Among the challenges that Whirlpool must overcome to take advantage of the positive trend are the supply chain challenges, related to commodity and transportation inflation, as well as prices and wages, as these factors are vital drivers of durable goods sales. In Puente’s plans for the Latin American region, where Mexico is the second most important market, is to strengthen its supply chain with a focus on local markets.
“Ten years ago, being a global company was mandatory to have scale. Now, operating as ‘the best Whirlpool’ in each of the countries where we have a presence would be ideal and that is going to be my approach”, he says.
With regionalization, Whirlpool has also increased its local sourcing. “Five years ago we bought 70% of the inputs in America, now it is 80%, we have made progress in having more regional chains and that allows us to be more flexible and face demand much better,” he adds.
Mexico in the equation
In the country, the company has three plants that manufacture refrigerators, washing machines, components and plastics in Apodaca, Nuevo León; one of stoves, compact refrigerators and semi-automatic washing machines in Celaya, Guanajuato, and another of duplex refrigerators in Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila. The company, which includes Acros and KitchenAid among its brands, has 11,000 employees in the country.
It is also the second export platform and the third market with the highest production: from Mexico the company’s products are sent to 170 countries in the world. In 2021, Whirlpool announced a investment of 150 million dollars to expand production capacity at its Apocada and Ramos Arizpe plants, to meet the growing demand for household appliances.
The company’s plants work with 4.0 technology, which, the manager points out, allows them to be more efficient, in addition to providing a sustainable component, since no waste is generated.