This refrigeration breakthrough will deliver
benefits ranging from increased capacity and quieter performance to
the potential for increased sustainability and design
flexibility.
SlimTech™ insulation will launch in 2024 on
select JennAir® 30 in. Column refrigerators
and will later expand to KitchenAid brand
BENTON
HARBOR, Mich., Nov. 13,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Whirlpool Corporation
introduced SlimTech™ insulation, the first vacuum insulated
structure (VIS) technology in a refrigerator in the North American
market. This technology represents a significant step forward in
refrigeration technology, which has long relied on bulky
polyurethane foam for insulation.
By using a proprietary material that is vacuum-sealed within the
door or sides of the refrigerator itself, SlimTech™ insulation can
reduce the wall thickness by up to 66% - allowing for up to 25%
more capacity inside the refrigerator.
"For the past 112 years, we have shaped the landscape of modern
home appliances in the kitchen and the laundry room, developing
products that have improved life at home for millions of consumers
from the introduction of the first electric wringer washer and
first home dishwasher," said Marc
Bitzer, Whirlpool Corporation chairman and CEO. "SlimTech™
insulation is yet another turning point for the industry, and this
launch is just the beginning of how we will utilize this
technology."
SlimTech™ insulation technology will make its debut in 2024 on
the doors of select JennAir® luxury 30 in. Slimtech™
Insulation Column refrigerators, and will roll out more
broadly across KitchenAid refrigerators in the future, utilizing
the technology for the entire structure.
The material used in SlimTech™ insulation technology also
has the potential to be recycled, and Whirlpool Corp. is working to
map out a path to reclaiming the material at a refrigerator's end
of use, paving the way for a more circular future.
"For years low recyclability due to polyurethane foam has
created a significant barrier to making refrigerators more
sustainable and reducing environmental impact," said Pamela Klyn, Whirlpool Corporation executive
vice president of corporate relations & sustainability. "This
is an extremely important leap forward on the journey to a more
circular approach to home appliances. Implementation of SlimTech™
insulation marks the beginning of the end for foam insulated
refrigerators."
Beyond adding refrigerator capacity and increasing the potential
for sustainability, SlimTech™ insulation technology
also unlocks additional consumer benefits.
- Increasing the thickness
of SlimTech™ insulation walls can reduce
thermal conductivity, allowing a refrigerator to be up to 50% more
energy efficient.
- SlimTech™ insulation can keep food fresh for longer by reducing
temperature swings from door openings by cooling up to 30%
faster.
- SlimTech™ insulation technology will enable more interior
customization via metal interiors with cleaner angles that
eliminate the need for the molded plastic interiors common in
today's refrigerators.
- Fewer compressor cycles are needed to maintain cool
temperatures, meaning refrigerators with SlimTech™
insulation deliver even quieter refrigeration.
With SlimTech™ insulation technology Whirlpool Corp. aims to
revolutionize how consumers think about refrigeration in their
homes by allowing for more discreet refrigeration spaces that could
be seamlessly brought to other rooms of the house or be contained
within other pieces of furniture.
"Slimtech™ insulation technology - along with other recent
product launches - shows our commitment to innovation and will
allow us to expand our market share and our margins," said Bitzer.
"This is a step change in technology and process innovation that
will cascade across the Whirlpool Corporation brand portfolio and
manufacturing operations.
Refrigerators with SlimTech™ insulation will be built at
Whirlpool Corp.'s operation in Ottawa,
Ohio. The company has invested $65
million in the plant.
About Whirlpool Corporation
Whirlpool Corporation
(NYSE: WHR) is committed to being the best global kitchen and
laundry company, in constant pursuit of improving life at home. In
an increasingly digital world, the company is driving purposeful
innovation to meet the evolving needs of consumers through its
iconic brand portfolio, including Whirlpool,
KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp,
Amana, Bauknecht, JennAir, Indesit,
Yummly and InSinkErator. In 2022, the company
reported approximately $20 billion in
annual sales, 61,000 employees and 56 manufacturing and technology
research centers. Additional information about the company can be
found at WhirlpoolCorp.com.
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SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation