Shared values : a history of Kimberly-Clark

242 Pages·1997·43.797 MB·English

by  Robert Spector, William W Wicks

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Shared Values
A HISTORY OF KIMBERLY-CLARK
ROBERT SPECTOR
based on research and
a manuscript by William IV Wicks
Grecmvich Publishing Group, Inc.
Lyme, Connecticut
© 1997 Kimberly-Clark Corporation. All rights reserved.
Printed and bound in the United States of America. No part of this publication
may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage and
retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing
from Kimberly-Clark Corporation, P.O. Box 619100, Dallas, Texas, 75261,
except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with
a review written for inclusion in a magazine, newspaper or broadcast.
Produced and published by Greenwich Publishing Group, Inc.
Lyme, Connecticut
Design by Clare Cunningham Graphic Design, Essex, Connecticut
Separation & film assembly by Silver Eagle Graphics, Inc.
This book is printed on Classic Crest avon brilliant white text and bound with
Classic laid peppered bronze text. End papers are Classic laid chatham tan text.
These papers are produced by Kimberly-Clark's Neenah Paper Sector.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 97-73085
ISBN: 0-944641-17-2
First Printing: November 1997
10 9 8 7 6 54 3 2 1
The following are trademarks of Kimberly-Clark Corporation or its affiliates:
Andrex, Boutique, Camelia, Classic, Classic Crest, Comfort & Beauty, Confidets,
Cottonelle, Delsey, Depend, Environment, Handy Andies, Huggies, Job Squad,
Kimbies, Kimlark, Kimpak, Kimwipes, Kleenex, Kotex, Monica, Old Council Tree,
Peaudouce, Pop-Up, Pull-Ups, Regio (U.S.), Scott, Scotties, Scottis, ScotTissue,
ScotTowels, Scribe, Sofkins, Tampona, Thirsty Fibre, Viva, Waldorf, WypAII.
The following were formerly trademarks of Kimberly-Clark or its affiliates:
Baby Fresh, BabyScott, Bonafid, Cellucotton, Cellu-Nap, ClearSight, Cut-Rite,
Dorian, Fibs, Fillex, Foldum, Hoyt, Imperial, Kid Fresh, Kimbatts, Kimsul,
Lady Scott, Organdy, Purex, Regio (Mexico), Sanek, Sani-Tissue, Sani-Towels,
Scotkins, Shock, Sno-Tissue, Soft-Weve, Trufect, Wash A-Bye Baby, Zorbik.
The following are trademarks of foreign entities affiliated with Scott Paper
Company, now Kimberly-Clark Tissue Company: Cel (Spain-Kimberly-Clark,
S.A.), Confort and Saba (Mexico), Le Trefle (France-Kimberly-Clark S.N.C.),
Page (Netherlands-Kimberly-Clark B.V.), Servus (Germany-Scott GmbH),
Softi (Italy-Kimberly-Clark S.p.A.), Sorbent (Australia).
Tampax is a trademark of Tampax Corporation.
Charmin and Pampers are trademarks of The Procter & Gamble Company.
Northern and Zee are trademarks of James River Paper Company, Inc.
The Two Horse Patch is a registered trademark of Levi Strauss & Co.
All rights reserved.

Table of Contents
Foreword 7
A Defining Merger 9
CHAPTER ONE:
The Making of a Giant 21
CHAPTER Two:
De.flning A/omen! 1: Establishing Core I (dues ... 27
Kotex and Kleenex 49
CHAPTER THREE:
Dejining Mo111ent 2: Sta) ·ing in I he Gallle ... .59
From One Kimberly to Another 79
CHAPTER FouR:
Mr. Smith Goes to Wisconsin 99
CHAPTER FivE:
De.flning i14olllent 3: Committing to a Nell' Path ... 107
Defining ,l1omenl -f: The Diaper Wars ... 119
The Scott Way 127
CHAPTER s1x:
Defining Jlfolllent .5: A Brclllded Strategy· ... 137
A Global Consumer Products Company 171
CHAPTER SEVEN:
Tim eline 190
Internationa] Operations and Subsidiaries 196
Chapter Summaries in Spanish, French and Mandarin Chinese 204
Acknowledgments 232
Photo Credits 233
Index 234
Foreword
lH" hw1dred twenty-five years ago. four young men-John A. Kimberly.
Charles B. Clark, f--lavilah Babcock and Frank C. Shattuck-founded a
company on the values of good senrice. fair dealing with employees and
customers. and a promise to always manufactme the best possible product.
Seven yrars later, Irvin and Clarence Scott established the Scott Paper Company
with essential]~, the sru11c values in mind.
Shared !(dues: A !Jislol:J ·of Ki111ber() ·-CLark tells thr story behind the global
enterprise we today call Kimberly-Clark: how six men created Kimberl~·-Giark and
Scott Paper and how succeeding generations of men and women have built upon
the fotwclcrs· legacy.
This is not a story about sales and profit-s: it is about people- people with
courage., creativity and comminnent. It illustrates Ito"-our predecessors successfully
overcame the challenges of their marketplac<:>. (If you think toda~··s mru·kets present obstacles, read Chapter This photo, opposite, is
the only known image of
Three's story al)out selli11g Kotex pads in the 1920s.) the four Kimberly-Clark
founders together.
Kin1berly-Clark has ahYays been a company that has touched p<:>ople's lives. but few know of its storied
Clockwise, from top left,
are Charles B. Clark,
past- Whatever yow· connection to Kimberly-Clark-ctnTent or former employee. customer. shareholder or
Frank C. Shattuck,
Havilah Babcock and
neighbor- as you read this book. I think you will discover that ow· fow1di11g principles have acted as the
John A. Kimberly Brothers
backdrop against which ow· company has evoked. Therein lies the importance of tllis book: By recognizing Irvin and Clarence Scott,
above, founded the Scott
the values that have been essential to om success, we help e11sure that as our company continues to grow Paper Company
over the next 125 years, the essence of Kimbcrly-Cimk will remain.
tU~I?S-..1~
\~fayne H. Sanders
Chairman and Cru<:>f Executive Officer
November 1997
17

CHAPTER ONE
s a proud team of K.imberly-Clarkers entered a large room in New York City's
Equitable Building, they were met by 125 financial analysts and business
reporters. \Vith an additional 431 analysts and reporters listening by telephone
from financial outposts around the globe, it was clear that on this day - July 17,
1995 - the international investn1ent community and business press were literally and
figuratively focused on Kimberly-Clark Corporation.
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