Procter & Gamble on Tyneside

right|thumb|P&G's offices on Cobalt Business ParkProcter & Gamble has a long history on Tyneside, starting from its purchase of Thomas Hedley Co. in 1930. Thomas Hedley was a company local to Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and was the start of P&Gs expansion from its American operations. P&G moved into Hedley's Newcastle City Road site, and had its headquarters in Collingwood Street, Newcastle. It continued its UK operations by opening up a Manchester factory in 1933 (which expanded rapidly; 100% expansion by 1936), and constructing a London plant in 1937, however, it was Tyneside where P&G was solidly based. By 1948 these offices were proving inadequate for an expanding post-war business, and in 1953 P&G moved its UK administrative centre to purpose built offices in Gosforth, Newcastle. The building was named Hedley House, in remembrance of the roots of P&G in Tyneside.

In 1957 the Hedley Research Laboratories were opened on Whitley Road, Longbenton. They were officially opened on June 11 by His Grace the Duke of Northumberland. Today, this site is better known as Newcastle Innovation Centre (NIC) and is led by Mr Charles Bragg. At the time of opening it cost £500,000 to build and equip. The site has been upgraded many times in the 50 years since its opening and currently focuses on the development of laundry detergents and machine dishwashing products for all parts of the world.

In 1962 Shultons established an Old Spice plant at the Northumberland town of......
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