Whirlpool To Close Fort Smith Plant, Eliminate 1,200 Jobs

NewsOn6.com

FORT SMITH, Arkansas -- Whirlpool says it will cut 1,200 positions and close the company's Fort Smith, Arkansas plant.

Thursday afternoon, employees were told to shut off machines and head to a meeting.

Employees say 80 to 100 workers will lose their jobs in January and the rest by the end of the spring. The company says production from Fort Smith will be consolidated into other North American factories.

There's no word on how Whirlpool's announcement will impact its Tulsa facility.

The Fort Smith shut down is part of a larger cost-cutting plan.  Whirlpool announced it will cut 5,000 jobs across North America and Europe. That's 10 percent of its workforce.

The company expects to save $400 million by the end of 2013.

Read Whirlpool news release.