📰 Whirlpool closes its plant in Pilar and stops production in Argentina

📍 The announcement

The US multinational Whirlpool announced on November 26, 2025 the closure of its plant in Pilar, where it manufactured washing machines for the domestic market and export. The decision involves the dismissal of 220 employees, including operators, management and supply chain personnel.

The company explained that from now  on it will concentrate its operation on sales and services, guaranteeing the supply of appliances, accessories and spare parts throughout the country, but through the import of products.

📉 The reasons for the closure

According to the company, the measure responds to:

• Fall in domestic consumption, which reduced the demand for household appliances.
• Growing competition from imported products, which displaced local production.
• Lack of competitiveness in exports, which affected the viability of the business.
• A global process of review of productive structures, with a focus on efficiency and reallocation of resources.

👥 Impact on workers

The closure generated a strong social impact in Pilar. The dismissed employees decided to remain at the plant as a form of protest and resistance, demanding answers to the loss of their jobs.

Meanwhile, Whirlpool assured that it will maintain its commercial and distribution office in Argentina, with between 100 and 120 employees, preserving its presence in the country as it has done for 35 years.

🌐 Industrial context

The Pilar plant had been inaugurated in 2022 with an investment of 50 million dollars, aimed at producing state-of-the-art washing machines. However, just three years later, the company decided to abandon local production.

This closure is in addition to other recent cases in the national industry, where companies such as Essen also had to reduce personnel due to the fall in consumption.

🎯 Final Thoughts

The closure of Whirlpool in Pilar reflects the structural difficulties of the Argentine industry, marked by low domestic demand, import pressure and a lack of export competitiveness. Although the brand will continue to market its products in the country, the decision represents a blow to employment and national production, leaving open the discussion on the future of the Argentine industrial sector.

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