A Fortune Global 500 company, Kimberly-Clark has operated in Nanjing’s Jiangning Development Zone for 29 years and continues to expand its investment in the city. The Phase III expansion project at its Nanjing plant officially went into operation in June 2026. The project includes a new production building of about 31,000 square metres and six high-speed, fully automated production lines. It raises the plant’s annual diaper production capacity to approximately 5.5 billion diapers. Its products are exported to Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and Latin America.
Founded in the United States in 1872, Kimberly-Clark is a global leader in personal care and hygiene products. Established in 1997, Kimberly-Clark (Nanjing) Personal Hygiene Products Co., Ltd. was one of the first major foreign-invested projects in the Jiangning Development Zone. Its first plant was completed in 2004, followed by a second facility in 2013. The Jiangning site has gradually evolved from a standalone manufacturing facility into a key hub linking its China operations with global markets. The company cited Nanjing’s long-term growth prospects, strong industrial base, complete and mature industrial and supply chains, and efficient, pragmatic government services.
The Phase III project is a key part of Kimberly-Clark’s Huggies “Transparent Factory” initiative. It features more than 10,000 square metres of solar panels, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by about 1,400 tonnes per year. The company opens its full manufacturing process to the public—from raw materials to finished product delivery. This open, transparent approach helps strengthen consumer confidence in the safety and quality of its baby care products.
Inside the factory, every diaper undergoes 242 process and quality-control steps. The production lines are fully automated, with 12 AI-powered vision inspection systems deployed along each 100-metre production line. Even defects as small as 0.5 square millimetres can be detected and automatically rejected. Once Phase III reaches full capacity, the plant will serve approximately 3.01 million children annually and contribute about RMB 2 billion (approx. US$280 million) in additional annual output value.
Over the past 29 years, Kimberly-Clark has continued to expand its investment and production footprint. Looking ahead, Kimberly-Clark will continue to invest in smart manufacturing, sustainable production and supply chain development, with the goal of building its Nanjing site into a core strategic hub in its global manufacturing network.
