Whirlpool Corp. says it will be cutting employment again at its Amana production plant and that further cuts may be coming.
A company statement Tuesday, Feb. 17. said the layoffs will be effective March 9 and affect “less than 400 employees” at the plant. Iowa County’s largest employer, it currently has about 1,500 workers making refrigerators under the Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag and Amana brands.
“Today’s announcement is part of a multi-year modernization plan that will transform the plant into a dynamic operation that will continue to produce best-in-class refrigerators, while also incorporating warehousing, parts production and sub-assembly work,” the company said in its statement. “This transformation is necessary to position the Amana plant for continued stability and success. We are committed to supporting affected employees through this transition.”
The company also said it anticipates “some additional job reductions in the second quarter as we assess operational needs” but that it is committed to sharing more information with employees as soon as possible.
Whirlpool announced a massive 651-employee layoff in April 2025, only to delay it and ultimately reduce that number to 251 in July.
Whirlpool said it has phased out older, outdated refrigeration production, and over the next few years the company will invest in the facility to expand operations and upgrade the types of products produced in the facility.
“As the only U.S.-based manufacturer of major kitchen and laundry appliances, Whirlpool Corporation’s facility in Amana, Iowa, is a vital part of the company’s U.S. manufacturing footprint,” it said.
Whirlpool also said it is committed to supporting affected employees with onsite human resources support, an employee assistance program and guidance on applying for unemployment benefits through Iowa Workforce Development.
Whirlpool CEO and Chair Marc Bitzer said in a June 2025 interview on Fox News that the appliance maker, the largest under U.S. ownership, would be “going big” on its investments in American manufacturing as President Donald Trump’s tariffs on foreign competitors took effect.
“Because right now, very simply, economically, the business case for products made in the U.S. has just become a lot more attractive, and we will invest more,” Bitzer said.
The plant was the home of the Amana brand , founded in 1934 by George Foerstner in Middle Amana and credited with many firsts in the appliance industry, including marketing the first upright freezer in 1947, the first side-by-side refrigerator in 1949 and the first consumer microwave oven, the famous Radarange, in 1967, according to the Amana brand website.
The Amana brand name was sold to Goodman Manufacturing in 1997 and to Maytag, headquartered in Newton, in 2002. Benton Harbor, Michigan-based Whirlpool acquired Maytag in 2006.
Whirlpool stock fell in trading Tuesday, declining 1.06% to $87.48 late in the trading day.
Kevin Baskins covers jobs and the economy for the Register. Reach him at kbaskins@registermedia.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Whirlpool announces more layoffs at Middle Amana plant
Reporting by Kevin Baskins, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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