Commercial Appliances
Accessories
Awards
2008: NDTV Profit Business and Leadership Award 2008 for 'The Best Consumer Durables Company'.
2009: Top 20 Best Companies To Work For In India 2009.
2009: Top 25 Best Employers In India 2009.
2009: Frost & Sullivan 2009 Business Development Strategy Leadership Award For Residential Point-Of-Use Water Treatment Systems In India.
2009: CII All India Six Sigma Competition, 2009 Runner Up.
2009: Indo American Corporate Excellence Award For 'The Best US Company In India' 2009.
2009: Product of the Year 2009 Frost Free Refrigerators with Sixth Sense-Best Innovative Product in Refrigerator Category.
2009: ICWAI-National Award for Excellence in Cost Management- Bronze.
2010: Product of the Year 2010 1-2-3 Washing Machine-Best Innovative 2010: Product in the Washing Machine Category.
2010: Readers Digest Trusted Brand Gold Award (2009-2010) For Refrigerators and Washing Machines.
2010: 1 India's Best Company for Leadership Development by Great Place to Work.
2010: 15 India's Best Companies to Work For By Great Place to Work.
2010: Best Consumer Durables Company -Dun & Bradstreet Corporate Awards 2010.
2011: 14 Best Employers in India 2011.
2011: 9 Top Companies for Leaders Asia Pacific 2011.
2011: Best Employers in Asia Pacific 2011.
2011: Readers Digest Trusted Brand Gold Award (2010-2011) For Refrigerators and Washing Machines.
2011: Whirlpool Pondicherry Washer Facility Gold Award In Economic Times Frost & Sullivan Manufacturing Excellence Award - 2011.
2011: CEAMA Appliance Man of the Year for Arvind Uppal.
2012: ICWAI-National Award For Excellence In Cost Management - Silver.
2012: Trophy for Export Excellence in EPO Service for Outstanding Export Performance.
2012: Whirlpool Ace Washing Machine Received The Silver Medal In The Prestigious International Edison Awards For Being The Best New Product In The Lifestyle And Social Impact Category.
2013: Icemagic (Geny) Wins Prestigious Designomics Award 2013.
2013: Whirlpool 360 Bloomwash Voted India's Best Washing Machine.
2013: Whirlpool India Wins 2nd Prize for Best Technical Paper in 29th Indian Value Engineering Conference.
2013: Woil Named Readers Digest Trusted Brand Gold Award 2013 For Refrigerators And Washer.
2014: Protton World Series Refrigerator Range Wins Prestigious Designomics 2014 Award.
2014: Neo I Chill Refrigerator and 360 degree Bloomwash Washer Receive Prestigious India Design Mark 2014.
2015: Protton World Series Refrigerator Range Wins Prestigious Designomics 2015 Award.
2015: Whirlpool India Recognized As One Of The Best Employers- Aon Hewitt Best Employer- India 2015.
2016: India Design Mark 2016.
2016: Aon Best Employer 2016.
2018: India's Best Companies to Work for 2018.
Milestones
1908: The first automatic washer was launched to public in late 1908, by 1900 Corporation which in 1911 was renamed to Upton Machine Company.
1911: Louis Upton founded the Upton Machine Company in that year to produce motor-driven wringer washers.
1916: First order of washers was sold to Sears, Roebuck & Co.
1929: Upton Machine Company merged with Nineteen Hundred Washer Company of NewYork .
1948: First 'Whirlpool' brand automatic washer with dual distribution was introduced. It included two product lines one each was distributed through Sears and Nineteen Hundred.
1957: The company was rechristened as ' The Whirlpool Corporation.'
1958: The company moved out of country for the first time and invested in Brazilian appliance market through purchase of equity in Multibras S.A.
1968: The Elisha Gray II Research & Engineering Center was completed in BentonHarbor. In the same year the company's revenues crossed the legendary $1 billion mark for the first time.
1978: Within a decade company doubled its feat of $1 billion mark and reached the $2 billion revenue level.
1986: The 'Kitchen Aid' division of Hobart Corporation was purchased.
1987: Whirlpool tied-up with Sundaram Clayton Ltd. of India to form TVS Whirlpool.
1989: This was a historic year since the revenues catapulted to heights of over $6 billion mark. Also, the joint venture with N.V.Philips of Netherlands called Whirlpool Europe B.V. was formed to manufacture and market appliances in Europe.
1990: The company established joint venture with Matsushita Electric Company of Japan to produce vacuum cleaners for the North American market.
1991: The company introduced and committed globally to its Worldwide Excellence System, which is a TQM program dedicated to exceeding customer expectations. The vision to globalize 'Whirlpool Corp'. was realized in the same year.
1993: First time Whirlpool became the No.1 stand-alone brand in UK, Ireland, Netherlands and Belgium
1995: Whirlpool Corp. acquired majority of stake in the TVS Whirlpool The DC manufacturing facility of Kelvinator India was also acquired.
1996: Whirlpool Washing Machines and Kelvinator India Ltd. merged together to form Whirlpool of India Ltd.
1998: This year gave birth to a new company vision that says, 'Every Home Everywhere with Pride, Passion & Performance.'
1999: Whirlpool of India crossed the milestone of 1 million sales of appliances.
2002: The ' Whirlpool Strategic Architecture ' was launched as a framework to achieve the vision. The revenues of Whirlpool Corp. soared to $10.5 billion.
2013: Whirlpool India launches new Masterpiece Direct Cool Refrigerator
2014: Whirlpool of India opens Whirlpool Haute Kitchen - its first exclusive Built-in experience centre in
2015: Whirlpool of India opens Whirlpool Haute Kitchen - its first exclusive Built-in experience centre in Bangalore
2016: Whirlpool of India unveils its new range of 'air purifiers' in India
2016: Whirlpool of India introduces NeoFresh - the new range of frost free refrigerators based on intellifresh technology
2018: Whirlpool of India introduces the advanced range of dishwashers from whirlpool
2020: Whirlpool of India launches ‘Intellifresh Pro’
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