Consorta Signs Two Agreements With Kimberly-Clark Professional Health Care.

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 13, 1999--

Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE: KMB) announced today that it has entered into two multi-year agreements with Consorta Catholic Resources Partners, a health care group purchasing organization based in Rolling Meadows, Ill.

One of the nation's largest purchasers of medical/surgical supplies, Consorta anticipates purchasing more than $50 million in sterilization and orthopedic products from Kimberly-Clark over the contract periods.

In the first agreement, Consorta awarded a four-year sole source award for Kimberly-Clark's sterilization products. Kimberly-Clark is the market leader in the manufacture of single-use sterilization wrap. Its KIMGUARD and SPUNGUARD fabrics come in a variety of weights and sizes, and its patented KIMGUARD ONE-STEP sterilization wrap allows wrapping and opening to occur in a single step, resulting in significant time savings. The contract will become effective November 1, 1999.

Consorta also signed a three-year dual source award with Kimberly-Clark for TECNOL Orthopedic Products. Kimberly-Clark has a complete line of high quality orthopedic soft goods to meet the wide range of product requirements and patient applications. The acute care and alternate site contract will take effect October 1, 1999.

"Sterility assurance is critical in the healthcare environment," said Marianne Napoletan, general manager of Kimberly-Clark's sterilization business. "The Consorta award is significant because it highlights the results of our commitment to continuous product improvement, and provides further validation of the cost-effectiveness of single-use sterilization products."

"We're extremely pleased that Consorta has provided us this award in the orthopedics category," said Gary Johnson, general manager of Kimberly-Clark's orthopedics business. "We feel Consorta's award is a validation of our commitment to high service levels and quality products, and underscores our market leadership as a premier manufacturer for orthopedic soft goods."

Consorta shareholders and participants are strong supporters of the need to develop partnership relationships with market leaders.

"Implementing this policy is good business practice and is consistent with our mission and that of our shareholders," commented John Kautzer, director of medical surgical contracting. Consorta will promote Kimberly-Clark products as high-quality health care products that are needed by Consorta and Consorta participants.

Consorta is committed to ensuring that its procurement efforts and those of its business partners are effective, fair and competitive.

Operational since July 1998, Consorta, Inc., based in suburban Chicago, was formed through the consolidation of Catholic Materials Management Alliance, St. Louis, Mo., and Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother-Diversified Health Services, Milwaukee, Wi. Consorta represents purchasing volume of nearly $2 billion annually. Its shareholders operate more than half of all Catholic hospitals in the United States. Currently Consorta's shareholders include 13 Catholic health care systems representing more than 400 acute and extended care facilities, outpatient clinics and health centers in 35 states.

In December 1997, Kimberly-Clark acquired TECNOL Medical Products, Inc., a market leader of disposable face masks and patient care products and a leading manufacturer of orthopedic soft goods for the global, acute and alternate site markets.

In January 1999, Kimberly-Clark announced its intent to acquire Ballard Medical Products, located in Draper, Utah. Ballard Medical Products manufactures and markets disposable medical devices for respiratory care, gastroenterology and cardiology for both hospital and alternate site health care providers in more than 60 countries worldwide.

Kimberly-Clark Professional Health Care is the industry leader in innovations of nonwoven fabrics that resist the penetration of blood and body fluids. With headquarters in Roswell, Ga., Kimberly-Clark Professional Health Care manufactures and markets surgical drapes, gowns, sterilization wrap and pouches, personal protective apparel and patient care products.

Kimberly-Clark Corporation is a leading global manufacturer of tissue, personal care and professional health care products. The company's global brands include Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex, Depend, Kleenex, Scott, Kimberly-Clark, Tecnol, Kimwipes and WypAll. The company's primary professional health care brands include Kimguard, Spunguard and Kimguard One-Step sterilization products; Fluidshield face masks; MicroCool surgical gowns; Shur-Strip and Paddle-Strip wound care products. Kimberly-Clark also is a major producer of premium business, correspondence and technical papers. The company has manufacturing operations in 40 countries and sells its products in more than 150 countries.