Some people have contacted WFIN News asking why the Whirlpool plant in Findlay is still operating during the coronavirus pandemic.

Whirlpool Corporation says it is an “essential” manufacturer and issued a statement saying its consumers need their trusted appliances to take care of their families now more than ever.

The company says it has heightened cleaning protocols at each plant, is adhering to social distancing on the production lines and has implemented temperature screening for its employees.

The full statement is below.

Whirlpool Corporation is working around the clock, and around the world, rapidly responding to coronavirus (COVID-19) developments to ensure that we can continue to take care of our employees and our consumers. We are also deeply committed to supporting the communities in which we operate with donations of our appliances, medical supplies and financial contributions to our local hospitals and shelters where possible.

As the world continues to battle COVID-19, our consumers need our trusted appliances to take care of their families during this turbulent time. They are depending on our products — now more than ever — to clean, cook and provide proper food and medicine storage. Our 77,000 employees globally are continuing to support our consumers, as they themselves are living with the new realities of the situation, and we continue to be proud of their everyday commitment to you.

As such, the health and safety of our employees, our consumers and all those involved in our operations are our first priority. We have teams in place at local, regional and global levels working tirelessly to ensure the safety of our people and our valued consumers who allow our products and services into their homes. In that regard, we have taken several strong actions in response to the rapidly evolving coronavirus outbreak.

We are closely following the World Health Organization’s (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) guidelines and recommendations on the steps we can take to help prevent the spread of the virus.