Whirlpool increases investment in the Country
O Estado de S. Paulo
The crisis was a near miss which did not get to hinder the plans of home appliance manufacturer Whirlpool in Brazil. Such is true that, one year after having foreseen the deceleration of the growth in the country from 15% to 5%, the CEO of Whirlpool América Latina, José Drummond Júnior, already estimates a 20% growth in sales in 2009. The expectation justified even the decision of increasing the level of investment in the Brazilian operation for the first time in recent years.
Whirlpool intends to nearly double the value invested in the increase of the productive capacity, research, development and marketing of their brands - Brastemp, Consul and KitchenAid, its premium brand. "If the market continues the way it is, we will increase the level of investments from nearly US$ 150 million to US$ 250 million as of next year", says Drummond.
World's largest manufacturer of home appliances, the American company believes the actions of the Brazilian Government during the crisis, and especially the reduction of the Excise Tax (IPI) for the products it manufactures, saved the year. "Without the IPI, it would probably be a year of zero growth or even slightly negative", said the Executive. The company has been growing above 20% since May. In order to meet the orders for Christmas, it has been operating in three shifts in its plant of Rio Claro (SP). Started in April, the tax exemption goes up to January 2010.
But it was not only the measures of the Government that helped disperse the environment of apprehension that surrounded the company at the end of 2008. According to Drummond, other signs of the economy in recent years brought optimism. "The economy is structurally better. There is more income, more credit", says Drummond.