The world’s largest standalone consumer healthcare Haleon will close its UK production site as part of a cost-cutting exercise that will see the loss of hundreds of jobs.
Around 436 jobs will be cut by 2026 upon the closure of the Maidenhead site, which makes oral health brands including Sensodyne toothpaste, a spokesperson confirmed to the Reuters news agency.
In efforts to slash debts since being spun-off by GSK in 2022, Haleon has been on a £300million-a-year cost saving programme.
It has also been refocusing its portfolio, offloading brands like Lamisil for fungal nail infections and Chapstick for sore lips.
Haleon products include Sensodyne toothpaste and painkiller Panadol
The Haleon spokesperson said the phased closure of the site in Maidenhead, which is expected to complete in the second quarter of 2026, is part of the firm’s effort to become a more ‘agile’ organisation without compromising its growing supply chain.
They added:: ‘Following a strategic review of our global manufacturing capabilities, we have determined that our Maidenhead site is no longer a viable option for the manufacture of our products.’
Oral health accounts for about a third of Haleon’s total sales. The closure of the Maidenhead facility will see toothpaste production moved to the company’s base in Levice, Slovakia.
Production of mouthwash will be shifted to a third party contract manufacturer, with details of this yet to be announced.
The spokesperson added: ‘Haleon continues to have a substantial presence in the UK as a UK-listed company.
‘We are investing over 130 million pounds in a new state of the art, globally significant, oral health R&D facility in Weybridge.’
Haleon shares were up 1.84 per cent to 337.40p in afternoon trading on Tuesday.
