"PaPaPeng" wrote in message
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Maytag and Whirlpool continue to expect the transaction to close as
early as the first quarter of 2006, following approval from
Maytag stockholders and regulatory clearance.

I thought the merger was an already done deal. Back in August Haier
of China made a bid and Whirlpool stepped in to block the deal. Haier
withdrew. Given that Wirlpool has its own line of laundry appliances
its hard to see how W will spend serious money to improve Maytag's
product lines, especially when Maytag had been losing money for years,
thus its sale. Elsewhere Wirlpool had stated that they will
consolidate production facilities, aka close factories, to realise
efficiencies. I have a feeling that the Maytag line will eventually
disappear altogether within three years.


Thanks for the update,

Tom.