BENTON HARBOR, MI—The Commerce Department has ruled that Whirlpool Corp. and other U.S. appliance assemblers are being harmed by competitors importing certain refrigerators from South Korea and Mexico. The department found that Samsung, LG, Electrolux and other brands were illegally “dumping” some of their foreign-made appliances in the United States by selling the products at less than fair value.

LOUISVILLE, KY—GE has opened a new refrigerator assembly plant at Appliance Park here. It’s the second manufacturing facility the company has opened here this year.

STURGEON BAY, WI—Food-service appliance manufacturer Hatco Corp. plans to build an on-site health and wellness clinic at its assembly plant here.

CLEVELAND, TN—Whirlpool Corp. dedicated its new, $120 million assembly plant here.

A major new report from the Council on Competitiveness provides a multipoint plan to reignite American manufacturing.

EDEN, NC—Weil-McLain, a manufacturer of heating and air-conditioning equipment, is investing more than $1 million in new manufacturing equipment.

LOUISVILLE, KY—As GE began production of electric water heaters at its newly renovated assembly plant here, company officials confirmed that hiring is under way for the launch of a refrigerator assembly line next month. The company plans to hire up to 1,300 people by 2014.

FORT SMITH, AR—Union members at Whirlpool’s refrigerator assembly plant here approved an “effects agreement” that stipulates how they will be paid as the company shuts down the plant in mid-2012.

Hard polypropylene fabrication materials for interior elements can take the question of joining out the equation, but are these resins developed enough yet to warrant such a radical shift?

New devices are smaller and more complex than ever.