Star MNC: Home appliances major Whirlpool makes a strong comeback

By expanding its product portfolio, adding new markets and widening its retail footprint, the home appliances major has emerged a clear winner

American home appliances major Whirlpool has been doing business in India for over three decades but early in the last decade, its sales suffered. As Korean and Chinese majors like Samsung, LG and Haier went aggressive with above-the-line activities, industry analysts wondered whether a company that was once a household name had lost the plot.

Since 2017, however, Whirlpool of India’s has been a classic turnaround story. That year, the firm’s local management targetted a yearly turnover of $1 billion by 2020-21. At the time, the target seemed steep, as annual sales were around Rs 4,500 crore ($610 million), and reaching