NEENAH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – It was 150 years ago when Kimberly-Clark first opened its doors in Neenah.
The year was 1872, and a new downtown Neenah operation was open for business.
“The history of Kimberly-Clark goes back to when they made cellucotton. They were making products that were used by the soldiers in the wars,” said Raegan Allen, Kimberly-Clark Research and Engineering Director.
Over the decades, the mill changed with the times and sometimes perhaps ahead of them too, employing thousands of workers and generating billions in annual sales.
“Since then, we’ve branched out and invented five of the eight categories we compete in, including things like Kleenex, and training pants and adult incontinence products. So, it’s been quite a journey,” said Russ Torres, Kimberly-Clark North America President.
Torres celebrated the company’s success Tuesday morning.
Kimberly-Clark presented the Neenah Joint School District a check for $150,000 to be used for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. The superintendent says bringing students to the mill may inspire them to pursue careers in the paper industry.
“And that’s what we really want to do. We want to nurture, not only our students to think about that, but then coming back to Neenah and helping carry on that legacy,” said Mary Pfeiffer, Neenah Joint School District Superintendent.
What will the next 150 years at Kimberly-Clark be like?
“The core values that Kimberly-Clark has — how we care for facility members, our team members and also our consumers — the opportunities are endless,” said Allen.
As part of the celebration, Neenah Mayor Jane Lang declared Saturday as “Kimberly-Clark Day” in the city.
