Sailing to sustainability - the story of Kimberly-Clark Professional’s partnership with CATANA Group

In the world of luxury catamaran manufacturing, every detail counts. For CATANA Group, a shortage in the supply of textile cloths posed a challenge to their meticulous boat-building process but the non-woven disposable cloths WypAll X® designed by Kimberly-Clark Professional offered them a transformative solution.

At the heart of the boat-building process, wiping cloths are indispensable for several critical tasks, from waxing moulds and cleaning excess glue or resin to the delicate work of degreasing before gluing.

The moulding process is a crucial stage in the building of catamarans. If too little wax is used, parts of the boat may not release from the moulds, while an excess of wax means a high risk of parts de-moulding themselves. It is an intricate process that requires reliable wiping and cleaning solutions to maintain an impeccable production site and prevent any downtime which can negatively impact the production schedule and broader supply chain.

Traditionally, CATANA Group has used white cotton cloths to mitigate the risk of colour transfer onto their pristine white gel coat and wool cloths for intricate areas such as fixtures and fittings.

However, faced with supply shortages and driven by heightened sustainability goals reinforced by the pandemic, CATANA Group sought a reliable partner to navigate these challenges and found in Kimberly-Clark Professional™ wiping solutions the answer to their supply chain predicament and sustainability objectives.

The shift from 100% cotton cloths to the innovative WypAll X® products has ensured a steady supply in turbulent times and marked the strong commitment of CATANA Group to reducing waste and embracing sustainable development.

“Kimberly-Clark Professional has always met our expectations in technical terms and responsiveness. It is a reliable partner which shares our values of environmental commitment and the preservation of the planet,” said Nathalie Lucas, HR Director & HSE at CATANA Group.

For more information, check out WypAll® range