A South Australian manufacturing worker has marked 50 years of service at Kimberly-Clark’s Millicent IFP Mill, with the company recognising the long career of local employee Malcolm, who began as an apprentice fitter and turner in 1976.
Kimberly-Clark said Malcolm joined the Millicent manufacturing site at the age of 17 and has spent five decades working across maintenance roles, including nearly 30 years as a shift fitter supporting multiple tissue machines.
“I really like it here. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have stuck around for 50 years,” Malcolm said in a statement released by Kimberly-Clark.
According to the company, Malcolm started his career when the site operated under the name APCEL, an SA-based group owned by Australian Paper Manufacturers and Cellulose, and has witnessed significant changes in manufacturing processes and logistics at the mill.
“Nearly everything here came after I did,” he said, pointing to the shift from rail-based deliveries and handmade parts to modern truck logistics and digital systems.
Kimberly-Clark said Malcolm attributes his long tenure to curiosity and pride in his work, describing the importance of treating the workplace as if it were his own. “After you’ve been here as long as I have, people look to you like you’re a part-owner. Always act like you own it,” he said.
The company noted Malcolm has also spent three decades on the site’s safety committee and remains passionate about equipment reliability and continuous improvement. “If you’d fixed a piece of equipment, you don’t want to hear anything bad come out of that. You want to hear that it lasted years,” he said.
Kimberly-Clark said leaders from its Family Care & Professional division, including ANZ Managing Director David Tyack, will visit the Millicent manufacturing site this month to recognise the milestone.
Reflecting on his career, Malcolm said adaptability has been key. “You’ve got to have an interest in your work. If you’re curious, you’ll get into it. And once you’re here, stick with it. See something through,” he said.
Kimberly-Clark said Malcolm’s 50-year contribution reflects both the evolution of manufacturing at the Millicent mill and the role of long-term employees in supporting operations that produce consumer products used across Australia.
