Whirlpool showcases apprenticeship programs during visit from Acting U.S. Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling

Rhea-AI Summary

Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) highlighted its nearly 70-year apprenticeship program during a visit by Acting U.S. Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling to its Clyde, Ohio washing machine factory, which employs about 2,600 people and has run a formal apprenticeship since 1958.

The company is investing $300 million in its Clyde and Marion U.S. laundry operations, including new and modernized lines and a new generation of front-load washers and dryers launching later this year. Whirlpool is also building a new Perrysburg parts and sub-assembly facility that is expected to employ up to 150 people. The company reports approximately 20,000 U.S. employees, 14,000 in manufacturing, building 80% of products sold in the U.S., with 96% of steel sourced domestically and expanded apprenticeship, certification and tuition reimbursement programs.

Positive

• $300 million investment in Clyde and Marion laundry operations
• New Perrysburg facility to employ up to 150 people
• Approximately 20,000 U.S. employees, including 14,000 in manufacturing
• Builds 80% of U.S.-sold products domestically; 96% U.S.-sourced steel
• State-certified four-year apprenticeship provides debt-free skilled trades career path

Negative

• None.

Market Context

Whirlpool’s active S-3ASR shelf, effective through February 23, 2029, permits securities offerings f...

Analysis

Whirlpool’s active S-3ASR shelf, effective through February 23, 2029, permits securities offerings from time to time after effectiveness. The platform also classifies short positioning as moderate, adding volatility-risk context to this workforce investment announcement.

Key Figures

U.S. laundry investment: $300 million Clyde employees: 2,600 people Apprenticeship duration: four years +5 more

8 metrics

U.S. laundry investment $300 million Clyde and Marion laundry operations

Clyde employees 2,600 people Clyde manufacturing facility

Apprenticeship duration four years State-certified Clyde apprenticeship

New facility employment up to 150 people Perrysburg parts and sub-assembly plant

U.S.-built sales 80% What Whirlpool sells in the U.S.

U.S. employees 20,000 employees Whirlpool U.S. workforce

Manufacturing workers 14,000 workers Whirlpool U.S. employees

U.S.-sourced steel 96% Steel used by Whirlpool

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jul 23 (Neutral)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	24h Move	Catalyst
Jul 23	Earnings rescheduling	Neutral	+4.4%	Second-quarter earnings release and conference call dates were rescheduled.
Jul 22	Marketing partnership	Positive	+1.9%	GrowthLoop partnership supported KitchenAid Small Appliances direct-to-consumer strategy.
Jul 20	Earnings scheduling	Neutral	-1.3%	Whirlpool announced dates for second-quarter results and its investor conference call.
Jun 24	Manufacturing anniversary	Positive	+4.6%	Whirlpool highlighted domestic manufacturing, jobs, donations, and its 115-year history.
Jun 15	Debt tender offer	Neutral	-4.2%	Whirlpool priced a cash tender offer for outstanding 2026 and 2027 notes.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Pattern Detected

Recent Whirlpool news reactions were mixed, with positive corporate and manufacturing announcements followed by positive moves while scheduling and financing-related news showed divergent reactions.

Key Terms

journeymen

1 terms

journeymen technical

"alongside working journeymen"

Experienced, competent workers who have completed formal training or apprenticeship and typically move between employers or projects rather than holding a single master or ownership role. For investors, the presence of journeymen in a company’s workforce signals an available pool of skilled labor that can maintain operations, reduce training time, and affect labor costs and flexibility—similar to having reliable contractors who keep daily work running without leading long-term strategy.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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At the world's largest washing machine factory, Whirlpool Corp. showcases the start of its $300 million Ohio investment and the licensed skilled trades professionals building the next generation of American-made appliances

CLYDE, Ohio, Aug. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Whirlpool Corp. highlighted its nearly 70-year-old apprenticeship program Monday during a visit from Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling to its Clyde facility, the largest washing machine factory in the world. Joined by state and local leaders, Sonderling took a firsthand look at how the only remaining major American-owned appliance manufacturer builds and maintains its skilled workforce.

The Clyde plant, in operation since 1952, employs approximately 2,600 people and has run a formal apprenticeship program since 1958. Sonderling met with current apprentices and journeymen in the plant's tool room, walked a section of the facility being modernized through the company's recent $300 million investment in its U.S. laundry operations and reviewed the training academy for new production employees.

The visit came the same day Sonderling convened a workforce roundtable with U.S. Senator Jon Husted and northwest Ohio business leaders at Owens Community College in Perrysburg, where Whirlpool was among the participating employers.

"Whirlpool believes in the future of U.S. manufacturing because we see what our people can do when we invest in them," said Kristin Day, Whirlpool Corporation vice president of U.S. manufacturing. "Our apprenticeship and training programs run in partnership with career technology centers, high schools and community colleges drawing on homegrown talent, including second and third-generation employees, to build what comes next. We thank Acting Secretary Sonderling for visiting and the Administration's focus on the skilled trades and creating a level playing field for domestic producers that helps American manufacturers keep investing and building here."

"Whirlpool is a leader not just in American manufacturing but also in workforce development," said Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling. "Touring their facility, speaking with apprentices, and learning about the decades of experience the company has in training new hires and preparing them for long-term careers gave me invaluable insights. Under President Trump's leadership, the Department of Labor is committed to fostering industry-driven innovation to bridge America's skills gap."

"For more than 70 years, generations of Clyde families have built careers inside the Whirlpool plant," said Doug McCauley, Clyde Mayor. "Whirlpool's apprenticeship and workforce programs are how the next generation gets the same shot of learning a trade, earning a paycheck and a future in Clyde. We're grateful Secretary Sonderling came to see where American manufacturing is headed and the people taking it there."

Whirlpool is investing $300 million in its Clyde and Marion laundry operations — work that includes new and modernized lines and a new generation of front-load washers and dryers launching later this year. In Perrysburg, construction is underway for the company's newest manufacturing facility that will house a new parts and sub-assembly plant and employ up to 150 people.

Whirlpool is the only remaining major kitchen and laundry appliance company still based in America, building 80% of what it sells in the U.S., three times the industry average. Whirlpool has approximately 20,000 U.S. employees, including 14,000 manufacturing workers. Ninety-six percent of its steel is sourced from the U.S., and the vast majority of materials and components for its U.S. factories are produced in-house or sourced from domestic suppliers.

A skilled trades pipeline that begins in high school

Whirlpool is focused on attracting strong talent, creating defined career pathways and constantly focusing on how to make Whirlpool the best place to work. Whirlpool has expanded its apprenticeship and certification programs with some of the largest classes in its history, recognizing the growing need for skilled trades.

The Clyde apprenticeship at Whirlpool is a four-year, state-certified program that pairs classroom instruction with on-the-job training alongside working journeymen. Apprentices maintain and rebuild the dies, tools, molds and automated equipment that keep the plant running, and graduate into a variety of roles. The result is a debt-free alternative to a four-year degree for students who want to earn and build a career in Sandusky County.

The apprenticeship sits alongside other Whirlpool workforce pathways:

• An on-site training academy where new production employees learn and certify on plant processes
• Expanded certification programs, with some of the largest classes in the company's history
• Tuition reimbursement that allows hourly employees to earn degrees and move into engineering and plant leadership roles

The next class of apprentices starts this fall. Four years from now, they will be the journeymen showing the next class around.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/whirlpool-showcases-apprenticeship-programs-during-visit-from-acting-us-labor-secretary-keith-sonderling-302843932.html

SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation

FAQ

What did Whirlpool (WHR) announce during Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling’s visit on August 5, 2026?

Whirlpool showcased its long-running apprenticeship programs and a major U.S. manufacturing investment. According to Whirlpool, it is investing $300 million in its Clyde and Marion laundry operations and expanding workforce training, including apprenticeships, certification programs, and a training academy for new production employees.

How large is Whirlpool’s $300 million Ohio investment mentioned in the August 2026 WHR news?

Whirlpool is investing $300 million in its Clyde and Marion laundry operations. According to Whirlpool, the funds support new and modernized production lines and a new generation of front-load washers and dryers scheduled to launch later this year from its U.S. manufacturing footprint.

What is Whirlpool’s apprenticeship program at the Clyde plant and how long does it last?

Whirlpool’s Clyde apprenticeship is a four-year, state-certified skilled trades program. According to Whirlpool, it combines classroom instruction with on-the-job training alongside journeymen, focuses on maintaining dies, tools, molds and automated equipment, and offers a debt-free alternative to a four-year college degree in Sandusky County.

How many people does Whirlpool (WHR) employ in the United States as of August 2026?

Whirlpool reports about 20,000 U.S. employees, including 14,000 manufacturing workers. According to Whirlpool, its Clyde facility alone employs roughly 2,600 people, and the company builds about 80% of products sold in the U.S. at domestic plants using mostly U.S.-sourced materials.

What new jobs will Whirlpool’s Perrysburg, Ohio facility create for WHR?

Whirlpool’s new Perrysburg parts and sub-assembly plant is expected to employ up to 150 people. According to Whirlpool, construction is underway on this manufacturing facility, which will support its broader U.S. laundry operations and complement existing plants in Clyde and Marion, Ohio.

How does Whirlpool’s U.S. sourcing strategy support its manufacturing operations and WHR investors?

Whirlpool reports that 96% of its steel is sourced from the U.S. According to Whirlpool, it builds about 80% of what it sells in the U.S. at domestic plants, with most materials and components produced in-house or procured from domestic suppliers for its American factories.