Whirlpool to invest US$ 20 million in India

Kochi, Aug 2 (UNI) Whirlpool will invest about US$ 15 million to 20 million in India in the next 12 to 18 months, company Vice-President, Marketing, Shantanu Das Gupta said today.

Addressing a press conference here to announce Whirpool's Onam promotion in Kerala, Mr Das Gupta said the money would be invested in manufacturing the company's new range of products including the 'Mastermind' refrigerators, 'Sensation Neo' washing machines, 'Magicool' air conditioners and 'Magicook' microwave ovens.

Besides these, the company had also recently launched '100 per cent' dryers keeping in mind the growing apartment culture in India and the resultant space scarcity which made drying of clothes, especially during the rains, a big problem.

The dryers were being imported from Europe and the company had no immediate plans to start their manufacture in India, he said.

Whirlpool has manufacturing facilties at Faridabad in Haryana, at Ranjangaon near Pune and Pondicherry.

Whirlpool, which exports to a number of countries from its Indian units, has set up a Global Technology Centre at Pune and a Global Consumer Design centre for Asia in New Delhi. Fifteen per cent of the company's Rs 1622 crore turnover in India was from exports last year.

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