Gillette Breaks Ground on Expansion Project in Andover
Days after revealing a master plan for a waterfront park in the redevelopment of its South Boston campus, officials at P&G Gillette announced on Thursday, April 17, that they are turning…
BOSTON – JANUARY 28: Gillette Headquarters is seen January 28, 2005 in Boston, Massachusetts. Procter & Gamble announced on January 28 that it is acquiring Gillette Co. for $57 billion in stock in a deal that will create the world’s biggest consumer-products enterprise. (Photo by Jodi Hilton/Getty Images)
Days after revealing a master plan for a waterfront park in the redevelopment of its South Boston campus, officials at P&G Gillette announced on Thursday, April 17, that they are turning their attention to another property in Andover.
Company executives held a groundbreaking ceremony for a 200,000-square-foot building where much of the company's razor blade manufacturing will take place following a production relocation from South Boston.
About 200 people are employed in Andover at the company's approximately 600,000-square-foot facility on a 150-acre property off Interstate 93. The Andover workforce will more than double once Gillette relocates its manufacturing operations from South Boston. Corporate, design, and engineering work will remain in South Boston.
The company's transition to Andover is anticipated to begin within the next one to two years. However, redeveloping its South Boston campus will take several years.
In its coverage of the groundbreaking, The Boston Globe noted that Gary Coombe, chief executive of P&G's grooming division, reported that the Andover expansion demonstrates that the company is investing not only in the business of manufacturing blades and razors but also in the future of U.S. manufacturing and Greater Boston's future economy.
Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and Sen. Barry Finegold of Andover were among other local officials who attended the April 17 groundbreaking.
