Kimberly-Clark’s new facility in Trumbull County approved to create 490 jobs
.jpg "The Ohio Tax Credit Authority approved a 1.83% tax credit for a Kimberly Clark production plant along Pine Avenue Southeast in Howland Township, which would make Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Kotex and Cottonelle products.")
Ohio approved a 10-year tax credit for KimberlyClark USA as the personal care product company commits to building an $800 million advanced manufacturing facility in Trumbull County.
On May 1, Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel announced the new facility will bring an anticipated 491 new high-quality jobs to the area.
“We welcome Kimberly-Clark’s first investment in Ohio,” Gov. DeWine said. “Kimberly-Clark has advanced-production facilities all over the world, and the fact that they are now coming to Trumbull County says a great deal about the area’s workforce and Ohio’s leadership in rebuilding the domestic manufacturing supply.”
The Ohio Tax Credit Authority also approved a 1.83% tax credit for a Kimberly Clark production plant in Howland Township, which makes Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Kotex and Cottonelle products.
The facility for Kimberly-Clark will be at the former Republic Steel site on Pine Avenue Southeast in Howland Township.
“Ohio’s deep commitment to workforce development further reinforced Kimberly-Clark’s decision to choose Trumbull County for its newest investment,” Lt. Gov. Tressel said. “We look forward to partnering with Kimberly-Clark as it constructs a cutting-edge facility and scales its production with skilled talent from the Mahoning Valley.”
As part of the tax credit agreement, the state agency requires the company to maintain operations at the location for at least 13 years.
Construction is set to begin this year and is expected to be completed within two to three years.
After the tax credit was announced, the board for Kimberly-Clark met and approved plans to build their first Ohio plant in Trumbull County.
Guy Coviello, president and CEO of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, said the project “has the potential to revitalize the site while creating hundreds of jobs and encouraging future development there in the meantime.”
“The public and private partners that worked together to secure this transformational opportunity shows just how far the Valley has progressed away from its rigid, parochial mindset toward regional collaboration,” Coviello said. “We especially thank Sarah Boyarko, vice president of economic development for Lake to River Economic Development, for introducing this site to Kimberly-Clark, and for her perseverance to see the project across the finish line.”
Tamera Fenske is the chief supply chain officer for Kimberly-Clark.
“Our investment in Warren is a pivotal step forward in our North America business and strategy,” Fenske said. “By establishing a new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Ohio, we’re enhancing our ability to serve millions of consumers across the Midwest and Northeast with greater speed, agility, and resilience.”
State support helped push the project forward, including the state leaders and the Ohio Department of Development.
“It’s a once-in-a-career opportunity to build a facility from the ground up that reflects the future of manufacturing, and with the support of local partners like JobsOhio, the Department of Development, Lake to River, Western Reserve Port Authority and local governments, we have the unique opportunity to create high-quality jobs and long-term economic impact in the region,” Fenske said.
The six projects approved for tax credits by the Ohio Tax Credit Authority will create 699 new jobs and retain nearly 300 jobs statewide. The projects are expected to result in more than $62 million in new payroll and spur more than $835 million in investments across Ohio.
