Whirlpool’s Clyde plant, the washing machine factory next door
The Sandusky County plant is one of the largest washing machine factories in the world and one of the region's biggest employers.
Eight miles west of Bellevue, along U.S. 20 in Clyde, Whirlpool Corp. runs what it has described as the largest washing machine plant in the world. If you own a Whirlpool or Maytag top-loading washer, there is a good chance it was built there.
A long run in Clyde
The Clyde plant dates to the early 1950s and has been part of Whirlpool for most of its history. It employs thousands of people from Sandusky, Huron, Seneca and Erie counties, making it one of the largest private employers in this part of Ohio. Whirlpool, based in Benton Harbor, Michigan, lists its U.S. manufacturing locations on its corporate site.
The plant has been expanded and automated many times. Production lines turn out washers and dryers for Whirlpool’s brands, including Maytag and Amana.
Trade policy, up close
Clyde has been at the center of national trade fights. In 2018, after a petition from Whirlpool, the federal government imposed safeguard tariffs on imported washing machines, aimed largely at Samsung and LG. Whirlpool said the tariffs helped it add jobs in Clyde. Economists later debated how much the tariffs raised prices for consumers.
In August 2020, President Donald Trump toured the plant and spoke to workers there, highlighting the tariffs. Photos from that visit, released by the White House, are some of the few public images from inside the factory.
Tariffs and imports remain a live issue for the plant and for Ohio’s senators. We wrote about how Sen. Bernie Moreno approaches trade.
What it means for Bellevue
Many Whirlpool workers live in Bellevue and commute west each day, and suppliers in the area provide parts, packaging and services. Shift changes at the plant shape traffic on U.S. 20 and the state routes between the two towns.
The plant’s health is closely tied to the housing market, since new homes and remodels drive appliance sales. When sales slow, Whirlpool has adjusted shifts and production schedules, and those decisions ripple through local paychecks. We follow those changes in Business, alongside the rail yard that is Bellevue’s other major employer.