A consortium of investors led by Haier, the Chinese appliance maker, is to begin due diligence on Maytag, raising the prospect of a bidding war with private equity group Ripplewood for the US white goods maker.

The Haier-led consortium, which includes US private equity groups Bain Capital and Blackstone, said it was willing to pay $16 per share for the Iowa-based manufacturer of the Hoover vacuum cleaner.