
Kimberly-Clark, a global leader in essential personal and family care products, continues to increase its commitment to India with its Global Digital Technology Center (GDTC) in Bengaluru.
Established in 2018 with an initial investment of $2.5 million, the Bengaluru GDTC has witnessed significant growth, expanding its size eight times in just five years. The center focuses on key areas and digital capabilities such as data and analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) including generative AI, machine learning (ML), cloud transformation, global digital operations and automation, digital sales and marketing, and digital supply chain – all of which help drive Efficiencies and improved customer experiences. Over the next three years, GDTC plans to continue its expansion, focusing on advancing AI/ML capabilities and developing innovative digital solutions to enhance operational efficiency and customer engagement. These capabilities enhance Kimberly-Clark’s ability to execute on its global Powering Care strategy – shared earlier this year – thereby strengthening its long-term commitment to consumer focus.
While Bengaluru GDTC drives Kimberly-Clark’s technological advancement, it also contributes to India’s broader technology and innovation ecosystem. By collaborating with local startups, academic institutions and industry partners, the center aims to foster cutting-edge solutions.
“Our GDTC in Bengaluru is a testament to Kimberly-Clark’s unwavering commitment to innovation and the sheer scale of Indian talent. He said Zach Hicks, Chief Digital and Technology Officer, Kimberly-Clark. “In just five years, the center has evolved into a major growth driver for our digital strategies, delivering AI-powered business and supply chain solutions, and pioneering advances in modern manufacturing. Looking to the future, we remain focused on continuing to invest in India, leveraging the country’s outstanding talent and technology expertise to shape Kimberly-Clark’s future and industry-leading innovation in our core categories.
Data integration and advanced analytics are at the core of Bengaluru GDTC’s success. By leveraging AI/ML algorithms built on their enterprise data lake, the team also works to improve sales forecasts, optimize e-commerce pricing strategies, and automate routine tasks like order entry and invoice processing. In 2024, efforts in Gen AI platforms emerging from GDTC improved employee productivity by up to 25%, and the development of AI-powered sales and revenue analytics improved sales execution by 10% across regions such as EMEA. And Africa. These innovations not only streamline operations and reduce costs, but also enhance accuracy and efficiency.
One of the center’s major achievements is the development of… Maestroan AI-powered supply chain orchestration platform that has delivered more than $20 million in global savings for Kimberly-Clark. Another transformative innovation is Warehouse automation platformwhich seamlessly integrates warehouse robots with supply chain systems, reducing deployment timelines for new solutions from 18 months to 4 months, achieving savings exceeding $50 million. GDTC’s collaborative efforts have also led to the creation of Procuree 3.0, an internal source-to-pay chatbot powered by generative AI that enhances Kimberly-Clark’s procurement processes across 42 countries and 14 languages.
Recently, GDTC held its third digital hackathon under the theme “UNLOKC 2024,” bringing together Kimberly-Clark employees and technology partners to develop digital solutions that contribute to business opportunities in areas such as supply chain, marketing and finance. More than 130 innovative ideas were submitted within four weeks, and the seven finalist projects were recognized by the Global Digital Technology Leadership Team during the Hackathon’s final event in Bangalore. These finalists will receive support to develop their projects in the near future.
As Kimberly-Clark’s largest technology hub, Bengaluru GDTC is positioned to remain a critical driver of growth and innovation on a global scale. With plans to continue attracting high-level talent and expanding its technology capabilities, the center is set to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the company and its global technology ecosystem.