With five plants and six distribution centers in Mexico, the appliance company Whirlpool responds to local demand as well as to the export of its products. In recent years, it has focused on building a more resilient and integrated supply chain to face today’s logistical challenges .
Carlos Barbery , general manager and vice president for Latin America at Whirlpool Corporation, highlighted in an interview with T21 that, as a result of this strategy, 80% of its supplies and components come from Latin America , with Mexican suppliers being its main allies.
“Over time, we have also been quite agile in making these changes and obviously strengthening our supply chain, investing more in the local chain in general,” the executive stressed in the framework of Whirlpool’s 113th anniversary.
In this regard, he recalled that 10 years ago, 50% of the supplies they used were from other regions of the world , such as Europe and Asia. He also pointed out that 20 years ago, when they began operations in the country, 40% of what was produced in Mexico went to the export market, and today that proportion has risen to 80 percent.
Regarding its logistics network, he said that the company has five factories in Mexico : three are located in Apodaca, Nuevo León, where they manufacture refrigerators, washing machines, components and plastics. Another is located in Celaya, Guanajuato, where stoves and semi-automatic washing machines are manufactured, and another is in Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, where duplex refrigerators are manufactured.
In addition, the American firm also has six distribution centers , which are located in Apodaca, Villahermosa, Culiacán, Guadalajara, Celaya and the State of Mexico.
“With five manufacturing plants and six distribution centers, we have a wide logistics network and can reach all consumers in all parts of the country,” Barbery told T21.
The executive said that they have had major expansions in their plants in Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, where they invested 150 million dollars (mdd) to add a production line. The other was in Celaya, Guanajuato, where they announced a disbursement of 25 million dollars , the project of which will be developed in three phases.
“In recent years, we have announced an investment of almost 200 million dollars in Mexico; it is a very strong investment, it is a very strong bet for the country. We are happy and confident that we will obviously be able to be bigger, export more and also supply local demand, like other countries in Latin America,” he said.
He highlighted that Latin America has seen constant growth over the past four years , and for Whirlpool it is the second region in terms of size, relevance and importance, “and it is a focus where we have a great opportunity to continue contributing.”
With the DNA of innovation since its origins, Whirlpool constantly incorporates cutting-edge designs and digital technology into its products to adapt to new consumer demands.
In this sense, the company implements Artificial Intelligence (AI) in its household appliances, such as in a washing machine that can automatically adjust the washing cycles according to the type of clothing and the amount of dirt, as well as in its production plants, where real-time data analysis helps to improve productivity and quality in its manufacturing operations.
They are also increasingly incorporating the Internet of Things into their products and through the Whirlpool mobile app, their users can start, stop, pause and monitor the operation of their appliances from anywhere.
In terms of sustainability, Whirlpool, which has a workforce of more than 11,000 employees in Mexico , is working to reduce its impact on the planet with programs such as Zero Waste to Landfill and the zero carbon emissions plan for 2030 at a global level.
Carlos Barbery considered that this year was “excellent” due to the multiple launches of some products, and also “very volatile” due to the elections in Mexico, the United States and other parts of Latin America.
Looking ahead to 2025, the executive was optimistic that they hope to launch more innovative products with better technology.
Comment and follow us on X: @Eliseosfield / @GrupoT21
