Kimberly-Clark calls for a fair deal on Australian tissue manufacture

10 February 2010

The Australian Government’s removal of dumping duties on imported toilet paper from Indonesia and China puts local manufacturing of product under serious threat.

“Kimberly-Clark has invested more than $300 million in tissue manufacture for its Kleenex^®, Wondersoft^® and Viva^® Towel brands in Australia since 2000,” said company spokesperson, Ross Hearne. “The growth in imports will likely result in further major investment ceasing. This could, in turn, eventually jeopardise 650 direct jobs in South Australia, long term, and indirectly around 1500 jobs in the South East of the state.”

“We are not asking for special treatment, simply that the Government maintain fair competition between imported toilet tissue and our locally manufactured Kleenex^® and Wondersoft^® products,” said Ross.

“We are asking the Government re-instate the dumping duties on toilet tissue from Indonesia and China immediately and to re-investigate the case which, in the final appeal, we believe was flawed.”

For more information contact Ross Hearne, General Manager Corporate Services; Kimberly-Clark Australia at rhearne@kcc.com or call 9963 8888.