UNITE have warned that closing the Kimberly Clark plant in Flint will have a "catastrophic" effect on the area, after it was confirmed the site will close.

In June, the Leader reported that Kimberly-Clark was consulting on plans to close its site at Aber Road in Flint.

The reason for the proposed closure of the site, which employs 220 people, is due to the UK Government's announcement on the banning of the sale of wet wipes which contain plastics.

Today (August 23) Kimberly-Clark has finished its consultation into closing two mills at Flint, confirming that it will close the branch.

Now, Unite has commented on the "devastating news" for local people, which they say will have "social and economic consequences" due to Kimberly Clark being one of the main employers in the north east Wales area.

They've also claimed that the closure of the two mills will "decimate the town". 

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "The closure of the two Kimberly Clark mills would be a catastrophic blow to the economy and local communities of Flint and north Wales as a whole.

"The company has dropped this bombshell on its workforce. Our members are devastated and the effect on the local area will be catastrophic. 

“Kimberly Clark will reap millions in profit from this move and our members will struggle to now put food on the table. 

"Unite will fight to reverse this decision and calls upon the government to intervene to try and save these vital jobs. This decision, taken so rashly, cannot be accepted.” 

Alyn and Deeside MP Mark Tami said it was an "absolute priority" to try and save jobs at the site in Flint. 

However, following the confirmation that the plant will close, the MP says he is "devastated".

Mr Tami has been speaking with affected employees, unions, Kimberly-Clark, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed, and the Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Ken Skates, for some time.

He said: “Unite have confirmed today that Kimberly-Clark has closed its consultation and is set to close the plant later this year.

“I’m devastated for the 200-plus workers and their families. There is also a knock-on effect on a hundred or so workers at other companies in the supply chain who service Kimberly-Clark, including GXO, Deeside.

“I’m continuing to work with Unite and Welsh Government to support those who are losing their jobs as much as possible. I know that the Cabinet Secretary Ken Skates’ officials have been in discussions with Kimberly-Clark and three companies who have expressed strong interest in taking over the site.

“As well as this, I know of two local firms in similar fields who are expanding their operations later this year. Officials at Unite and Welsh Government have been in talks with them and there is strong interest in taking on many of Kimberly-Clark’s highly skilled workers.

“The Welsh Government is ensuring that employees can access all relevant avenues of support available and are supported into re-employment. Any constituents affected who feel that I can help them should not hesitate to contact my office.”

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A Kimberly-Clark spokesperson said: “We have now concluded our consultation on the proposed closure of our manufacturing operations at Flint, North Wales. Regrettably, both plants at the site will close in 2025.

“The consultation was initiated following the government’s decision to ban all baby wipes containing plastic in the UK from mid-2026. While phasing out plastics from our baby wipes is a key part of K-C’s sustainability plans and we already sell plastic-free baby wipes in the UK, it isn’t possible to adapt our manufacturing processes in Flint in time, and it is therefore no longer viable to keep our consumer and B2B sites operational.

“Decisions that involve our employees are the hardest to make and we know this is a challenging period for our team. Supporting them through this complex situation is our top priority. We will also continue to work closely with our customers and retailers on transition plans for baby wipes and professional tissues products in the UK.

“We thank union and employee representatives for a constructive and respectful consultation process.”