The new full-time employees will work at a factory in Clyde, Ohio, Whirlpool said Monday. The company also said the administration’s action will also result in new jobs in Kentucky, South Carolina and Tennessee.
RELATED: Manufacturing wins help push Ohio jobless rate down
Whirlpool has about 10,000 workers at five manufacturing plants, including about 1,000 at its Greenville facilities in Darke County.
Last year, Whirlpool cut the ribbon on a $17 million doubling in size of its Ohio Factory Distribution Center in Greenville, a site that supports shipments of KitchenAid small appliances.
RELATED: Manufacturers desperate for workers of the future
“This is a victory for American workers and consumers alike,” Jeff Fettig, Whirlpool chief executive, said in a statement Monday. “By enforcing our existing trade laws, President Trump has ensured American workers will compete on a level playing field with their foreign counterparts, enabled new manufacturing jobs here in America and will usher in a new era of innovation for consumers everywhere.”
The administration also announced tariffs on imported solar cells and modules.
Jim Bustillo, owner of Miamisburg’s Star City Solar, which sells and installs solar cells and components, said the tariffs will likely make some of the products he sells more expensive. But’s he’s OK with that.
“We need to protect American jobs,” Bustillo said Tuesday.
The products he sells are a mix of American-made and imported products. But he said he assures customers that solar equipment pays for itself in time.
“Solar panels are not an expense,” Bustillo said. “They’re an investment.”
RELATED: Ohio factory owner: I need sober workers
“The president’s action makes clear again that the Trump administration will always defend American workers, farmers, ranchers, and businesses in this regard,” Robert Lighthizer, U.S. trade representative, said in a statement.
About the Author