Jobs are at risk at the Brighton offices of Kimberly-Clark, the American company that makes Andrex toilet paper, Huggies nappies and Kleenex paper hankies.
The threat to jobs emerged as the company announced its financial results and the first details of a huge cost-saving programme yesterday (Tuesday 23 January).
Even though Kimberly-Clark made a profit of more than $600 million (more than £400 million), about one in eight jobs across the entire workforce are now believed to be at risk.
The Brighton offices, in Trafalgar Place, by Brighton Station, hosts among others members of the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) team.
According to the K-C website: “Brighton is the home of many of Kimberly-Clark’s European functions.
“This includes EMEA functions such as the Shared Service Centre, Supply Chain Services and Procurement.
“K-C Professional, HR and Facilities are also based in Brighton.”
Kimberly-Clark is expected to make up to 13 per cent or 5,500 people redundant from its staff headcount of about 43,000 worldwide.
The threatened job cuts are believed to affect about 1,600 staff across Britain.
The company, which has its headquarters in Texas, also has British offices in Brighton, Reigate, in Surrey, and West Malling, in Kent.
And it has factories in Northfleet, in Kent, Barrow, in Cumbria and Flint, in North Wales.
Kimberly-Clark said: “The company expects the programme will generate annual pre-tax cost savings of $500 million to $550 million by the end of 2021.
“Savings will be driven by workforce reductions, which are anticipated to be in a range of 5,000 to 5,500 (12 to 13 percent of current headcount), along with manufacturing supply chain efficiencies.
“The programme is expected to broadly impact all of the company’s business segments and organisations in each major geography.
“The company expects to close or sell approximately 10 manufacturing facilities and expand production capacity at several others to improve overall scale and cost.
“As part of the programme, Kimberly-Clark expects to exit or divest some low-margin businesses that generate approximately 1 per cent of company net sales.
“The sales are concentrated in the consumer tissue business segment.”
