FORT SMITH, Ark. (AP) — The Whirlpool Corp. refrigerator factory in Fort Smith is preparing to add production and may call back 150 employees who were laid off.
The plant now employs between 900 and 1,000 people, far fewer than the 4,600 it had in 2006 before moving part of its production to Mexico. After that move, the decline in demand that came with the recession further hurt job numbers at the plant.
The company says demand is improving. But it still needs to ensure it will have the parts on hand to increase production.
Benton Harbor, Mich.-based Whirlpool says it is not shifting production from another of its plants.