It's Wednesday, and you know what that means... This week we take a peek behind the curtain at WP's washing machine production at their original St. Joe, MI plant, circa 1969.
Whirlpool / Kenmore Washer Production 1969 - 16mm
- Thread starter cadman
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Wow o Wow, I think this film was my favorite so far Cory. It is absolutely fascinating to see the assembly line of Whirlpool in '69. It is strange how they seem to be making one specific model of Whirlpool washer that day, but occasionally you see a lone Kenmore washer also coming down the line. In the middle of the film you see where someone pushes the Whirlpool and Kenmore washers down different paths for boxing up. I wonder if they ever messed up and pushed the wrong brand into the wrong box lol.
Thanks again Cory.
Thanks again Cory.
vacerator
Well-known member
About the time every company began cutting corners. Actually about 1977.
Whirlpool has been cutting corner since 1926, every American manufacturer that survive learned how to reduce cost and improve quality they wouldn’t survive if they didn’t.
I can make a good argument today that whirlpool is making better appliances than they ever made certainly they’re more reliable and much better built than they ever were quality control is at an all-time high Product failures within warranty at the lowest point ever in whirlpools history since I was born at least.
John L
I can make a good argument today that whirlpool is making better appliances than they ever made certainly they’re more reliable and much better built than they ever were quality control is at an all-time high Product failures within warranty at the lowest point ever in whirlpools history since I was born at least.
John L
Built better my butt, newer Whirlpools are having major issues from the get go. As for more reliable, that’s a completely false statement, there’s no way on earth these newer Whirlpools will be running in 20 years time, let alone 5 to 10 years time.
Here we go again by going with opinions and not facts.
In a thread cadman created awhile back on a open house tour back in 1953, you essentially mentioned the same thing on newer appliances be ‘more reliable’, meanwhile Robert witnessed those 1950’s machines were still being used 20 years later in the 1970’s on a regular basis.
Thanks Cory for the great video - when they built quality washers
Another good one Cory !!! Keep em comin, I really enjoy these. 
Thanks again, Cory
That was very enjoyable.
I guess when we talk about quality we have to be specific. The machines made today certainly aren't robust like these were and the fact that these were built with US steel compared to some of the flimsy metal coming from Asia.
That was very enjoyable.
I guess when we talk about quality we have to be specific. The machines made today certainly aren't robust like these were and the fact that these were built with US steel compared to some of the flimsy metal coming from Asia.
The Kenmore model looks like a Kenmore 600, cousin of our Kenmore 800.
Yes, thank you again Cory I forgot to add thanks this was a really cool video. It’s easy to see why there were so many warranty problems back in that time. When you see the haphazard way things were assembled completely different than today.
After I watched this, I went online and I watched a number of videos of the way whirlpool‘s assembling washing machines at the Clyde, Ohio plant now and it’s quite different much more organized much more efficient
Reply number 60 Sean I don’t know what can be done with you, you should get out in the real world and work with appliances. I have been selling repairing and installing new whirlpool appliances for over 50 years now I have sold five new whirlpool appliances this week so far that I’m going to personally install them tomorrow is delivery day in fact,we are not seeing problems with new machines. We don’t see problems with machines until they’ve been out in the field for years and people have done awful things are not installed them correctly, etc.
I have no doubt that many of the machines that were installing today will be around in 10 20 and 30 years or more time will tell stick around and see what happens, lol John
After I watched this, I went online and I watched a number of videos of the way whirlpool‘s assembling washing machines at the Clyde, Ohio plant now and it’s quite different much more organized much more efficient
Reply number 60 Sean I don’t know what can be done with you, you should get out in the real world and work with appliances. I have been selling repairing and installing new whirlpool appliances for over 50 years now I have sold five new whirlpool appliances this week so far that I’m going to personally install them tomorrow is delivery day in fact,we are not seeing problems with new machines. We don’t see problems with machines until they’ve been out in the field for years and people have done awful things are not installed them correctly, etc.
I have no doubt that many of the machines that were installing today will be around in 10 20 and 30 years or more time will tell stick around and see what happens, lol John
Thank you Cory—another exciting video…
Can’t believe all those washers made in a day’s work…
I liked the layout and the materials used, that’s to me what set those washers apart from the later ones…
Of which I wonder why went to more plastics and the instrument panel vastly more different and not as liked by me as how those were done!
— Dave
Can’t believe all those washers made in a day’s work…
I liked the layout and the materials used, that’s to me what set those washers apart from the later ones…
Of which I wonder why went to more plastics and the instrument panel vastly more different and not as liked by me as how those were done!
— Dave
Well John, maybe it's humans who took pride in their work back in the day. This was still the America where people could go to a manufacturing job that had medical insurance and vacation time and make a decent living and have a pretty good life. Now with continued automation of "lowly" blue collar jobs, where does it put them ?
Building new washers and dryers today in the USA
Good morning Patrick, I recommend googling as I did whirlpool Clyde, Ohio factory and watching some of the many videos that are online of the how the factory is running today. The biggest difference is it takes a 10th as many people to build a washing machine because much of it is automated and machines are much easier to assemble today.
The good news is the jobs are much better than they were in 1969 much better pay working conditions people aren’t standing around inhaling each other smoke because they were even smoking on the line you saw in 1969.
There’s also a great deal of enthusiasm for the jobs at Clyde Ohio. There are people that have been on the job for over 40 years there they love their jobs. They hope their kids get to work there, etc..
They have a union to help protect their job security. They get all kinds of retirement sick leave maternity leave educational opportunities that are paid for by whirlpool.
Yes, it’s really fun. I love seeing these videos about how the machines we all love were built back in the day, but the reality is things are just built better today. Look at the difference between an automobile from 1969. Most people kept the car three years today when people buy a car many people are intending to keep it for 10 or 15 years and can easily do so without having to rebuild engines, etc.
John L
Good morning Patrick, I recommend googling as I did whirlpool Clyde, Ohio factory and watching some of the many videos that are online of the how the factory is running today. The biggest difference is it takes a 10th as many people to build a washing machine because much of it is automated and machines are much easier to assemble today.
The good news is the jobs are much better than they were in 1969 much better pay working conditions people aren’t standing around inhaling each other smoke because they were even smoking on the line you saw in 1969.
There’s also a great deal of enthusiasm for the jobs at Clyde Ohio. There are people that have been on the job for over 40 years there they love their jobs. They hope their kids get to work there, etc..
They have a union to help protect their job security. They get all kinds of retirement sick leave maternity leave educational opportunities that are paid for by whirlpool.
Yes, it’s really fun. I love seeing these videos about how the machines we all love were built back in the day, but the reality is things are just built better today. Look at the difference between an automobile from 1969. Most people kept the car three years today when people buy a car many people are intending to keep it for 10 or 15 years and can easily do so without having to rebuild engines, etc.
John L
vacerator
Well-known member
The washer being boxed looks mor like a comparable Kenmore "70". Cycle timer, temp. dial, water level dial, or one was wash, and the other rinse temps. Some earlier 70's had sliding water level actuators with reset at the far right.
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