Whirlpool Cuts More Jobs at Iowa Plant Despite Tariff Support for U.S. Manufacturing

Whirlpool has continued reducing jobs at its refrigerator manufacturing facility in Amana, Iowa, even as U.S. tariffs were expected to strengthen domestic manufacturing. The plant, which once employed nearly 2,000 workers, has lost more than half of its workforce over the past year, with another 288 layoffs scheduled for July.

The company manufactures most of the products it sells in the United States at domestic facilities, placing it in a stronger position than many competitors affected by import duties. However, rising costs for steel and imported components, combined with weaker demand linked to a sluggish housing market, have limited the expected benefits of the tariff policy.

Only one refrigerator assembly line remains in operation at the Iowa plant, compared with five in previous years. Annual production has also declined significantly from earlier levels.

Whirlpool has stated that it is investing in its U.S. manufacturing network, including hundreds of millions of dollars for facilities in Ohio and a new factory for plastic components. Company executives say the restructuring in Iowa is intended to modernize the plant, introduce updated production technology, and expand domestic component manufacturing over time.

The layoffs have become a political issue ahead of Iowa's congressional midterm election. Republican and Democratic candidates have both urged Whirlpool to reconsider the workforce reductions, while some employees have expressed disappointment that the tariff measures have not resulted in the manufacturing job growth they had expected.

Workers at the Amana facility say production has fallen sharply in recent years, and many have started looking for employment elsewhere. The company also recently suspended its dividend after decades of uninterrupted shareholder payouts as it continues to navigate higher costs and market challenges.