Dec 21, 2005. /Lesprom Network/. International health and hygiene products manufacturer Kimberly-Clark sees Turkey as a long-term strategic market and has selected it as one of six such countries worldwide, according to Ari Melamud, the company's regional director for the northeastern Mediterranean. Turkey plays such an important role in Kimberly-Clark's global market leadership strategy under which the company plans to build a new plant and establish it as a regional distribution center here as soon as possible, said Mr. Melamud in remarks at a press conference in Istanbul on Tuesday. The plant will be located somewhere near Istanbul. Kimberly-Clark produces such famous brands as Kleenex tissues, Huggies disposable diapers and Kotex sanitary napkins. The firm posted more than $15 billion in sales last year, making it one of the world's 500 largest corporations. Including Turkey, the company has plants in 37 countries around the world. Melamud introduced Kimberly-Clark's first five-year plan for the region and said the company plans to build a new factory here, investing $120 million within the period. Holger Terstiege, the general manager of Kimberly-Clark Turkey, said that their long experience as a global producer would serve them well with Turkish consumers, adding that the investment plan should lead to the employment of some 1 000 people in Turkey. In announcing Turkey's selection as a strategic market, along with Brazil, Russia, China, India and Indonesia, Mr. Terstiege acknowledged the stiff competition they will face from local producers and giants such as Procter & Gamble in Turkey's $1.1 billion personal health care market. However, Turkey will be the center of a much bigger market for Kimberly-Clark, said Mr. Terstiege, adding that the coming plant would supply the Caucasus, Iran, Iraq and other regional countries. Mr. Melamud added that 90% of the goods distributed to the region would be produced in Turkey.