Maytag Deal Unlikely To Spark Merger Rush; More consolidation not expected, but companies may forge partnerships.(INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT)(MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS)

Byline: KEN SPENCER BROWN

The Maytag repairman is finally getting a little company.

Whirlpool last week won a three-month bidding war for the ailing appliance maker, best known for its line of washers and forlorn mascot -- the lonely repairman who never got service calls.

Now the big question is, will other firms merge to keep up?

Don't count on it. Few in the industry expect the Whirlpool-Maytag merger to spark further consolidation.

So says Steve Beshara, chief branding officer for TurboChef Technologies, a Whirlpool rival and onetime Maytag partner.

"The Maytag transaction is a bit unique," Beshara said. "I don't really …