Huggies diaper maker Kimberly-Clark opens global digital tech centre in Bengaluru

Kimberly-Clark Corp., the maker of global personal care brands such as Huggies diapers, Kotex sanitary napkins and Kleenex tissues, has said that it has opened a new global digital technology centre in Bengaluru.

According to a company statement, the centre represents a key investment in the company’s efforts to digitise its global supply chain, create artificial intelligence (AI)-equipped sales tools, and leverage Robotic Process Automation (RPA) for its customer service operations.

The centre will house up to 200 experts in AI technology, automation, data management, and user experience design. Key global executives will be housed here, such as the heads of enterprise architecture, supply chain, marketing and data. Also, several key regional technology leaders for the Asia-Pacific region will operate from the centre, the statement said.

“As new technologies shape consumer experiences of the future and enable next-generation product innovations, we are looking to accelerate our digital transformation by building a global centre of digital excellence. Our Bengaluru centre, which is one of the two, globally, is a key investment in this capability. We are excited by the pool of high-quality digital talent available in this city and look forward to tapping into that potential,” said Rich Dobbs, vice-president, global technology, Kimberly-Clark.

Kimberly-Clark Corporation, a 147-year-old multinational company, manufactures and markets personal care, consumer tissue, and professional products worldwide. Its personal care segment offers disposable diapers, training and youth pants, swimpants, baby wipes, feminine and incontinence care products, and other related products under the Huggies, Pull-Ups, Little Swimmers, GoodNites, DryNites, Kotex, U by Kotex, Intimus, Depend, Plenitud, Poise, and other brand names.

In September 2017, Kimberly-Clark had announced that it will end its joint venture with Unilever in India, Kimberly-Clark Lever Ltd. Since the demerger, Kimberly-Clark has significantly ramped up its own sales and distribution infrastructure, launched products like Huggies Luxe Air and Kotex Overnight Panties, and invested in talent development. The company’s manufacturing facility in Pune (Maharashtra) is currently being expanded to build further capacity.

Achal Agarwal, president of Kimberly-Clark Asia Pacific, said, “India is an important investment market for Kimberly-Clark and the decision to base a global centre further concentrates our energies and interests here. While the centre will serve enterprise-wide needs, we expect that the India business will benefit from the proximity and will be a test bed for many of the new capabilities we create here.”