Last week, Kimberly-Clark Australia’s Ingleburn Mill, which manufactures Huggies diapers, proudly celebrated 30 years of local manufacturing in Australia. The Ingleburn Mill has been a significant player in the development of the diaper category locally, with a longstanding history of creating high quality, innovative, products, as well as supporting the broader manufacturing industry in Australia.
Ingleburn Mill officially opened in 1988 and began the first-ever local production of Huggies Nappies in Australia. Since then, the mill has played a vital role in establishing Huggies as the country’s leading diaper brand – catering to the changing needs of Australian families with a steady stream of groundbreaking, locally designed and manufactured product.
Notable milestones have included the introduction of Grip Tabs, Triple Leakage Protection, 3D UltraAbsorb Liner and the patented Dry Touch Layer, which is now a staple feature of the Huggies range. In addition, continued investment in new technology, such as the installation of a state-of-the-art new production line in 2013, provided the opportunity to start local production of a range of diverse nappy formats like Huggies Nappy-Pants, DryNites and Little Swimmers. This allowed flexibility to respond to the unique requirements of the ANZ market and fuel the growth of the local nappy category.
Fundamental to the mill’s continued success has been a longstanding commitment to a sustainable and safe operating philosophy. The mill continues to work towards progressive environmental targets focused on driving energy efficiency, reducing emissions and diverting waste from landfill. All accomplished whilst championing a stringent incident prevention and reporting culture, which has contributed to a consistently strong safety record at the site.
Ingleburn Mill Manager, Paul Romanski says “The Mill’s long standing reputation for innovative products, committed environmental stewardship and safety practices is a testament to the generations of dedicated employees whose hard work and expertise have made this facility the industry leader it is today.”
Looking forward, the mill will continue to be the source of new Huggies product innovation and support Kimberly-Clark’s other sectors. Just recently the mill facilitated the first ever production of the new Depend XS Super Unisex Underwear - a unique product offering developed to fulfill the unmet need for absorbent underwear for disabled children and teenagers who suffer from incontinence.