For the second time, Samsung and LG found guilty of unlawful trade practices that hurt U.S. appliance industry workers

News provided by

Jan 10, 2017, 11:49 ET

BENTON HARBOR, Mich., Jan. 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the U.S. International Trade Commission unanimously ruled that Samsung and LG caused injury to the U.S. appliance industry by selling their China-produced washing machines in the U.S. for less than they cost to make. Whirlpool Corporation reports that this vote is the final step in the government's investigation it initiated in December 2015. Whirlpool filed the case to help ensure free trade so U.S. manufacturers can continue to create jobs, invest in new facilities and undertake research to drive innovation.

Today's vote follows a U.S. Department of Commerce ruling last month that Samsung and LG violated U.S. and international trade laws by dumping clothes washers from China into the United States. Samsung and LG now must pay antidumping duties at the substantial rates set by the DOC ─ margins of 52.51 percent for Samsung and 32.12 percent for LG.

"This is a gratifying win for American manufacturing, particularly our more than 3,000 employees at our factory in Clyde, Ohio, who make clothes washers for American consumers," said Jeff Fettig, chairman and chief executive officer of Whirlpool Corp. "The government made the right decision today, affirming that Samsung and LG's long-term pattern of serial dumping injures American appliance manufacturers and threatens U.S. jobs. By enforcing and applying trade remedies that help ensure fair competition, the government supports a solid U.S. manufacturing base and continued investments in innovation that improve the lives of consumers."

This ruling comes just four years after the government found Samsung and LG guilty of dumping washers from factories in Korea and Mexico. Following that 2013 ruling, the companies moved their washer production to China in an effort to circumvent the orders.

To learn more about Whirlpool Corp.'s U.S. investments and prior trade case, visit its website: WhirlpoolCorp.com/fair-trade.

About Whirlpool Corporation
Whirlpool Corp. (NYSE: WHR) is the number one major appliance manufacturer in the world, with approximately $21 billion in annual sales, 97,000 employees and 70 manufacturing and technology research centers in 2015. The company markets Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, Jenn-Air, Indesit and other major brand names in nearly every country throughout the world. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com, or find us on Twitter at @WhirlpoolCorp.

Whirlpool Corp. in the United States
More than 80 percent of the products sold by Whirlpool Corp. in the United States are assembled in the United States. The company's Clyde, Ohio, washing machine manufacturing facility not only meets America's washers needs but also exports 10 percent of the washers it makes to meet the needs of families throughout the world. In the United States, the company's investments include $1.6 billion in supply chain spending, $7.4 billion in manufacturing spending and more than $1 billion in its U.S. facilities since 2010. Whirlpool employs approximately 25,000 people in the United States, with 15,000 of those jobs being held by manufacturing workers in its nine U.S. production plants.

Whirlpool Corp. in China
Whirlpool Corp. has a two-decade history meeting the needs of Chinese consumers through significant manufacturing and research and development investments in the country. The company has more than 20,000 employees in Beijing, Shanghai, Shandong, Zhejiang, Guangdong, and Anhui provinces. China is an important growth market for Whirlpool Corp., and the company is quickly expanding its investment in the country.

SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation