Who owns Whirlpool?

The company was started in 1911 by Louis Upton, who after a failed business venture, acquired the patient for a manual clothes washer. He consulted with Emory Upton, his uncle who owned a motor shop, about the possibility of adding a motor to the design.

With the addition of 5,000 dollars from a retail investment executive named Lowell Bassford, the first washing machine was born.

Their first customer, the Federal Electric division of Commonwealth Edison, remained their loyal customer for three years until they developed their own washing machine. After that, they began selling to some major department stores, including Sears and Roebuck Co.

In 1921, a standard Whirlpool washing machine would cost you $54.75. They became Sears sole provider of washing machines, but to keep sales going, they began manufacturing units under different names, including Maytag, KitchenAid, and more.

To meet increased demands on production, Whirlpool merged with Nineteen Hundred Corporation and changed its name in 1929.

In 1949, Elisha "Bud" Gray II succeeded retiring Lou Upton as president and led the company through the postwar period, which was characterized by heavy consumer demand for convenience products. In 1950, the company changed its name to Whirlpool Corporation.

In 1955, Whirlpool merged with the Seeger Refrigerator Company and added a line of refrigerators, air conditioners, and cooking-range products. The company also started to operate under the name of Whirlpool-Seeger Corporation until 1957. At this time, it also merged with Chicago's Electric Company, further expanding its product line.