Hogla-Kimberly (now Kimberly-Clark Israel): founded 1963. JV with Kimberly-Clark since 1996. Lilly, Kleenex, Depend brands. Regional diaper manufacturing hub exporting to 22 countries.
Kimberly-Clark's Israeli Joint Venture and the Paper Products in Every Israeli Bathroom
Hogla-Kimberly (חוגלה-קימברלי), now operating as Kimberly-Clark Israel, is the joint venture that put global paper-products brands into Israeli homes — and gave Kimberly-Clark its foothold in the Middle East. Founded as Hogla Ltd. in 1963 as a subsidiary of American Israeli Paper Mills (AIPM) / Hadera Paper (ניירות חדרה), the company became Hogla-Kimberly in 1996 when Kimberly-Clark Corporation invested $49.9 million for a 49.9% stake. By 2000, Kimberly-Clark increased to a controlling 50.1%.
The company is headquartered in Tzrifin (צריפין), in central Israel. It manufactures and markets toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, facial tissues, diapers, feminine hygiene products, adult incontinence products, and cleaning accessories under brands including Lilly (לילי), Kleenex, Molett, Nikol, Depend, Shikma (שקמה), and Shmurat Teva (שמורת טבע).
From Hadera Paper to Kimberly-Clark
The story starts with Hadera Paper — one of Israel's oldest industrial companies, founded in the early days of the state. Hogla was established in 1963 as Hadera Paper's consumer-products subsidiary, focused on manufacturing disposable paper goods for the Israeli market.
In 1996, Kimberly-Clark — the Dallas-based global paper-products giant behind Kleenex, Huggies, Kotex, and Depend — saw Hogla as its entry point into the Middle East. The $49.9 million investment created the Hogla-Kimberly joint venture. Kimberly-Clark brought global brand names, premium products, and absorbency technology. Hogla brought an established Israeli sales and distribution network and market leadership.
In 2000, Kimberly-Clark invested an additional $5 million to take its stake to 50.1% — gaining control. The remaining 49.9% stayed with Hadera Paper.
Regional Manufacturing Hub
In 1999, Hogla-Kimberly acquired the Turkish diaper company Ovisan. Today, Kimberly-Clark Turkey is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Israeli company — manufacturing Kimberly-Clark diapers for export to 22 countries across Europe and the Middle East. This makes the Israeli-Turkish operation a regional manufacturing center for Kimberly-Clark's diaper products.
Market Position
Hogla-Kimberly (now Kimberly-Clark Israel) competes directly with Sano in paper products (Sano's Sno brand) and in cleaning accessories. The company also faces competition from private-label products at major supermarket chains like Shufersal and Rami Levy.
The company's brands consistently rank among the top in Israeli consumer surveys for quality and reliability. In addition to the consumer market, Kimberly-Clark Israel supplies paper products and hygiene devices to the institutional market — paper towels, toilet paper, and napkins for offices, hospitals, and commercial facilities.
Key Facts
Founded: 1963 (as Hogla Ltd.) · JV with Kimberly-Clark: 1996
Current name: Kimberly-Clark Israel (קימברלי-קלרק ישראל)
Headquarters: Tzrifin (צריפין), Israel
Ownership: 50.1% Kimberly-Clark Corporation · 49.9% Hadera Paper
Brands: Lilly (לילי) · Kleenex · Molett · Nikol · Depend · Shikma (שקמה) · Shmurat Teva (שמורת טבע)
Products: Toilet paper · paper towels · napkins · tissues · diapers · feminine hygiene · adult incontinence · cleaning accessories
Regional hub: Kimberly-Clark Turkey (wholly owned subsidiary) — diaper exports to 22 countries