Whirlpool moves the company headquarters for Europe, the Middle East and Africa from Comerio (Va) in the Expo district, to Milan (municipality of Pero). The administrative headquarters in Fabriano, explains a note, will continue to play a strategic role for the Group's industrial presence in the EMEA region. The new structure in the Milan Expo district will host the new headquarters which will house the core business functions for the EMEA region. From here the company will manage more than 30 countries, 15 industrial sites and over 24 employees, for a total of 5 billion euros in turnover in 2015. The new headquarters will welcome around 500 people from 28 different countries and who speak 21 languages , further enriching the local community. Whirlpool expects the new headquarters to be fully operational in early 2017.
“I am happy to announce today our new home for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, located in the heart of the Milan Expo area – said Esther Berrozpe Galindo, president of Whirlpool EMEA and executive vice president of Whirlpool Corporation – looking proudly at our past, we are now ready to continue our journey towards the future, starting from a modern, pleasant and comfortable work environment, a true Winning Workplace. This decision confirms the central role that Whirlpool recognizes in Italy where we can already count on exceptional talents, expertise in all company functions, as well as on the great know-how and capabilities that the country can offer to the household appliances sector".
The structure chosen for Whirlpool's Emea headquarters is located in the Perseo Expo District complex, covering an area of approximately 12.000 m2015, and will offer a winning work environment in terms of modern layout of the offices for optimal work organization. The new headquarters, located near the nascent Human Technopole and within a dynamic area that has attracted significant investment thanks to Expo Milano XNUMX, will provide numerous strategic and logistical advantages. In fact, the new headquarters is located in a key position in terms of infrastructure thanks to its proximity to high-speed rail transport, airports, highways and the headquarters of many commercial partners, associations, universities and the city centre, thus being able to attract even more Italian and international talent.
Whirlpool's choice to locate its new EMEA headquarters in Italy confirms the company's commitment to keeping the country at the center of its operations in the region. Whirlpool's contribution to the Italian economy is extremely significant and extends throughout the country, where it employs over 6 people in 8 locations, with factories, research and development centres, administrative offices, logistics and spare parts and accessories centres. . The Group's activities in the country generate induced activities of approximately 1,2 billion euros a year, equal to over 35% of the total annual value of purchases in EMEA.
The consolidation in a new regional headquarters is another important step in the realization of the industrial plan, together with the already announced investments of over 500 million euros in research and development, in new products and processes over 4 years; to the strengthening of Italian manufacturing and the creation of a strategic hub for research and development that attracts over 75% of R&D spending for the EMEA region.
