Pandemic-driven demand and international supply-chain issues have escalated the production of toilet paper to an all-time high of 1.2 million rolls per day at a major regional tissue-manufacturing plant.
The mill, near Millicent in south-east South Australia, is one of the three largest suppliers of toilet paper in the country and produces about more than 400 million toilet rolls per year.
The growth in sales is mostly driven by people spending more time at home, but mill manager Adam Carpenter said a number of factors were contributing the rise in production.
"I think, with more people being at home, and some of the challenges that our competitors have had with their supply chain, there's been a general increase in demand for Australian-made products," Mr Carpenter said.
"We've been going at a [high] rate since panic buying first started in early 2020."
Prior to the pandemic the mill produced 1 million rolls per day.
Mill boosts economy
The Kimberly-Clark Australia mill near Millicent has been a major economic driver and employer in the Limestone Coast for more than six decades.
It remains one of the largest employers in the region.
Mr Carpenter said the manufacturing plant employed 400 staff, with about half of them coming from the Millicent district.
"We've been actively recruiting employees over the last couple of years and that's basically a mix of additional roles being available," he said
"So, we have people moving on and [we're] replacing those employees as well."
Mr Carpenter said multiple generations of Millicent families had worked at the mill.
"We have brothers and sisters, and fathers and daughters," he said.
Mr Carpenter said the mill, which produces Kleenex toilet paper and facial tissues, as well as Viva paper towel and a range of other products, was vital to the Millicent economy.
Mayor of Wattle Range Council Des Noll said the mill served an important role in supporting the Millicent community.
"Kimberly-Clark has had a significant impact on the local community through community sponsorships … and creating employment," Cr Noll said.
"For every one employee of Kimberly-Clark, it attracts five others in additional services outside of Kimberly-Clark, and that in itself is a big number.”
