P&G to gradually cut Gillette jobs as production moves out of Boston

BOSTON P&G is cutting about 215 jobs at its Gillette unit in Boston over the next five years as its moves production of older blades and razors to Poland and Mexico, according to published reports.

Most of the job cuts—which represent about 9 percent of the company’s Massachusetts employees—will be eliminated through attrition, retirement or voluntary separation packages, reports stated.

P&G, however, is not pulling out of South Boston, according to reports, but is investing $100 million there over the next two years as it upgrades the plant to be one of two flagship manufacturing sites for new technologies. The other site is in Berlin, Germany. Newer products, like Fusion, will remain in South Boston.

Meanwhile, P&G is winding down operations at a leased facility in Devens, Mass., where an outside contractor employs about 400 full-time employees. Within the next year, some packaging and warehouse operations will be moved to the Gillette plant in Andover, Mass.

In 2010, the rest of the Devens production will be moved to a new plant in Mexico, according to reports.