Bring It On Home

“Made in The U.S.A.” is apparently making a comeback, at least within the major appliance industry.

After years of plant consolidations and outsourcing, GE and Whirlpool are bringing production and jobs back home. Incentives include tax and wage concessions from government and unions, but also labor, currency and shipping issues abroad.

The latest show of domestic support comes from Whirlpool, which has committed $120 million — its largest single investment anywhere ever — in a state-of-the-art premium cooking facility in Tennessee.

Word of the new plant follows GE’s $80 million investment in smart-appliance production at its main Appliance Park facility in Louisville.

As GE Appliance CEO Jim Campbell said at this month’s Brand Source convention: “We can make it work here” with government support, labor-management cooperation, manufacturing innovation and investment in new technology.