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Whirlpool to Fire 730 Arkansas Workers

Whirlpool Corp. says it will lay off 730 employees at its refrigerator plant in Fort Smith, Arkansas by next October. The appliance maker says the job losses are a result of the company`s decision to open a new plant in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico.

The company says many workers are expected to be re-hired within 18 months to fill openings that come about through attrition, reports say. Whirlpool says it has hired nearly 800 new workers since 2003, illustrating its time frame for recalling laid-off workers. The Fort Smith plant makes side-by-side refrigerator-freezers, counter-depth refrigerators, trash compactors and ice makers.

"We continue to strengthen and extend our manufacturing base in North America, specifically in the U.S. and Mexico, to better improve our operating platform and to continue to remain competitive," Whirlpool executive vice president for the North America region David L. Swift says in a news release.