BOSTON, March 10, 2026, 13:36 EDT.
Gillette, the Procter & Gamble razor brand, announced Tuesday it’s putting close to $1 billion into the purchase of 232 A Street in South Boston, where it plans to construct a fresh global HQ and research hub—locking its base in the city that’s been home for over 125 years.
Gillette’s Massachusetts revamp just got its next chapter. P&G previously flagged that blade and razor production will start moving out of South Boston to Andover in 2026. Now, the latest plan unveiled Tuesday leaves commercial operations and product development in Boston. Gillette’s aiming for a more up-to-date home for innovation in the city.
The clock is ticking. The parent is still working to stabilize growth as consumer demand swings, while Gillette is feeling the heat in U.S. shaving from competitors like Edgewell’s Schick and Harry’s, which remains privately owned.
P&G’s January quarter came in at $22.21 billion in sales—a 1% bump, narrowly missing Wall Street’s forecast. Core gross margin slipped for the fifth consecutive period, hit in part by tariffs and costs tied to rolling out more pack sizes aimed at price-conscious buyers. Back then, Brian Mulberry of Zacks Investment Management pointed out that shoppers were picking staples based on price, but still hadn’t dropped products that, as he put it, “make them look and feel better.” Reuters
Gary Coombe, CEO of P&G Gillette, put the company’s commitment to Boston at nearly $1 billion for the site and future facility, describing the move as a bet on the city’s status as “a global innovation hub.” The parcel comes with permits for a 324,315-square-foot R&D building that includes retail on the ground floor. With the Boston project and its expansion in Andover, P&G’s Massachusetts outlay climbs to roughly $1.5 billion. Gillette Boston Update
Boston leaders were quick to give their support. Mayor Michelle Wu pointed to hundreds of high-tech R&D jobs staying local, and Governor Maura Healey called it a signal of faith in Massachusetts. P&G, for its part, said the plan includes 1.5 acres of new public open space on Fort Point Channel—think sidewalks, bike lanes, a waterfront park, and upgrades to the Harborwalk.
P&G shares added roughly 0.9% by Tuesday afternoon.
The news comes as the company pushes through a broader shakeup. Back in June, Reuters said P&G was looking to shed 7,000 jobs across two years and step away from certain brands and markets—tariffs and shaky consumer confidence putting real pressure on the world’s top consumer goods player. Even so, P&G appears ready to keep pouring money into what it considers core operations, even as it pares back elsewhere.
Still, the broader South Boston redevelopment is stuck in the planning stages. Gillette’s master plan hasn’t changed: the 31-acre site would eventually bring housing, offices, retail, public areas. P&G is pressing forward despite choppy demand and ongoing tariff strain on margins; if the consumer rebound drags, returns on these major investments might take even longer.
“Transforming our grooming business for the future required that we think creatively about every aspect of our operations,” Coombe said. The company, he noted, focused the site search on finding a spot that would work for both Gillette’s research center and neighborhood development. Gillette Boston Update
