Two planned facilities
Kimberly-Clark's May 1, 2025, investment programme covers more than $2 billion over five years in North America. Its manufacturing and distribution projects in the United States are expected to create over 900 jobs.
Approximately $800 million would fund a personal-care manufacturing facility in Warren, Ohio. Another $200 million would add an automated distribution centre at Beech Island, South Carolina. Kimberly-Clark scheduled construction to start in May 2025, with completion expected in two to three years. The remaining investment covers innovation and automation across its North American network.
Earlier transformation targets
Kimberly-Clark introduced its wider transformation on Mar 27, 2024, under chairman and chief executive Mike Hsu. The company intended to concentrate on 12 major brands generating more than 80% of net sales across baby and child care, feminine care, adult care, family care and professional products. Its planned supply-chain modernisation included technology and data analytics to improve visibility and adaptability.
The transformation targets included more than $3 billion in gross productivity savings and approximately $500 million in working-capital savings to support growth investments. Kimberly-Clark estimated one-time restructuring and reorganisation costs of approximately $1.5 billion over three years, split roughly equally between cash expenses and non-cash charges.
North American trading position
North America generated $2.7 billion in net sales in the first quarter of 2025, down 3.9% from a year earlier. The decline reflected the personal protective equipment business divestiture and the exit from private-label diapers in the United States. Organic sales, excluding currency translation and divestitures and business exits, fell 0.6%.
Regional operating profit increased 1.3% to $676 million. Productivity savings and lower marketing, selling, research and general expenses partly offset divestitures, business exits and planned price-value investments. Group-wide capital spending reached $204 million, compared with $194 million a year earlier, in the Apr 22, 2025, results.
Distribution equipment and company structure
Chief supply chain officer Tamera Fenske linked planned Beech Island robotics, AI-powered logistics and high-density automated storage to network optimisation and improved retailer service.
The 2024 reorganisation plan divided operations into three businesses, supported by shared research, marketing, finance, information technology and human resources functions:
- North America.
- International Personal Care.
- International Family Care and Professional.
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