DALLAS, April 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- At Kimberly-Clark's (NYSE:
KMB) annual meeting today, Chairman and CEO Thomas J. Falk described how
the company is further improving three capabilities -- innovation,
marketing and customer development -- that are critical to its growth
plans.
In voting matters at the meeting, K-C stockholders re-elected three
directors to three-year terms expiring in 2010. Directors who were
re-elected are James M. Jenness, Chairman of the Board, Kellogg Company;
Linda Johnson Rice, President and Chief Executive Officer, Johnson
Publishing Company, Inc.; and Marc J. Shapiro, retired Vice Chairman, J.P.
Morgan Chase & Co.
Two directors had previously announced their intention not to stand for
re-election when their current terms expired. Pastora San Juan Cafferty,
Professor Emerita, University of Chicago, and Claudio X. Gonzalez, Chairman
of the Board, Kimberly-Clark de Mexico, S.A.B. de C.V., completed their
service as directors effective with today's annual meeting. Each served as
a Kimberly-Clark director for more than 30 years.
Shareholders approved management proposals to select Deloitte & Touche
LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm for Kimberly-Clark
and to amend the company's Certificate of Incorporation to elect each
director annually as the current director's term expires. Last September,
Kimberly- Clark's board voted to recommend that shareholders approve
amendments that would eliminate the company's classified board structure.
Shareholders also approved a shareholder proposal regarding
supermajority voting. They defeated other shareholder proposals calling for
adoption of global human rights standards based on International Labor
Conventions and requesting K-C to prepare a report assessing the
feasibility of phasing out the use of non-FSC certified fiber within 10
years. K-C, in fact, commissioned an FSC feasibility study late last year.
The report concluded that it should be possible for the company to increase
its use of FSC- certified fiber during the next 10 years, but not to rely
exclusively on it.
Good Progress with Innovation
Falk told shareholders today that insights into the wants and needs of
customers, shoppers and users continue to drive everything the company
does. He cited the launch of two new products, Huggies Supreme Gentle Care
and Huggies Supreme Natural Fit diapers, which address the No. 1 priority
of many moms -- their baby's comfort. These innovative products, launched
simultaneously in North America and Europe in the third quarter last year,
increased volume and market share for K-C's diaper business in both
geographies.
Enhancing Marketing Capabilities
In the marketing arena, K-C is focused on taking performance to the
next level, capitalizing on the strong emotional connections between the
company's powerful brands and consumers. Falk said that, under K-C's new
marketing organization, the company expects to maximize its global and
enterprise-wide opportunities, capture and leverage insights that drive
growth, identify and adopt best practices, and continue to develop great
talent.
Connecting With Customers
Kimberly-Clark has implemented a series of initiatives to further
strengthen its relationships with customers and better position K-C as
their "indispensable partner," Falk noted. The company, for example, is
hosting innovation summits with leading U.S. and European retailers to gain
early support for new products and create mutually beneficial business
plans. Other initiatives include collaborating with customers to take costs
out of the supply chain and to use such proprietary technology as K-C's
virtual store tool to explore new store concepts, shelf sets and fixture
designs.
"Since we introduced our Global Business Plan in mid-2003, we have been
putting the right pieces in place to generate sustainable top- and
bottom-line growth," Falk said. "An important part of that plan is to build
on the company's strong heritage in innovation, marketing and customer
development, and we are making excellent progress."
About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark and its well-known global brands are an indispensable
part of life for people in more than 150 countries. Everyday, 1.3 billion
people -- nearly a quarter of the world's population -- trust K-C brands
and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and
well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex
and Depend, Kimberly- Clark holds No. 1 or No. 2 share positions in more
than 80 countries. To keep up with the latest K-C news and to learn more
about the company's 135-year history of innovation, visit
http://www.kimberly-clark.com .
Certain matters contained in this news release concerning the business
outlook, including new product introductions, cost savings and
acquisitions, anticipated costs and benefits related to the competitive
improvement initiatives, anticipated financial and operating results,
strategies, contingencies and anticipated transactions of the company
constitute forward- looking statements and are based upon management's
expectations and beliefs concerning future events impacting the company.
There can be no assurance that these future events will occur as
anticipated or that the company's results will be as estimated. For a
description of certain factors that could cause the company's future
results to differ materially from those expressed in any such
forward-looking statements, see Part I, Item 1A of the company's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 entitled "Risk
Factors."
SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Corporation
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Related links:
http://www.kimberly-clark.com
Photo Notes:
NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19991117/KMBLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
CONTACT:
media, Dave Dickson, +1-972-281-1481, or
ddickson@kcc.com , or investors, Mike Masseth, +1-972-281-1478,
or mmasseth@kcc.com , both of Kimberly-Clark Corporation
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