Kimberly-Clark’s Millicent Mill workers star in Kleenex advertising campaign

The Millicent Mill became a national treasure in 2020 amid a pandemic-fuelled toilet paper shortage – now the toilet paper factory workers are on their way to stardom.

The Millicent Mill has been supplying Australia’s toilet paper for decades but in 2020 it became a national treasure.

They were the frontline workers keeping essentials on supermarket shelves as Covid-19 pandemic-fuelled panic buying had shoppers in fisticuffs.

Millicent Mill workers Rhiannon Mathers, Daniel Jazepczyk, Ted Peacock and Alicia Frankenburg. Pictures: Kimberly-Clark

Now, the Kimberly-Clark factory employees are being celebrated in a new Kleenex advertising campaign designed to show the care and passion that goes into these every day products.

Meet the South Aussies making your toilet paper.

TED PEACOCK

Thirty-seven years ago, a good mate told Ted Peacock put his name down for a job at Kimberly-Clark.

Now, the warehouse manager watches over his flock like a bunch of newborns.

“I started on the sorting line, which back then had no automation,” Mr Peacock said.

“We manually boxed up the tissues and toilet paper in cartons.

“Over the years, I moved through several roles, and now I spend most of my time in the hard roll warehouse where I keep track of inventory, quality and ensure we meet supply and demand to produce the products.”

For Mr Peacock there was only one word to describe 2020 – busy.

“It was great when more people started to realise that Kleenex was locally made and manufactured in South Australia,” he said.

RHIANNON MATHERS

The technician of tissues, Rhiannon Mathers ensures every button, dial and machine runs like clockwork.

It was a graduate engineering role that led the Melburnian to Millicent, rising the ranks to process improvement engineer in three years.

“The best part of the job is being part of the community and contributing something that is important, by providing Australians with essential products that we produce locally here in South Australia,” she said.

But Ms Mathers never expected the whirlwind the pandemic presented.

“Friends who were doctors were reaching out and saying that we (Kimberly-Clark) were actually just as important in this pandemic as them,” she said.

ALICIA FRANKENBURG

Growing up watching her dad Shane head off to work at the Millicent Mill, Alicia Frankenburg and always understood the important role it played.

Now, she is forklift operator with ballerina-like grace.

“I started at the Mill during 2020 so I came in at a really interesting time,” Ms Frankenburg said.

“I realised people outside of the Mill community were not aware that we already operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and during the pandemic this became known and appreciated.

“I also feel proud and grateful to work here at the same workplace as my dad who has worked at Kimberly-Clark for such a long time.”

DANIEL JAZEPCZYK

At 18 Daniel Jazepczyk was unskilled and looking for a secure job.

Twenty-five years on the tissue technician watches over pulp like a chef does a souffle.

“I started work on the production lines, packaging Kleenex,” Mr Jazepczyk said.

“Over my time I have become skilled across many assets and spent the last 14 years working on the Kleenex tissue machine – the most technical part of tissue-making process.

And that job security he was looking for as a teenager really paid dividends last year.

The ads are now airing on catch up television including 7plus, 10play and 9NOW, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.