Local Whirlpool plant will
close
By Hannah Brooks
Staff
Writer
The Whirlpool plant in Lafayette is planning to
close and the decision may affect Purdue students.
The move will mean the loss of many job opportunities
to Purdue students that are employed there.
"These are never easy decisions," said Wyse. "But
the decision has been made."
According to Wyse, Whirlpool tries to ensure all
employees are treated "fairly" and with the "utmost respects as we implement
this decision over many months."
One such employee will be looking for another job.
Mathew Banks, a junior in the School of Management
who has worked for the West Lafayette plant for a semester, said his
job at Whirlpool was convenient.
"It's real flexible to my schedule," said Banks.
"It's not like I can't find another job (but) I had planned on working
there till I graduate."
This obviously is not possible because the West
Lafayette plant will be closing sometime this year.
The closing will "phase out," that is, once the
location is determined there will be a process over several weeks or
months of moving the packaging to the new location.
The plant has been here since 1989 and employs
13 full-time employees and 170 part time employees, many of which are
Purdue students. It packages parts that are sent to the LaPorte, Ind.,
plant for distribution.
Whirlpool has decided to focus more on manufacturing
and marketing aspects of the company and signed a contract to let Ryder
take over packaging operations as a result. Ryder's expectations are
that Whirlpool will reduce the complexity and cost of packaging for
them.
This will "lower (Whirlpool's) cost because of
(Ryder's) expertise (in packaging)," said Christopher Wyse, director
of communications at Whirlpool Headquarters in Benton Harbor, Mich.
Ryder is most well known for its moving vans.
The plan is to consolidate the West Lafayette plant
and three other plants in the Midwest into one location run by Ryder.
The location is still yet to be determined. The West Lafayette Whirlpool
plant is not being considered as an option for the location of the new
consolidated plant.
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