Worker Occupied Kimberly-Clark Factory Produces 2 Million Sanitary Pads
Venezuela’s newly nationalized Kimberly-Clark factory has produced 2,068,800 sanitary towels in the first month since reopening following a worker takeover in July.
Caracas, August 10, 2016 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuela’s newly nationalized Kimberly-Clark factory has produced 2,068,800 sanitary towels in the first month since reopening following a worker takeover in July.
Last month, the Texas-based consumer products giant shut down its operations in the country without warning, firing nearly 1000 workers.
In response, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro approved a workers’ request to occupy the plant, pledging USD $22 million to restart production.
Now known as Industry Gran Cacique Maracay, the state enterprise has four new production lines with 180 spools for the manufacture of toilet paper.
When operating at full capacity, the plant can reportedly meet 20 percent of national demand for diapers, sanitary pads, toilet paper, and other scarce personal care products.
All products of the company will be turned over to the government’s new Sovereign Supply Mission in order to be distributed to communities via the Local Production and Distribution Committees (CLAPs).
According to Aragua Governor Tarek El Aissaimi, the Venezuelan government’s adult education services are already up and running in the factory.
“In these 30 days, we have done health workshops and reopened the cafeteria service, we have also opened the classroom for Mission Ribas, Mission Ribas Productive, and Mission Sucre,” he announced during an inspection of the plant.
The governor added that Industry Gran Cacique would receive four buses from the state transportation network for the commute of workers to and from work.