Kimberly-Clark Plans To Launch 15 Products
Kimberly-Clark Pudumjee Ltd, the 51:49 equity joint venture between Kimberly-Clark of the US and Pudumjee Agro Industries, plans here to launch 15 new products by May end.
The category of products include hand care, tissues and dispensers. These products will be initially targeted at hotels, hospitals, airlines and offices. By December the company plans to expand sales into the retail market.
The joint venture company has invested Rs 18 crore through equity to develop its manufacturing and marketing base.
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Among the products being lauched is the Personal Seat Cover for toilet seats to avoid cross contamination.
The seat covers will be sold with dispensing machines to provide hygiene and prevent skin diseases.
The other dispenser products include the Mini-500 Soap and the C-Fold Towel,
According to a survey conducted by the company on the use of Indian toilets, it was found that the toilet seat was the most infectious portion which has the potential to spread at least 63 skin diseases.
The other tissue products being launched are: the facial tissue Kleenex, Kimsoft C-Fold hand towels and K-C Jumbo Roll, the big size bathroom tissues.
In the hand care category, the company will launch Gentle Lotion Cleanser, a 500 ml lotion in refill pouch.
Earlier, the company had launched a range of wipers to meet the needs of the pharma and automobile industries, flight kitchen and food service counters under the brand names; Scott cloth, Heavy Duty Wiper, WypAll, Medium Duty wiper, Utility Wiper and Multi purpose Paper Wiper.
As on March end 1997 (3-month period), the company recorded a turnover of Rs 1 crore through sales of wipers and diapers. The turnover is expected to jump to Rs 10 crore in fiscal 1997-98, Anand Kuchibhotla, managing director of Kimberly-Clark Pudumjee said . The Indian market for tissue products, he added, is at present dominated by the unorganised sector and the company is optimistic about gaining a substantial share of the market. However, in the diapers business, it has to compete with Procter & Gamble.