Maytag closes in Iowa; work coming to Ohio

10/26/2007

NEWTON, Iowa The last washers and dryers were rolling off Maytag assembly lines here yesterday and the 550 workers who built them were preparing to leave the 2 million-square-foot factory for the last time, ending a century of appliance manufacturing in Newton under the iconic brand name.

For many workers, it s a sad parting with a company that has provided for their families over generations. Worries had mounted since May 10, 2006, the day officials at Whirlpool Corp., which bought Maytag last year, unveiled plans to close the Maytag corporate headquarters and the local factory that made washers and dryers, leaving about 1,800 local workers to find other jobs.

The machines will be redesigned and made in nonunion factories in Clyde and Marion, Ohio.