2006_Whirlpool_Annual Abbreviated

Whirlpool Corporation 2006 Annual Report
Every Home…Everywhere with Pride,
Passion and Performance.

DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT
Whirlpool Corporation’s production system leverages our
global consumer design, engineering, procurement and
manufacturing resources to design and produce the best
appliances for consumers worldwide.
We are able to use our purchasing volume to procure
materials and components on a global scale. This approach
allows us to consistently leverage our position, achieve
significant cost savings, and deliver value to our consumers,
trade customers and shareholders.
The development process begins in the company’s design
and technology organizations where more than 130 industrial
designers in four design centers and 3,500 engineers in
26 research centers around the world develop innovative
products. We also incorporate consumer insights throughout
the process to ensure the products will exceed consumer
expectations when they hit showroom floors.
Our design excellence process also ensures products are
evaluated against the design elements that our research
tells us consumers find most appealing. This robust process
incorporates consumer input to develop products with
features, performance and aesthetics that fulfill consumers’
desires and build loyalty to our brands.
Globally, we manufacture our products using principles of
lean manufacturing and operational excellence to ensure the
continuous improvement of our processes, and to produce
products that meet our high-quality standards. Our global
manufacturing footprint enables us to manufacture products
where we can best serve our customers at the best price.
12

130 industrial designers worldwide
4 design centers worldwide
3,500 engineers worldwide
26 research centers worldwide
47 manufacturing locations worldwide
13

Whirlpool Corporation / General Offices
World Headquarters and
North America Region
2000 North M-63
Benton Harbor, Michigan 49022-2692
Telephone: 269.923.5000
Europe Region
Viale G. Borghi 27
21025 Comerio (VA), Italy
Telephone: 39.0332.759.111
Fax: 39.0332.759.347
Latin America Region
Av. das Nações Unidas, 12.995, 32° andar
CEP 04578-000 São Paulo, SP Brazil
Telephone: 55.11.6940.1000
Fax: 55.11.5586.6500
Asia Region
565 Jin Gang Road
Jingqiao Export Processing Zone
Pudong New Area
Shanghai, PRC 201206
Telephone: 86.21.5899.5550
Fax: 86.21.5899.4449
Product and Service Information
(North America)
Amana brand: 800.843.0304
Jenn-Air brand: 800.688.1100
KitchenAid brand: 800.422.1230
Maytag brand: 800.462.9824
Whirlpool brand: 800.253.1301
Internet Address
Information about Whirlpool Corporation,
including financial data is available at:
www.whirlpoolcorp.com