Whirlpool buys Maytag

[laundromat]

Today,Maytag, along with all of its affiliates, was purchased by Whirlpool Corporation for approx.$2.7 Billion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rinso]

Well, the Maytag family can always go back to making beer and salad dressing.

 

[kenmore1978]

amazed

that the FTC let it go through, what with anti-trust laws. Or maybe there are "conditions" like WP will have to sell some of the brand names

 

[kenmore1978]

It ain't over

till the Fat Lady sings.

"Triton has five business days to decide whether to increase its offer. Under its agreement, Triton can terminate its merger agreement with Maytag immediately."

"Benton Harbor, Mich.-based Whirlpool also has agreed to pay the $40 million that Maytag would be required to pay the Triton group to walk away from that deal."

 

[kenmore1978]

I stand corrected

It's a done deal, WP paid the $40,000 penalty for Maytag pulling outof the Triton deal. This now makes WP largest appliance manufacturer inthe world, passing up Electrolux.

 

[Washaholic]

I think eventually the maytag name will disappear

 

[mayken4now]

Ok Folks

We all know our take on Maytag vintage appliances and Maytag's name.

Let's try to see if perhaps something good will come out of this one. After all, we all like Whirlpool as well.

They would not pay 2.7 billion to discard it. They would not have had any interest if that was the case.

How about my new "MayPool"

Steve

 

[westyslantfront]

Well, I am glad that Whirlpool got Maytag over Haier. Now it remains to be seen what will happen. I think WP should discard all the cheap spin offs such as magic chef, admiral, etc. and just concentrate on a good QUALITY Maytag for which their name is known. Time will tell what the outcome will be.

 

[frigilux]

I'm also happy that Whirlpool snagged Maytag, especially given the other companies who were bidding. I just hope they don't badge regular WP washers with a Maytag label. That would be dull.

 

[peterh770]

Now, this makes sense with the other thread that they are going to start selling Kenmore outside the Sears stores. If so, I bet they discontinue the Whirlpool name, and just sell Kenmore and Maytag.

 

[toggleswitch]

OR ...how is this one... ready.

Now that WP has a market share that was Maytags' (and Amana's) they dont NEED Sears anymore.

Maybe that is why Sears is going to sell outside its stores.

Imagine if Sears went to Electrolux or GE for its washing machines when WP tells them to bugger off?

Well, fellow North Americans. The W&D insdustry as we know it is officially over between this, and federal water-effiicency laws that are to kick-in imminently.

 

[user 12105]

I hope Sears never goes to electrolux for their full size TL washers.....that's all we need is another line of those indexing tub machines let loose on the public.

 

[user 12105]

That would be something Steve if WP and Sears split off. The two companies have been together since 1916, when WP was known as Upton machine company.

I don't have stats, but i have seen FAR more WP machines branded under the KM name than their own label. But in this day and age who knows what will happen. I would hate to see the two break up.

Pat

 

[peterh770]

WP couldn't go it alone without Sears. They'd go under. Even with the Maytag name. No, I think it is much more likely that WP as a brand name goes away, Kenmore takes WP's marketshare, and then they compete with themselves and the Maytag name.

So stupid...

 

[toggleswitch]

WOW... No WP.

*GULP*

 

[DADoES]

I couldn't imagine doing away with Kenmore/Sears. Mother of one of my coworkers was at the office a few days ago, said she's going to buy a new washer. I suggested taking a look at F&P at Lowe's. She was interested, but said "I've always had Sears [Kenmore]."

Be interesting to see what happens with KitchenAid.

In any case, something ought to be done about this monochrome *everything* looking the same situation - carbon copies, virtually. Sometimes I can't tell on first glance, or even 2nd or 3rd, what brand are the sale offerings in the Sunday circulars. When a typical "I just want a new washer/dryer" consumer goes shopping and is met with the rows of offerings, they all look the same. There's nothing really to draw him from one machine to another, other than the brand label itself. Or is that what people want nowadays?

 

[westytoploader]

Interesting! I wonder what the outcome will be...I agree with Peter that the WP brand label will eventually go away and it will just be Kenmore and Maytag.

I know some of you were joking, but it is quite possible that the "new" Maytags will use drive couplers. At least it's better than the mucho-plastic Norgetags they're making now...

 

[Brent-Aucoin]

Well,
Who would have ever thought that this would have happend? I mean, if you would have said this in the late 70's or even 80's that one day Whirlpool would own Maytag, everyone would have laughed.
As far as the Whirlpool name going away...I don't think that will ever happen. This is, and has always been a huge name. Worldwide. Not just here in the States. I don't think that would ever happen.
I would say that if they keep the Maytag name alive and kicking, they will do well, all the way around. I really think that 3/4 of the world, won't even know that this sale happend. When Whirlpool starts building a quality Maytag, and Consumer Reports rates it well, they will get back on the map, and Whirlpool will have so much power, it will be amazing.
Aside from Maytag building crappy machines for over 10 years, they also had terrible management. That is the part that makes me angry. These punks came in, made their big fat salaries for many years, and could have not cared less for Maytag, and the shape it was in. It was management that was saying we can get away with cheap parts, and invest our money saved in even more crap, and build our empire. Well, if you ask me, they knew from the beginning that it would never work out. Sure, there was huge savings in the beginning, and I bet all of these punks were getting huge bonus proffits left and right, then the other shoe fell, and well, you know the rest.
I just hope it all works out for the Maytag name.
I am not worried about Whirlpool at all. They are doing great, no matter what name they sell under, and they always will. Good management.
My thoughts.
Brent

 

[arrrooohhh]

My two cents!

Then Kenmore name is not known out of North America. In Europe and Australia and many other places the name Whirlpool is famous and synonynous with washing machines.

 

[user 12105]

I don't see WP dropping their name either. Speculating is fun isn't it?.....I think maybe a name like Admiral will go the way of the dinosaur.

 

[rinso]

Hmmmm I wonder if WP is nervous that K-Mart would eventually drop the whole Kenmore appliance line, once it takes over completely. I also doubt that WP has designed any of their machines to withstand popcorn fumes.

 

[kenmore1978]

brands

I think the KM, WP, and Maytag brands will all go on.

 

[peteski50]

Whirlpool buys Maytag

I am wondering what will happen to JennAir magic chef admiral. Maybe they will be disolved. I hope this will be a positive buy in that the best of everything will be kept. In my openion Maytag made their biggest mistake by cheapening all their products. Even if this doesn't turn out to be to great of move still nothing could ever be as much of a disaster as when wci bought frigidaire!
Peter

 

[kenmore1978]

brands

At this point, there's nothing to "dissolve", they're just names and can be discontinued at will. It's entirely possible tha WP will sell some of the names, let's say, Jenn-Air, which has a rep for high-end stuff and WP already has a "high-end" division. Or they might change the product line around to eliminate overlapping products, like the car companies have been doing lately.

 

[mayken4now]

You are right Brent!

Steve

 

[tlee618]

Pete, I agree with you, nothing could top that disaster!! Terry

 

[rinso]

There a lots of scenarios of how this will play out. I do agree that one thing Maytag did wrong was to burden itself with the acquisition of Norge/Tragic Chef/Admiral, etc. They probably wanted to expand their offerings to include kitchen appliances and lower end laundry appliances, but would have been better off to not re-brand any of those as Maytag, especially the laundry equipment. I hope Whirlpool won't make the same mistake in reverse.

 

[laundromat]

Back in the late 70's/early 80's when Maytag bought Admiral,Magic Chef,Hardwick,Dixie-Narco,JennAir,Norge,Fedders,Crosley and Hoover,Their main goal was to be able to broaden their sales and service to the public.Yes they did make quite a number of misstakes but being there (I sell appliances including Maytag and a few of their subsidiaries)and selling Admiral,JennAir,and Magic Chef appliances to many people receiving very few reports or phone calls regarding service problems,my feelings are that so many people missjudge them.Nobody is perfect by any means and I like Whirlpool as well so I am not being biast.I do like the further agitation strokes in the Maytag washers much better as well as the tub spinning with the water in it instead of draining before spinning.I also prefer the belt drive over direct in top loaders.The only direct drive top loaders I ever liked better than belt drive were the Frigidaire Unimatic Trans.and Original Roller Matic trans.washers.I always wonder why GM didn't use the original Roller Matic transies in the 1-18 machines instead of the belt drive.
Anyway,with the tradition,reputation,and legend that Maytag has accomplished and carried on for over a century,I am sure that Whirlpool being the leader by far will take pride in having them contribute to their fine line of household products.I believe that if the merger is complete and Whirlpool's team takes the time to subsidize the different divisions correctly (fixing the problems with Hoover,JennAir,MagicChef,...,etc...)and taking advantage of being able to have them to reach out to a wider market of consumers,this move will exceed all expectations.We'll see what happens.But I will tell you right now,it isn't going to happen over night.

 

[petek]

No way are they going to drop Kenmore, it's their largest customer. They'll keep the Maytag name but eventually there's gonna be some component sharing as will they keep the Whirpool line. Would anyone miss the Roper or Magic Chef name..the Ropers are already badged "by Whirpool" on the control panels. One of those is bound to disappear, but they'll keep one most likely as their value lineup. Ok I'll choose, someone open the door, I'm tossing out Magic Chef and Admiral and whatever else Maytag had along with yesterdays news. I will guess that they'll also keep the Jenn Air nameplate as well for it's TOL kitchen goods appeal . They'll want probably 4 names at the most out there in large appliance stores, Roper (value) Whirpool, Maytag and Jenn Air to cover all the bases and steal as much floor space as they can without overdoing it and retailers figuring they don't want to give that much floor space to one company because they need some for Elux, GE etc

 

[Brent-Aucoin]

Oh, Oh, Oh....

I wonder about Samsung?
I wonder if they will let their contract run out, then kick them out of the making of the Front Loaders?
I mean, why would Whirlpool need them?
Brent