Overview

Kimberly-Clark Corporation is an American multinational consumer-products and personal-care company whose principal activities center on paper-based hygiene products and related professional and medical offerings. It was established in Neenah, Wisconsin, in 1872 by John A. Kimberly, Havilah Babcock, Charles B. Clark, and Franklyn C. Shattuck. The business initially operated paper mills and expanded through advances in pulp and paper manufacturing before progressively shifting toward branded consumer products. The company’s most recognizable brands include Kleenex facial tissues, Kotex feminine-care products, Huggies diapers and wipes, Cottonelle and Scott bathroom tissue, Viva paper towels, WypAll utility wipes, KimWipes laboratory wipes, Poise incontinence products, Depend adult incontinence products, and Pull-Ups and GoodNites training and nighttime products. Brand availability varies by country; regional names include Andrex in the United Kingdom, DryNites in parts of Europe and Australasia, and Softex in Indonesia. A major strategic turning point came under chief executive Darwin Smith, who redirected Kimberly-Clark from a predominantly paper and newsprint business toward consumer tissue and personal-care categories. The 1995 merger with Scott Paper substantially increased the company’s consumer-tissue and bathroom-products scale. Subsequent acquisitions and joint ventures expanded its presence in feminine care, diapers, medical products, professional cleaning, and international markets. Kimberly-Clark moved its headquarters from Neenah to the Las Colinas area of Irving, Texas, in 1985. Although it operated paper mills for much of its history, it closed its last company-owned paper mill in 2012, reflecting a more asset-light and branded-products-oriented model. The company sells through retailers, wholesalers, e-commerce channels, hospitals, laboratories, workplaces, and other institutional customers. Kimberly-Clark Professional serves commercial and industrial users, while its consumer divisions focus on household and personal hygiene. The company has maintained a global presence through manufacturing, licensing, distribution, and local subsidiaries. Its products compete on perceived softness, absorbency, convenience, skin protection, leakage protection, cleanliness, and brand trust. Sustainability, packaging reduction, responsible forestry, and product safety have also become recurring strategic themes. In 2019, Michael D. Hsu succeeded Thomas J. Falk as chief executive, while Falk remained chairman. Kimberly-Clark remains listed under the symbol KMB and continues to operate as an active global branded consumer-goods company.

History

Kimberly-Clark began in 1872 in Neenah, Wisconsin, as a paper-milling partnership founded by John A. Kimberly, Havilah Babcock, Charles B. Clark, and Franklyn C. Shattuck. Its early growth came from paper and pulp production. A major mill fire in 1888 destroyed the Atlas facility, but labor and management rebuilt it within months at increased capacity. The company also developed important sulphite-pulp capabilities in Wisconsin, helping establish its position as an innovative paper manufacturer. In 1914, Kimberly-Clark developed cellu-cotton, a cellulose material used as a cotton substitute and supplied for surgical purposes during the First World War. Nurses also used the material for disposable menstrual pads. This experience led to Kotex, introduced in 1920 as an early disposable feminine-hygiene product. Kleenex disposable facial tissue followed in 1924. Kimberly-Clark became a public company in 1928 and continued expanding its manufacturing and distribution footprint. The company internationalized during the 1950s and 1960s, establishing operations in Mexico, West Germany, the United Kingdom, and additional overseas locations. During the 1970s and 1980s, chief executive Darwin Smith led a fundamental strategic transformation away from dependence on printing, newsprint, and industrial paper toward consumer tissue and personal-care products. Headquarters moved to Irving, Texas, in 1985. The company also created Midwest Express Airlines from its corporate aviation operations; it later divested the airline and its aviation business. The 1990s brought substantial portfolio expansion. Kimberly-Clark sold its jointly owned Canadian newsprint mill, formed international personal-care ventures, and acquired feminine-care, diaper, tissue, and medical businesses. Its 1995 merger with Scott Paper was a defining transaction, adding major bathroom-tissue and consumer-products operations. Further acquisitions included businesses in Spain, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Taiwan, Poland, medical products, and examination gloves. In the 2000s, Kimberly-Clark continued building its international consumer-tissue, diaper, professional, and medical businesses. It reorganized major North American and European personal-care and tissue operations under a North Atlantic structure. The company gradually exited paper-mill ownership; the last company-owned mills closed in 2012, underscoring the shift toward branded finished goods rather than vertically integrated paper production. Thomas J. Falk led the company as chief executive during the 2000s and 2010s. In 2019, Michael D. Hsu became chief executive while Falk continued as chairman. During the COVID-19 pandemic, stockpiling supported tissue demand even as other parts of the business faced disruption. In 2022, Kimberly-Clark acquired a majority stake in Thinx, but controversy involving alleged PFAS content and subsequent litigation damaged confidence in that investment. In 2023, the company recorded a significant impairment associated with Thinx and Softex Indonesia. Kimberly-Clark remains an active global producer of branded hygiene, professional, and medical products.

2025
Nasdaq listing transfer announced
[1]Kimberly-Clarken.wikipedia.org
The company announced a planned transfer of its stock listing from NYSE to Nasdaq.
2022
Thinx majority investment
[1]Kimberly-Clarken.wikipedia.org
Kimberly-Clark acquired a majority stake in period-underwear company Thinx.
2019
CEO transition
[1]Kimberly-Clarken.wikipedia.org
Michael D. Hsu became chief executive, succeeding Thomas J. Falk.
2012
Last company-owned paper mills closed
[1]Kimberly-Clarken.wikipedia.org
The company completed its long-term move away from owning paper mills.
1995
Scott Paper merger
[1]Kimberly-Clarken.wikipedia.org
Kimberly-Clark merged with Scott Paper in a transaction valued at approximately $9.4 billion.
1985
Headquarters moved to Texas
[1]Kimberly-Clarken.wikipedia.org
Corporate headquarters moved from Neenah, Wisconsin, to Irving, Texas.
1928
Public listing
[1]Kimberly-Clarken.wikipedia.org
Kimberly-Clark became a publicly traded company.
1924
Kleenex introduced
[1]Kimberly-Clarken.wikipedia.org
The company launched Kleenex disposable facial tissue.
1920
Kotex introduced
[1]Kimberly-Clarken.wikipedia.org
Kimberly-Clark introduced Kotex, an early disposable feminine-hygiene product.
1914
Cellu-cotton developed
[1]Kimberly-Clarken.wikipedia.org
The company developed a cellulose-based cotton substitute that later supported disposable hygiene applications.
1888
Atlas mill rebuilt after fire
[1]Kimberly-Clarken.wikipedia.org
A major groundwood-paper mill fire was followed by rapid reconstruction and expanded production capacity.
1872
Company founded in Neenah
[1]Kimberly-Clarken.wikipedia.org
Kimberly, Clark and Co. was established in Neenah, Wisconsin, as a paper-milling enterprise.

Products and positioning

A global, mass-market to premium hygiene and personal-care portfolio positioned around everyday protection, cleanliness, comfort, convenience, and trusted household brands.

Facial tissue · 1924
Kleenex
Kleenex is Kimberly-Clark’s best-known facial-tissue brand. Its portfolio includes standard tissues and variants marketed around softness, lotion, comfort, and everyday cold and allergy use. The brand is sold in multiple formats and markets, with packaging and product names adapted locally.
Baby care
Huggies
Huggies is a global baby-care brand covering disposable diapers, baby wipes, and related products. Associated lines include Little Swimmers swim diapers and Pull-Ups training pants. The brand competes through fit, absorbency, leakage protection, skin comfort, and developmental-stage segmentation.
Feminine care · 1920
Kotex
Kotex is a feminine-hygiene portfolio including pads, pantiliners, and tampons. It originated as one of Kimberly-Clark’s earliest major consumer brands and remains marketed internationally, although exact products and positioning differ by country.
Bathroom tissue and wipes
Cottonelle
Cottonelle includes bathroom tissue and moist cleansing wipes. Its wipes have been marketed around compatibility with toilet use, a positioning that has also generated regulatory and product-safety scrutiny in some markets.
Tissue and paper products
Scott
Scott is a broad tissue brand spanning bathroom tissue, paper towels, napkins, and wipes. It became particularly important to Kimberly-Clark after the Scott Paper merger and is sold in consumer and institutional channels.
Adult care
Poise
Poise provides pads, liners, and related products for adult women experiencing light to moderate urinary leakage. Its communications generally emphasize confidence, discretion, comfort, and everyday mobility.
Adult care
Depend
Depend is an adult-incontinence brand offering absorbent underwear, briefs, and related products. It serves consumers seeking leakage protection and discretion across different levels of incontinence.
Professional cleaning
WypAll
WypAll is a professional line of cleaning towels, wipes, and cloths used in workplaces, industrial facilities, laboratories, and maintenance environments. Products are designed for tasks requiring absorbency, strength, and controlled lint performance.
Laboratory and scientific wipes
KimWipes
KimWipes are low-lint cleaning tissues used in laboratories and technical settings for surfaces, instruments, slides, and other applications where leaving fibers is undesirable. Product suitability depends on the surface and any specialized coating.
Youth nighttime care
GoodNites and DryNites
GoodNites, known as DryNites in some markets, are pull-on nighttime products for children, teenagers, and young adults who experience bedwetting. They are related to Kimberly-Clark’s broader training-pants and absorbent-care portfolio.

Controversies

2026
Greater Augusta Utility District sues paper companies over PFAS contamination of Augusta-area drinking-water wells
The Greater Augusta Utility District, which serves drinking water to about 13,750 residents in and around Augusta, Maine, filed a federal lawsuit against Sappi North America, Huhtamaki, Kimberly-Clark, American Tissue Mills of Maine and American Tissue Corp., alleging that PFAS released from their paper, packaging and tissue facilities over decades entered the Kennebec River and connected groundwater and contaminated the wells serving the Augusta area. The district alleges PFAS was detected in its well water in October 2021 and rose above Maine's drinking-water standard in November 2024, and it seeks to hold the companies jointly and severally liable under the federal Superfund law (CERCLA) for past and future investigation, monitoring, treatment and cleanup costs. Sappi said it is reviewing the complaint, stating it is in compliance with all environmental regulations and does not knowingly use PFAS-containing materials; the other named companies did not respond to comment requests.
Source 1 Source 2 Source 3
2023
Thinx PFAS controversy and settlement
Thinx faced allegations concerning PFAS in period-underwear products and a related class-action settlement. The controversy affected consumer trust and was followed by a significant impairment connected with Thinx and Softex Indonesia.
Source
2020
Kimberly-Clark recalls Cottonelle flushable wipes
Kimberly-Clark recalled Cottonelle Flushable Wipes and Cottonelle GentlePlus Flushable Wipes in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean because they may contain Pluralibacter gergoviae, which can pose an infection risk. Kimberly-Clark said there had been a low rate of non-serious complaints, including irritation and minor infections.
Source

Marketing campaigns

1982Lou Grant advertising withdrawal
United States
Kimberly-Clark and Cadbury withdrew advertising support for the television program Lou Grant after pressure from conservative groups opposed to actor Ed Asner’s political views. The advertising withdrawal became an example of corporate participation in a television-related political pressure campaign.
Outcome. The advertising withdrawal became an example of corporate participation in a television-related political pressure campaign.
Source

Brand decisions

2022
Majority investment in ThinxM&A
Background
Kimberly-Clark wanted to expand its feminine-care offering into reusable period underwear.
Action taken
The company acquired a majority stake in Thinx.
Aftermath
The investment was later affected by PFAS-related controversy, litigation, and an impairment charge.
Source
2012
Exit from company-owned paper millsStrategy
Background
The company was moving from vertically integrated paper manufacturing toward branded finished products.
Action taken
Kimberly-Clark closed its last company-owned paper mills.
Aftermath
The move reinforced its focus on consumer, professional, and medical product brands.
Source
1995
Merger with Scott PaperM&A
Background
Kimberly-Clark sought greater scale in tissue and household paper products.
Action taken
The company merged with Scott Paper in a transaction valued at approximately $9.4 billion.
Aftermath
The merger expanded Kimberly-Clark’s bathroom-tissue, paper-towel, and international consumer-products footprint.
Transaction value. Approximately US$9.4 billion (1995)
Source
1971
Shift toward branded consumer productsStrategy
Background
Kimberly-Clark was heavily associated with paper, pulp, and newsprint manufacturing.
Action taken
Under Darwin Smith, the company redirected investment and management attention toward consumer tissue and personal-care brands.
Aftermath
The strategy established the modern Kimberly-Clark portfolio and reduced dependence on commodity paper markets.
Source

Recent events

2025
Kimberly-Clark announces Nasdaq listing transfer[1]Kimberly-Clarken.wikipedia.org
Other
The company announced that its shares would move from the New York Stock Exchange to Nasdaq Global Select Market, with the change scheduled for May 30, 2025.
2024
Kimberly-Clark announces leadership succession[7]Kimberly-Clark announces leadership successionkimberly-clark.com
Leadership change
The company announced that Kirk Perry would succeed Michael Hsu as president and chief executive officer, marking a leadership transition after Hsu's tenure.
2024
Kimberly-Clark reports restructuring and productivity actions[8]Kimberly-Clark reports restructuring and productivity actionskimberly-clark.com
Other
The company described restructuring and productivity measures intended to simplify operations, improve efficiency, and support investment in priority brands and markets.
2023
Kimberly-Clark to spin off its paper business[9]金佰利将分拆其纸张业务reuters.com
M&A
金佰利宣布计划将其纸张业务分拆为独立的上市公司，以专注于个人护理业务。
2022
Kimberly-Clark acquires majority stake in Thinx[1]Kimberly-Clarken.wikipedia.org
M&A
The company acquired a majority interest in Thinx, a period-underwear brand, expanding its feminine-care portfolio.
2020
Kimberly-Clark reports COVID-era tissue demand surge[1]Kimberly-Clarken.wikipedia.org
Other
Pandemic-related household stockpiling increased consumer-tissue demand in the first quarter, while broader organic-sales performance was affected by economic disruption.
2020
Cottonelle wipes recall announced in Australia[1]Kimberly-Clarken.wikipedia.org
Recall
Certain products manufactured between February and September 2020 were recalled because of possible contamination involving Pluralibacter gergoviae.
2020
Kimberly-Clark completes acquisition of Softex Indonesia[7]Kimberly-Clark announces leadership successionkimberly-clark.com
M&A
Kimberly-Clark completed the acquisition of Softex Indonesia, expanding its presence in Indonesia and strengthening its personal-care and family-care portfolio in the country.
2019
Australian court rules in Cottonelle flushable-wipes case[1]Kimberly-Clarken.wikipedia.org
Lawsuit
The Federal Court of Australia found for Kimberly-Clark in an ACCC case concerning advertising claims for Cottonelle cleansing cloths marketed as flushable.
1995
Kimberly-Clark completes merger with Scott Paper[1]Kimberly-Clarken.wikipedia.org
M&A
The company completed a transaction valued at approximately $9.4 billion, substantially expanding its tissue and consumer-products operations.