Whirlpool 2004 Annual Report Download - page 19

15
15
brand channel revenue growing 20 percent in 2004. Total sales have
grown at an average annual rate of 10 percent for each of the past
five years. Additionally, our market share among the top 30
national builders was up 33 percent in 2004 versus 2002.
Energy and water conservation continue to be a primary concern
of Whirlpool, and we continued to work closely with the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of
Energy during 2004 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through
the introduction of energy-efficient, ENERGY STAR®qualified
appliances. As a result, Whirlpool was named an ENERGY STAR®
Partner of the Year for the sixth time.
We upgraded our commitment to Habitat for Humanity last year
through increased donations, products and employee involvement.
Once a partnership only in North America where the company
donates an ENERGY STAR®qualified refrigerator and range for
every Habitat home, Whirlpool now partners with Habitat in 18
countries around the world. In addition to sponsoring a summer
concert tour for Reba McEntire on behalf of Habitat, we
cosponsored the 2004 Jimmy Carter Work Project (JCWP) in
Mexico to help generate enthusiasm for the 2005 JCWP in
Whirlpool's headquarter community of Benton Harbor, Michigan,
where we will build 24 homes in two weeks.
Our commitment to social causes also extended to KitchenAid
brand's fundraising partnership with The Susan G. Komen Breast
Cancer Foundation. In 2004 alone, KitchenAid raised more than
$750,000 for the fight against cancer through the sale of special
pink-colored KitchenAid products and other fund-raising efforts,
bringing total donations since 2001 to $2.3 million.
Outlook
In 2005, Whirlpool North America expects to continue successfully
executing our customer loyalty strategy, with strong brands and
innovative products attracting and retaining customers for life. We
expect modest growth of 2 percent in industry shipments in the
United States.
To reduce the impact of significantly higher materials and
logistics costs, we have implemented price increases ranging from
5-to-10 percent, effective in early January 2005. We are also
focusing on additional productivity initiatives, reducing non-
product-related spending and increasing the pace of innovative
product introduction in 2005.
• The rugged design of
the new Gladiator
GarageWorks
Freezerator
refrigerator enables it
to cope with
temperature extremes
in the garage.
• The new Whirlpool Gold
super capacity
dishwasher with
AccuSense adaptive
wash cycle
automatically selects
the right wash cycle
based on load size and
food deposits.
• A variety of new
Whirlpool brand ovens
and ranges were
introduced in 2004 with
unique features such as
sophisticated glass
touch controls for ease
of use and cleaning.
Awards:
•International Design magazine named Whirlpool Corporation one of
the ten best companies for global design leadership, citing “visionary
scenarios” created by the company for what the future may hold in
the areas of fabric care and the kitchen.
• Whirlpool Corporation was, for the sixth time, named an ENERGY
STAR®Partner of the Year by the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.
• Whirlpool Corporation is the first recipient of the Home Safety Council
Product Innovation for Consumer Safety Award, recognizing
outstanding product innovations that help reduce the risk of injury
and enhance consumer safety at home.
• Whirlpool Canada was named one of the top 50 places to work in
Canada among a national survey of employers.