A union has reacted with anger to the announcement that a wet wipes factory would be closed and hundreds of jobs would be lost.

Kimberly-Clark announced that its plant in Flint, North Wales, will close in 2025. Unite described this as “devastating news”.

A Kimberly-Clark spokesperson said: “We have now completed our consultations on the planned closure of our manufacturing facilities in Flint, North Wales. Unfortunately, both plants at the site will close in 2025.

“The consultation was launched following the government’s decision to ban all baby wipes containing plastic in the UK from mid-2026.

“While phasing out plastics in our baby wipes is a key part of KC’s sustainability plans and we already sell plastic-free baby wipes in the UK, we are unable to adapt our manufacturing processes in Flint in time and therefore it is no longer viable to keep our consumer and B2B sites operational.

“Decisions that affect our employees are the hardest to make and we know this is a challenging time for our team. Our top priority is to support them through this complex situation.

“We will also continue to work closely with our customers and retailers on transition plans for baby wipes and professional tissue products in the UK.

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

‘Catastrophic’

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The closure of Kimberly-Clark’s two factories would be a catastrophic blow to the economy and communities of Flint and North Wales as a whole.”

“The company has dropped this bombshell on its workforce. Our employees are devastated and the impact on the region will be catastrophic.”

“Unite will fight to reverse this decision and calls on the Government to intervene to try to save these vital jobs. This hasty decision cannot be accepted.”