By Patrick Avenell
SYDNEY, NSW: When you walk through the Whirlpool offices in Melbourne, past reception and into the boardroom, you pass a giant, splendid, slightly tattered, but altogether magnificent American flag. The Stars and Stripes sit proudly over Whirlpool’s local operations, even if the company now considers itself to be a global enterprise.
Even more fascinating about this flag is that it only has 48 stars. The stars on the US flag represent each of the states in the union – there are 50 currently – meaning that this flag was made before Alaska and Hawai’i were admitted in 1959.
The knowledge and embracing of this American heritage is one of Whirlpool’s most endearing traits, even if the products are now manufactured in plants scattered throughout the world. And considering the recent tensions between the US and France, it was reassuring to this morning receive new that Whirlpool has released its new refrigerator range styled on the French door form factor.
Taking the French Door fridge concept a step further, Whirlpool’s new 588-litre capacity refrigerator has three doors. There is a 404-litre compartment for fresh food and a 184-litre capacity pull-out freezer drawer.
Within the refrigerator, Whirlpool is offering consumers adjustable temperatures, so that fish and meat can be stored at cooler temperatures to the main compartment. There are also two humidity controlled crisper drawers for fruit and vegetables.
In order to prevent spills circulating throughout the refrigerator interior, there are four Spillsafe glass shelves. These shelves are designed to contain spills and leakages, preventing them from contaminating other levels and sections of the fridge.
The Whirlpool French Door Refrigerator (#6GX0FHDXXY) will be released in May for RRP $2,299.