Up to 350 Kimberly Clark job losses confirmed as manufacturing of bathroom wipes in Flint moved to Germany

Unite has reacted with anger today at the announcement of the closure of the Kimberly Clark plant in Flint in 2025 with the loss of some 350 jobs.

Additional job losses will be seen in the supply chain.

Unite say “This will be devastating news for local people and will have social and economic consequences due to Kimberly Clark being one of the main employers in the north east Wales area and the closure of the two mills will decimate the town”

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham added:

“The closure of the two Kimberly Clark mills would be a catastrophic blow to the economy and local communities of Flint and north Wales as a whole. The company has dropped this bombshell on its workforce. Our members are devastated and the effect on the local area will be catastrophic.

“Kimberly Clark will reap millions in profit from this move and our members will struggle to now put food on the table. Unite will fight to reverse this decision and calls upon the government to intervene to try and save these vital jobs. This decision, taken so rashly, cannot be accepted.”

Unite added, “KC Flint produce bathroom tissue and baby wipes. On 22 April 2024, the UK Government communicated the outcome of their consultation on plastics. Their outcome indicated the ban of the UK sale of plastic wet wipes from Q2 2026. Unite is calling for additional time for manufacturers to produce environmentally-friendly alternatives to avoid job losses.

“KC have therefore decided that they do not see a path to produce baby wipes in Flint and therefore they are proposing to close the site in 2025 and is intending to import baby wipes from a third party supplier and undertake production at its mill in Germany. By moving their operations and closing the plant in the UK, Kimberley Clark looks set to generate millions of dollars pounds in profit.”

A Kimberly-Clark spokesperson said: “We have now concluded our consultation on the proposed closure of our manufacturing operations at Flint, North Wales. Regrettably, both plants at the site will close in 2025.

“The consultation was initiated following the government’s decision to ban all baby wipes containing plastic in the UK from mid-2026. While phasing out plastics from our baby wipes is a key part of K-C’s sustainability plans and we already sell plastic-free baby wipes in the UK, it isn’t possible to adapt our manufacturing processes in Flint in time, and it is therefore no longer viable to keep our consumer and B2B sites operational.

“Decisions that involve our employees are the hardest to make and we know this is a challenging period for our team. Supporting them through this complex situation is our top priority. We will also continue to work closely with our customers and retailers on transition plans for baby wipes and professional tissues products in the UK.

“We thank union and employee representatives for a constructive and respectful consultation process.”