BENTON HARBOR, MI-Whirlpool Corp., one of the nation’s largest home appliance manufacturers, has announced that it will keep its headquarters here in Western Michigan, with plans to build a new three-office campus in this city’s downtown. The cost of the project on the riverfront retail site on Main Street, between River Street and Riverview Drive, is reportedly $85 million.

The company said in a statement that it plans to receive a large financial incentive package from the state. "Thanks to collaboration with our four local government bodies, and with the State of Michigan, we will further strengthen our commitment to the Benton Harbor - St. Joseph communities," said Jeff M. Fettig, chairman and CEO, in a statement. "With more than 4,000 individuals in our current facilities, we have simply outgrown our current space. This initiative is a good business decision as the new campus and related changes are expected to increase productivity and energy efficiency, and reduce operating costs."

The company will be consolidating most of the current 15 owned and leased facilities in the region into three main campuses. These will include the new complex, the existing Benton Harbor Administrative Center and St. Joseph Technology Center locations. the company plans to retain its Hilltop Drive South offices in St. Joseph and the Harbor Town offices in Benton Harbor.

If the incentives are approved this week by the state, preparation for the new office buildings is expected to begin within the next several weeks. The facilities should be finished and open sometime in 2015, according to the company statement.

Whirlpool, which started in 1911 in nearby St. Joseph, MI as the Upton Machine Co., had annual sales of approximately $17 billion in 2009, 67,000 employees, and 67 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht and other major brand names to consumers in nearly every country around the world.