Kimberly-Clark Corporation
Company History
Kimberly-Clark History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 1872 in Wisconsin, United States
When was Kimberly-Clark founded?
Kimberly-Clark was founded in 1872 in Wisconsin, United States by John A. Kimberly, Frank C. Shattuck, Havilah Babcock and Charles B. Clark, making it 154 years old.
- Founded
- 1872
- Founding place
- Wisconsin, United States
- Founders
- John A. Kimberly, Frank C. Shattuck, Havilah Babcock and Charles B. Clark
- Headquarters today
- Dallas, Texas
- Milestones documented
- 11 (1872–2025)
- Current CEO
- Mike Hsu
- Acquisitions
- 4
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1872 | Founding of Kimberly-Clark |
| 1914 | Invention of Cellucotton |
| 1920 | Launch of Kotex Sanitary Napkins |
| 1924 | Launch of Kleenex Facial Tissues |
| 1985 | Relocation of Headquarters to Irving, Texas |
| 1995 | Acquisition of Scott Paper |
| 1999 | Acquired Ballard Medical Products |
| 2014 | Halyard Health Spin-Off |
| 2019 | Mike Hsu becomes CEO |
| 2024 | FY2024 Net Sales Reach $19.5 Billion |
| 2025 | FY2025 Net Sales Reach $16.447 Billion |
- Where was Kimberly-Clark founded?
- Kimberly-Clark was founded in Wisconsin, United States in 1872. wikidata.org
- Who founded Kimberly-Clark?
- Kimberly-Clark was founded by John A. Kimberly, Frank C. Shattuck, Havilah Babcock and Charles B. Clark.
- When did Kimberly-Clark start?
- Kimberly-Clark was founded in 1872.
- How old is Kimberly-Clark?
- Kimberly-Clark is 154 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
Kimberly-Clark was founded in 1872 in Neenah, Wisconsin, when John A. Kimberly, Havilah Babcock, Charles B. Clark and Frank C. Shattuck started a paper mill. During World War I it developed Cellucotton, a wood-pulp wadding used in surgical dressings. Army nurses used it for menstrual pads, which led the company to launch Kotex in 1920. Kleenex followed in 1924, first marketed as a cold cream remover before becoming the disposable handkerchief.
Founders
John A. Kimberly
John A. Kimberly (1838-1928) co-founded Kimberly, Clark and Co. in 1872. Recognizing the massive timber resources of the Fox River Valley, he provided the initial $30,000 in capital alongside three partners to build a paper mill. As the company's first President, he drove the massive expansion into newsprint and eventually sanitary paper products. Education: Lawrence University. John Alfred Kimberly was born on July 18, 1838 and died on January 21, 1928. John A. Kimberly was born in 1838.
Frank C. Shattuck
Frank C. Shattuck (1839-1901) was one of the four original founders of Kimberly-Clark. Using the massive profits from his earlier mercantile businesses, he provided critical early capital and served as a stabilizing financial partner as the company aggressively acquired rival paper mills across Wisconsin. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
Havilah Babcock
Havilah Babcock (1837-1905) co-founded Kimberly-Clark in 1872. He oversaw the incredibly complex physical construction of the massive paper mills that allowed the company to dominate the Midwest newsprint market in the late 19th century. Babcock was born on September 8, 1837 and died on April 21, 1905. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
Charles B. Clark
Charles B. Clark (1844-1891) was the aggressive visionary behind the founding of Kimberly-Clark. Having worked his way up from a hardware clerk, he convinced the other three founders to pool their money and build the massive Globe Mill, which revolutionized paper production efficiency in Wisconsin. Charles Benjamin Clark was born on August 24, 1844 and died on September 10, 1891. He also served as a US representative from Wisconsin. His co-founders were John A. Kimberly, Franklyn C. Shattuck and Havilah Babcock. Charles B. Clark was born in 1844.
Key Milestones
Founding of Kimberly-Clark
John A. Kimberly, Havilah Babcock, Charles B. Clark, and Frank A. Shattuck found the company in Neenah, Wisconsin, establishing the foundation for the paper manufacturing operation that would eventually become a global leader in disposable hygiene products.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgInvention of Cellucotton
A team of company researchers, including Frank A. Shattuck, invents Cellucotton, an absorbent wood pulp fiber that was five times more absorbent than traditional surgical cotton, transforming the hygiene industry.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgLaunch of Kotex Sanitary Napkins
Kimberly-Clark adapts Cellucotton to create Kotex sanitary napkins, creating an entirely new product category that generated billions in lifetime revenue and established the company as a pioneer in disposable feminine care.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgLaunch of Kleenex Facial Tissues
Kimberly-Clark introduces Kleenex facial tissues, initially marketed as a cold cream remover, which subsequently evolved into the dominant facial tissue brand globally, achieving genericized trademark status in many regions.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgRelocation of Headquarters to Irving, Texas
Kimberly-Clark moves its global headquarters from Neenah, Wisconsin, to Irving, Texas, a strategic move designed to optimize its global supply chain, access a broader talent pool, and reduce operational costs.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAcquisition of Scott Paper
Under the leadership of then-CEO Darwin Smith, Kimberly-Clark acquires the Scott Paper company in a $9.4 billion transaction, instantly doubling its tissue capacity and adding well-known brands like Scott and Cottonelle to its portfolio.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAcquired Ballard Medical Products
Kimberly-Clark acquired Ballard Medical Products.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgHalyard Health Spin-Off
Kimberly-Clark spun off its healthcare business as Halyard Health in October 2014.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgMike Hsu becomes CEO
Mike Hsu became CEO of Kimberly-Clark in 2019. Shifted Kimberly-Clark toward premium innovation and productivity savings and is repositioning it as a broader health and wellness company.
Source: prnewswire.comFY2024 Net Sales Reach $19.5 Billion
Kimberly-Clark generates $19.5 billion in net sales for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, reflecting a strong stabilization of revenue following the post-pandemic normalization of consumer purchasing patterns and the successful implementation of aggressive pricing actions.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgFY2025 Net Sales Reach $16.447 Billion
Kimberly-Clark reported $16.447 billion in FY2025 net sales from continuing operations, $2.351 billion in operating profit, $2.021 billion in net income attributable to the company, and about 36,000 employees while reshaping the portfolio through the IFP transaction and pending Kenvue acquisition.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgMajor Acquisitions
Scott Paper Company
1995Added Scott and Cottonelle and greatly expanded Kimberly-Clark's global tissue business.
Ballard Medical Products
1999Expanded the health care business with medical devices.
Softex Indonesia
2020Added a leading Indonesian diaper and feminine care business to International Personal Care.
Kenvue (pending)
2026Cash-and-stock deal announced November 2025 to add Tylenol, Band-Aid, Listerine, Neutrogena and Aveeno.
Keep researching Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark Company History FAQ
When and where was Kimberly-Clark founded?
Kimberly-Clark was founded on March 26, 1872, in Neenah, Wisconsin, by John A. Kimberly, Havilah Babcock, Charles B. Clark, and Frank C. Shattuck, starting as a local newsprint manufacturer along the Fox River.
How did Kimberly-Clark invent Kotex feminine pads in 1920?
After developing 'Cellucotton' absorbent wadding as surgical dressings in World War I, Kimberly-Clark commercialized the technology in 1920 to create Kotex, the world's first mass-market disposable sanitary napkin, transforming women's health.
When did Kimberly-Clark invent Kleenex facial tissues?
In 1924, Kimberly-Clark introduced Kleenex, initially marketed as a cold cream and makeup remover. In 1930, after discovering consumers primarily used it as a disposable handkerchief for colds and allergies, the company repositioned Kleenex, creating a global household staple.
When did Kimberly-Clark launch Huggies diapers to challenge Procter & Gamble?
Kimberly-Clark introduced Huggies diapers nationally in 1978 under then-CEO Darwin Smith. With an anatomically contoured hourglass shape and elastic leg gathers that prevented leaks, Huggies rapidly eclipsed P&G's Pampers to become the #1 diaper brand in North America.
When did Kimberly-Clark introduce Pull-Ups training pants and Depend adult care?
Kimberly-Clark created entirely new personal care categories by launching Depend adult incontinence products in 1984 and Pull-Ups disposable training pants in 1989, expanding consumer hygiene solutions across all human life stages.
How did the 1995 acquisition of Scott Paper Company reshape the corporation?
The landmark $9.4 billion merger with Scott Paper Company in 1995 integrated the Scott and Cottonelle tissue brands, making Kimberly-Clark the global leader in tissue, towel, and personal hygiene manufacturing.
How did Kimberly-Clark celebrate its 150th corporate anniversary in 2022?
In 2022, Kimberly-Clark celebrated 150 years of continuous operation, marking a century and a half of consumer health innovation, ongoing Dividend King status, and products serving 1.3 billion people across 175 countries daily.
What is Kimberly-Clark's corporate strategy and market standing today?
Today, Kimberly-Clark reported $16.4 billion in FY2025 net sales from continuing operations, with brands like Huggies, Kleenex, Kotex, and Cottonelle sold in about 175 countries.
How did Kimberly-Clark start?
Kimberly-Clark was founded in 1872 in Neenah, Wisconsin, by John A. Kimberly, Havilah Babcock, Charles B. Clark, and Franklyn C. Shattuck as a simple paper mill. Their massive breakthrough came during WWI, when they invented "Cellucotton" (a wood pulp substitute for surgical cotton). After the war, they had massive surpluses, so they brilliantly repurposed the material to invent Kotex (feminine care) in 1920 and Kleenex (facial tissue) in 1924.
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