P&G to Realign Business Units

Consumer products maker Procter & Gamble Co. will realign two business units and invest $35 million to $50 million in a South Boston manufacturing center. As part of the plans, the company will fold Gillette Blade and Razor and Braun businesses into its P&G Beauty and Health group, while the Duracell battery business will be folded into P&G Household Care. As part of the realignment, Charles Bergh, president of global grooming, will become group president of Gillette global grooming, and will continue to report to Susan Arnold, vice chairman of Beauty and Health. Bracken Darrell will continue to serve as president of Braun, and will report to Bergh. Joseph Dooley will continue to serve as president of Duracell, and will report to Bruce Byrnes, vice chairman of the board of Household Care. Procter & Gamble will also expand and upgrade the South Boston office space, lobby, meeting areas, training rooms, cafeteria and employee fitness center. The building will house research and development engineering, manufacturing and marketing groups for the Gillette business. Employees who work out of the Prudential Tower Building in Boston’s Back Bay will relocate to the South Boston facility in 2009, when the lease expires on the Prudential Tower.