Ryder Consolidates Whirlpool's Packaging Operations Into New, Single Facility to Improve Its After-Sales Service Parts Supply

Chain
October 2, 2001 New 800,000-square foot facility consolidates the after-sales parts packaging operations of three other locations and distribution operations Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE:R - news), a global leader in supply chain and transportation management solutions, today announced the opening of an 800,000-square foot parts packaging and distribution facility in Plainfield, Ind. The facility will consolidate Whirlpool Corporation's after-sale appliance parts packaging in the United States. The new facility replaces operations currently handled by Whirlpool Corporation facilities in West Lafayette, Ind. and similar vendor operations in Michigan City, Ind. and Benton Harbor, Mich. The transition of these operations into the Plainfield facility is expected to conclude by midDecember 2001. Additionally, along with the consolidation of the parts packaging operations, Ryder is assuming responsibility under an extended agreement for the distribution of Whirlpool's after-sales appliance parts currently handled by the Whirlpool facility in La Porte, Ind. This operation will also be moved to the Plainfield facility beginning in mid-2002. Whirlpool Corporation's decision is based on the results of a five-month study conducted to evaluate a Ryder proposal to consolidate the packaging and distribution operations. ``The consolidation of service parts packaging and distribution operations into one facility managed by Ryder will result in reduced complexity in our parts operations and improve responsiveness in serving our trade partners and consumers,'' said J.C. Anderson, senior vice president, Operations, Whirlpool North America. ``Ryder is pleased to partner with Whirlpool and support its strategy for innovation. We look forward to helping Whirlpool improve its operating efficiencies through Ryder's expertise, processes and technologies to support future sustainable growth,'' said Chuck Lounsbury, Ryder's senior vice president, Global Electronics, High-tech, Telecommunications and Consumer Products Goods. In addition to the Plainfield operation, Ryder has managed inbound logistics at Whirlpool Corporation's U.S. and Mexico manufacturing locations since 1995 and managed outbound load control at Whirlpool Corporation's U.S. manufacturing operations since 1998. Since 1997, Ryder has also produced more than 5,000 sub-assemblies per day for one of Whirlpool Corporation's U.S. manufacturing facilities. About Whirlpool

Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances. Headquartered in Benton Harbor, Mich., the company manufactures in 13 countries and markets products under 11 major brand names in more than 170 countries. Additional information about the company can be found on the Internet at http://www.Whirlpoolcorp.com. About Ryder Ryder provides a continuum of leading-edge logistics, supply chain and transportation management solutions worldwide. Ryder's product offerings range from full-service leasing, commercial rental and programmed maintenance of vehicles to integrated services such as dedicated contract carriage and carrier management. Additionally, Ryder offers comprehensive supply chain solutions, consulting, lead logistics management services and eBusiness solutions that support customers' entire supply chains, from inbound raw materials and parts through distribution and delivery of finished goods. Ryder serves customer needs throughout North America, in Latin America, Europe and Asia. For the fifth consecutive year, Ryder was featured in the 2001 Fortune Most Admired Companies survey of corporate reputations. Ryder has ranked among the top five in its industry category since 1997. Forbes named Ryder to its ``Magnetic 40'' as ``Best in Transportation and Logistics'' for creating a ``network of partnerships that can spur growth, innovation and most important, serve customers better.'' InternetWeek named Ryder as one of the top 100 U.S. companies for effectiveness in using the Internet to achieve tangible business benefits. For the fourth consecutive year, Inbound Logistics recognized Ryder in 2001 as the top third-party logistics provider. The National Safety Council has selected Ryder to receive the 2002 Green Cross for Safety Medal - its highest honor - for exemplary commitment to workplace safety and corporate citizenship. Ryder's stock is a component of the Dow Jones Transportation Average and the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. With 2000 revenue of $5.34 billion, Ryder was ranked 333rd on the Fortune 500 list and 319th on the Forbes 500 in 2001.