Hygiene is a key ingredient for a better life

Kimberly-Clark Professional

dispenser systems which make all the difference, hygiene-wise

Kimberly Clark is a world player in the field of hygiene. About 1 in 4 world citizens is in touch with the company’s products every day, quite literally. Kimberly Clark’s soap and tissue dispensers can be found in many bathrooms. They are often encountered in hospitals, airports, offices and restaurants.

“Preferred” partner

It all started over 20 years ago, when npk design was awarded a global tender put out by Kimberly Clark. This resulted in the Aqua and Ripple series of towel and soap dispensers.

History repeated itself with its successor, the AQUARIUS* dispenser system. The initial request for a tender was put out to three world-renowned companies, one of which was us. In a brief period of time we carried out a trend study and a few materials studies, after which we provided the client with 10 conceptual designs, which were then tested by consumer panels all over the world. Two of the conceptual designs were selected, then produced as a line of products. When the final tender for AQUARIUS* was awarded, it turned out that we were once again Kimberly Clark’s “preferred partner”.

AQUARIUS* line of dispensers

A recognisable design with specific characteristics such as rounded corners and a high-gloss finish strengthens Kimberly Clark’s branding. AQUARIUS* offers all these things. The attractive exterior is just one aspect of the design. The design also satisfies hygiene, functionality and reliability requirements. Thanks to the sleek design, which comes without any edges which might trap dirt and dust, the dispensers can be cleaned quickly and easily, which saves time (One-Wipe-Clean principle).

A window allows one to gauge refill needs. The rings in the refill windows can be removed from the dispensers and are available in four colours, allowing clients to customise their dispensers to ensure that their style and look suits their particular toilet environment. The entire line of products comprises 21 different types of dispensers. There is a style of AQUARIUS* to suit every toilet environment!

“Together, we have designed and developed innovative, sustainable solutions which create added value and are designed to make people’s daily routines as comfortable and hygienic as possible for over twenty years now. These solutions help improve the quality of people’s lives.”

Jonathan Green
Development Manager at Kimberly Clark

Optimal manufacturing process

When it comes to the way in which plastic has been used, these products are a tour de force. The engineers and designers designed the products in such a way that they only have a very small number of components, meaning less plastic is required to produce the designs and valuable natural resources are conserved. Considering that millions of items will be produced each year, this means a considerable savings on base costs. However, to us, there is more to sustainability than just user aspects. To us, sustainability also means green manufacturing and supply chain processes.

In short, npk design assumes responsibility for the entire development process, from design strategy and branding to supply management. This is what makes us interesting to major world players like Kimberly Clark, who like collaborating with us because we arrange everything for them. We not only have good ideas, but we know how to realise these ideas, as well.