Whirlpool, the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, recently today it will expand its national parts distribution and operations center in Plainfield, Ind., creating more than 150 new jobs.

The expansion follows Whirlpool’s acquisition of Maytag in 2006 and the consolidation of the two companies’ North American parts operations.

The company, which currently employs more than 400 at its 805,000 square-foot facility in Plainfield, plans to begin hiring new warehouse and packaging specialists later this year and will continue to make significant staffing additions through December 2008. The facility is owned and operated by Ryder.

“Expanding the Plainfield operations will allow us to move our products more efficiently and more cost effectively,” said Whirlpool’s Kathy Nelson, vice president and general manager for consumer and appliance care.

The Indiana Economic Development Corp. offered Whirlpool and Ryder up to $780,000 in performance-based tax credits and up to $57,000 in training grants based on Whirlpool’s announced job creation plans. The Town of Plainfield also offered property tax abatement.

Indiana is home to more than 4,700 miles of mainline rail track, three international airports and more than 11,000 total highway miles. Each year, more than 720 million tons of freight travel through Indiana, making it the fifth busiest state for commercial freight traffic in the nation.

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