F&P appliances to establish factory in Ohio

Fisher & Paykel Appliances said today it would locate its new manufacturing facility in the United States in Clyde, Ohio.

In July, the company announced it would be relocating its Smart Drive clothes washer line that is currently located in Cleveland, Australia, and a motor manufacturing line, located in Auckland, to a North American site.

"Clyde is central to our major customers in the USA," chief executive John Bongard said.

"Our motives for moving to an American location were to reduce costs of production, freight and working capital associated with supplying that market, and this can be achieved by being in Ohio."

He said Clyde also offered a good infrastructure with a number of companies capable of supporting the production of washing machines and motors that will be manufactured on the site.

The new plant will employ around 50 staff. Around 10 jobs are going in Australia but there will be no direct redundancies in New Zealand.

A spokesman said it was more a case of "lost opportunities for future jobs," with respect to New Zealand.

The plant is expected to be operational by the end of the current fiscal year.

- NZPA