Whirlpool plant in Naples will be closed on October 31, the American home appliance manufacturer announced, despite the Italian Government’s attempts to maintain the activity of the unit.
Whirlpool has 450 employees, in a region with one of the highest unemployment rates in Italy, ANSA and Reuters reported.
The future of the Naples unit has been a source of tension between Whirlpool and Italian authorities, who say the closure violates previous agreements.
Whirlpool officials say the Naples plant is not economically sustainable.
Naples mayor, Luigi de Magistris, called on the government to ”do everything possible to avoid disaster”.
Last year, Whirlpool reported that the production of washing machines in Naples is no longer profitable and it intends to sell the plant.