U.S.-based consumer goods giant Kimberly-Clark has announced it will resume manufacturing toilet paper in Argentina, bringing back local production of its well-known Scott line after a seven-year hiatus. The decision marks a strategic shift for the company, which focuses on personal care, household, and hygiene products.
The relaunch follows an extensive analysis of both professional clients and everyday consumers, according to Marcelo Zoppi, country manager of Kimberly-Clark Argentina.
“This relaunch comes from a deep immersion in understanding two key audiences: the professional customer, who needs efficiency, quality, and consistency in every use, and the consumer, who seeks softness, reliability, and a brand with which they already have a strong emotional connection,” Zoppi said in a post on LinkedIn.
He explained that the company studied purchasing habits, real needs, and consumer pain points before deciding to reintroduce locally produced Scott products.
A Strategic Return to Local Manufacturing
In an interview with the Argentine newspaper La Nación, Zoppi said the company identified a clear opportunity to strengthen its paper products business despite a challenging economic environment.
“We saw a clear opportunity to reinforce the paper segment in a difficult scenario but one full of latent opportunities,” he said. “That process showed us Scott needed to return made in Argentina to provide proximity, competitiveness, availability, and superior quality.”
As part of the relaunch, Kimberly-Clark is introducing new variants of Scott Cuidado Completo, with additional product expansions possible in the future.
From Closure to Comeback
Kimberly-Clark had stopped producing Scott locally in 2019 after closing its paper plant in Bernal, located in the Buenos Aires province. The facility had manufactured toilet paper, napkins, and paper towels.
Following the closure, the company began importing those products from other regional factories, primarily from Colombia.
At the time, Kimberly-Clark explained the move as part of a “global restructuring” aimed at adapting to market changes and focusing on higher value-added product categories.
Consolidation of Operations in Argentina
Even after shutting down the Bernal plant, Kimberly-Clark maintained two other facilities in the country: one in the Pilar Industrial Park dedicated mainly to feminine and adult care products, and another in San Luis focused on diaper production.
The company operated this way until last year, when it decided to centralize production in its San Luis plant. Today, that facility produces major brands such as Huggies, Kotex, and Plenitud.
To support the move, Kimberly-Clark announced an investment of more than $15 million in machinery and infrastructure, to be implemented over a 36-month period. The decision also led to the closure of the Pilar plant, which has since been converted into a distribution center.
“Kimberly-Clark Argentina is adapting to the company’s global strategy, which includes optimizing production processes,” the company said in a statement. “This decision responds to a thorough analysis aimed at strengthening our responsiveness in a constantly evolving market.”
A Major Global Expansion
The company has also been expanding globally. Late last year, Kimberly-Clark announced a landmark acquisition of Kenvue, the consumer health spin-off of Johnson & Johnson, in a deal valued at $48.7 billion.
Kenvue is the manufacturer of widely recognized brands such as Neutrogena, Listerine, and SiempreLibre.
With the acquisition, Kimberly-Clark created one of the world’s largest consumer goods groups focused on hygiene and personal care. The combined company now holds 10 brands generating more than $1 billion in annual revenue each, strengthening its position in the global market.
The return of Scott’s local production in Argentina signals a renewed commitment to the country and reflects Kimberly-Clark’s broader strategy of balancing global scale with regional manufacturing capabilities.