A proprietary dispenser program deserves another look when refill costs rise, performance disappoints, or the building's needs change. The useful question is whether the system still earns its place on the wall once you count the paper, service work, user experience and cost of replacing it.
Over the past three years at Highbar, we've seen proprietary refill prices rise sharply, and we've been less satisfied with the quality of some products. Our view is that some premium alternatives now deserve a closer comparison. Those are observations from our work, and they're why we believe buyers should revisit the value of an established program. Your invoices and your restrooms should determine what happens next.
Public company reports show why it's worth checking the history carefully. Kimberly-Clark reported a 9% price contribution to sales growth in its North American K-C Professional business for 2023 compared with 2022. That covers a business segment, including multiple products. It doesn't mean each proprietary refill increased by 9%.[1]
The picture also changes by company and period. Essity reported lower selling prices in Professional Hygiene in the fourth quarter of 2025, alongside an increased share of premium products.[2]
Those reports don't provide a like-for-like refill price history, establish a quality decline, or show that buyers are leaving proprietary systems. For a purchasing decision, start with the exact products and net prices on your own invoices. That's where you'll find whether the value has changed for your building.
Proprietary systems have a place in Class A offices and other higher-end facilities. A coordinated appearance, the feel of the towel, reliable dispensing and fewer interruptions can be worth paying for. A busy building may place just as much value on refill capacity and a system its cleaning team can service efficiently.
Those benefits can be concrete. Tork's PeakServe system, for example, allows staff to top up its specified continuous-towel refills before the dispenser is empty.[3] That feature may matter more to a particular building than a lower refill price elsewhere.
Give the existing system credit for what it actually does. Also be specific about what a replacement must preserve. A high-end finish and dispensing controls are available in universal equipment, too; Bobrick documents both in its B-29744 dispenser.[4] Neither category gets an automatic win on appearance or performance.
Pull an earlier invoice and a current one for the same refill. Confirm the product code, rolls per case, footage or sheet count, towel width and any credits or delivery charges. A familiar description on the invoice isn't enough if the pack or product has changed.
For comparable roll towels, cost per 1,000 feet can help expose a price difference. Divide the net case cost by the total feet in the case, then multiply by 1,000. Keep the specifications beside that figure: narrower paper, different absorbency or different dispensing lengths can change what people actually use.
Then look at consumption during comparable occupied periods. Record paper issued, usable stock remaining and discarded material. A cheaper case that requires more paper or more attention may offer little benefit. Equally, a familiar brand shouldn't escape scrutiny because the dispenser was installed years ago.
This is the point to review your restroom paper and dispenser options against the products you actually buy.
If the concern is tearing, poor feeding or excessive use, check the refill pairing, loading, settings and maintenance first. Ask the cleaning team what happens and where. Separate a towel-quality complaint from a dispenser fault or a stocking problem.
There may be a better approved refill within the installed system, or a service issue that can be corrected. Keep those options in the comparison. Replacing every dispenser is a large answer to a problem that may have a smaller fix.
Agree on acceptable performance before ordering a trial. That should include the towel's feel and drying performance, dispensing reliability, refill workload and the appearance expected in that location.
Test the proposed dispenser and its verified compatible refill together. “Universal” still has limits: Bobrick's technical sheet specifies roll width, diameter, core size and paper format.[4] A roll fitting inside the cabinet is only the beginning of the check.
Use comparable areas and occupied periods. Record the settings and service routine so you can explain differences. Log paper use, jams, runouts, discarded towels, complaints and staff attention. Ask the cleaning team to record actual interruptions, rather than simply whether they like the new dispenser.
Give the trial enough normal use and refill cycles to reveal routine problems. Its results will tell you about those locations under those conditions; they won't prove that one system is best for every building.
Before a full conversion, confirm who owns the existing dispensers and what any agreement requires for removal or return. Get a written replacement scope covering hardware, installation, wall repair or recessed-cabinet work, power, spare parts and staff training. Account for unused refill stock and the period when two systems may need supplies.
Compare those one-time costs with the ongoing difference demonstrated by the trial. Be cautious about treating every minute of reduced attention as payroll savings unless it changes paid work or creates useful capacity.
The right result may be to keep the system, improve the current arrangement or replace it. Our concern about refill value is a reason to make that decision deliberately. If the premium still buys something your building needs, keep it. If a tested alternative delivers the required experience at a better total cost, you have a sound reason to change.
Talk with Highbar about your current dispenser program, starting with the refill codes and purchasing history you already have.