Good News in Juarez For a Change: Electrolux to Expand Operations

Yesterday Electrolux, a Swedish company, announced it would shut down two plants in Iowa a year from now, cutting out 850 out of 880 jobs in Webster City and Jefferson, transferring production of front-loading washing machines to Cd. Juárez. Electrolux has a large complex of three buildings in Juárez, producing front-loading washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, and those little round, self-guided vacuum cleaners. It now employs 600 persons in a washing machine assembly plant that began operations in Juárez in June 2008. Electrolux has a 19% share of the market in front-loading washing machines in Europe. It expects to double sales of air conditioners in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Phillippines.