P&G/Gillette is moving from Russia to India?

[Phoenixkh]

I am not sure this is what you are implying but, I somehow doubt that anything will be taken out of Russia at any time.

I was referring directly to production lines my customers purchased that are now located in other countries. This isn't guesswork. I supervised the shipment of some of them myself.

I am only stating, we don't know if new production equipment is being purchased or not. Gillette has options, I'm sure.

 

[luvmysuper]

Forum might not loose anything, but farewell.

Farewell.
In the truest meaning of the phrase.

 

[FarmerTan]

I have no idea, but I know the ilk. And I doubt anything will get out of that country. Maybe a chickadee might be able to sneak out.
Oh, I lied. I know something that will get out. Talent. They will lose the talent and keep whatever cheap hardware. Good luck with that.
Everyone is worried about machinery and forgetting about the human factor.

You are korreck my friend. The Peasants ALWAYS pay the price of our leader's lack of branes and hearts. Sad.

Highly unlikely to get machinery, raw materials or bulk blades out of Russia. India is not the most supportive in regards to the EU/US/other sanctions but this would imply that Russia let P&G repossess their assets which are currently stuck in limbo.

This is what I thought....

 

[slimshavy]

P&G/Gillette did not own the facility in St Petersburg outright. The plant was called Petersburg Products International (PPI) and was a joint venture between Gillette and Russian investors. Russia prohibits foreign companies from owning a business outright.

The company I worked prior to retirement had a similar arrangement to build a paper mill a few miles inside Russia near the Finish border. After the "special military operation" between Russia and Ukraine began, the company decided to sell their interest in the paper mill. Continuing the joint venture inside Russia was not a viable option due to sanctions placed against Russia.

Nearly all American and European companies with partnerships within Russia have pulled out over the past year. Thus, the Gillette departure from PPI was not surprising.

As long as Gillette controls the procurement of raw materials and the operation of the razor blade manufacturing process, the product should be good. I suspect that Gillette had to abandon any equipment and inventory of raw materials and finished goods remaining at the PPI facility. Thus, the product will either be made on existing equipment owned by Gillette or they will install new equipment with superior capability to the equipment at PPI.

This brings up an interesting point. If Gillette abandons the partnership, I'd imagine the PPI workers have the expertise and resources to continue producing all the same lines of blades as before. Obviously, they couldn't market them as Gillette, and would have to compete with new Gillette facilities, but what's to stop PPI from tweaking a few labels and staying in the game?

 

[Multum in parvo]

This brings up an interesting point. If Gillette abandons the partnership, I'd imagine the PPI workers have the expertise and resources to continue producing all the same lines of blades as before. Obviously, they couldn't market them as Gillette, and would have to compete with new Gillette facilities, but what's to stop PPI from tweaking a few labels and staying in the game?

For domestic sales coverage nobody would care about potential brand infringements and exporting them would be a feat currently anyway….

 

[RayClem]

This brings up an interesting point. If Gillette abandons the partnership, I'd imagine the PPI workers have the expertise and resources to continue producing all the same lines of blades as before. Obviously, they couldn't market them as Gillette, and would have to compete with new Gillette facilities, but what's to stop PPI from tweaking a few labels and staying in the game?

You are correct. Technically, Gillette sold their portion of the partnership to their Russian investors, but I suspect they only got back a fraction of their investment and the machinery is likely still bolted to the floor of the facility. I am certain that blades will still be made at the plant, but the question to be answered is whether the current owners, managers. and employees have sufficient technical expertise to make blades that quality of some of the products formerly produced at the plant. Only when the mess in Eastern Europe is resolved will be be able to determine that.

 

[VerbaVolant]

...but what's to stop PPI from tweaking a few labels and staying in the game?

Talent, or lack of. see above.

 

[TinkersDam]

Sorry, my post was edited by the moderator? Really?
What was wrong in saying that Russia is killing Ukrainians or destroying Ukraine?!?
I always though this forum to by free and reasonable. I was just stating what was common knowledge. Didn’t say that we should all hate all Russians and destroy them at all cost (btw, what they say on all their federal channels everyday about Ukraine).
Such moderation isn’t far away from what is done in Russia.
I might react for someone ungrounded. But there are no neutral position in my life anymore.
Forum might not loose anything, but farewell.

A year ago, the forum was filled with posts pledging to never again buy Russian products. Now, they are bemoaning the possible loss of St. Petersburg blades?
People seem to have very short memories.

 

[T Bone]

A year ago, the forum was filled with posts pledging to never again buy Russian products. Now, they are bemoaning the possible loss of St. Petersburg blades?
People seem to have very short memories.

Pretty sure it's different people. Most who wouldn't buy Russian then probably still won't. Those who didn't care then probably still don't.

 

[Pat Puma]

I got a nice supply of Personna Med Preps recently that work well for me, and don't have annoying wax or glue on them. Since I live in the US, it was nice to see that they were made here as well. When I run out of the GSBs, Nacets, and Astras that I have left, I don't think I will buy more regardless of where they are made.

 

[slimshavy]

Talent, or lack of. see above.

I have to imagine the vast majority of workers there were Russian, working side by side with any P&G staff. They were probably all trained on all parts of the operation in the first months, and it’s not like the technology is complex or constantly changing. I’d be surprised if there’s any talent issue.

 

[FarmerTan]

Pretty sure it's different people. Most who wouldn't buy Russian then probably still won't. Those who didn't care then probably still don't.

That's pretty much me. Russian kids gotta eat too. And not many Russian men wanted to fight in this never ending war they are in.

 

[Hawkeye_90]

All I’m doing is just avoiding losing a product I liked. I almost bought 20 pucks of Williams for months then it got discontinued. Often times when a product moves to another country there is a quality change. I like the astra sp as it is don’t want to risk not liking the new one when I have the option to stock up on the current.

 

[AU55IE]

I am going to assume that the Russian facility will continue with or without P&G if they indeed do have the machinery and staff to do so. I would imagine that 95% of the staff are locals and that there is a lot of automation anyway.
That factory has been around for at least twenty years (to my knowledge) that I imagine that the shared knowledge over the years is probably great. This isn't also Russia's only blade manufacturing facility. It may be the biggest but it's not the only one and I am sure there is a great deal of knowledge there too.

What isn't certain is if any of the staff or management knew the correct configurations for the machines prior to this, if indeed Gillette did pull out taking company secrets with them by clearing any of the machines data to get each blade to have different edges and grinding profiles and processes.

Another factor could be materials. Where were they sourcing their materials from and are they still able to given that perhaps Gillette managed that aspect and had exclusively set up those deals with other respective countries not to mention the current situation and trade embargo's.

There are a lot of variables. We will just have to and see how this pans out.
I do not support what is happening in either country but if I were Russian right now I would not be particularly worried unless they are running low on raw materials as they have a number of blades manufactured at the Mostochlegmash factory that produce decent enough blades too.
Keep in mind that the above statement is strictly limited to shaving and not any other factor at this moment that I do not agree with but to keep it on topic Russia is still in a position to produce blades.

Another factor is will anyone be interested in purchasing blades from Russia or will Russia be willing to export blades at some point.

Wouldn't it be interesting if Poland began manufacturing some blades at the Lodz plant again such as the Wizamet blades. The US appear to have a good working relationship with Poland so who knows and Poland is a lot closer to Russia geographically than India is if they were to move out equipment or I imagine may keep things relatively simple. It'd be be quite a turn for the books if Pol-Silver blades were to become a thing again too.

 

[zoidberg]

Another factor is will anyone be interested in purchasing blades from Russia or will Russia be willing to export blades at some point.

Wouldn't it be interesting if Poland began manufacturing some blades at the Lodz plant again such as the Wizamet blades.

AFAIK the Gillette factory in Poland makes carts/disposable razors. I don't think they could switch back to making high quality DE blades in a short period of time.

I don't know how international trade works but Russia and India are still trading. There could be a possibility that Gillette India could buy the DE making machines from Gillette/PPI.

 

[AU55IE]

AFAIK the Gillette factory in Poland makes carts/disposable razors. I don't think they could switch back to making high quality DE blades in a short period of time.

I don't know how international trade works but Russia and India are still trading. There could be a possibility that Gillette India could buy the DE making machines from Gillette/PPI.

Yep, It was just a bit of wishful thinking I guess. I probably should have made that clear but you are quite right, they have been producing cartridge blades for a very long time now. It could be a nice long term investment for Gillette though. I highly doubt they'd be able to smuggle out their machinery (if indeed they do own them) to Poland at this point either so it is definitely wishful thinking.

Nor do I but I imagine relationships are fairly soured at this point between Russia and a few countries. India and Russia seem to have a better trade relationship between one another though too. There will always be ways around it such as Parallel Imports/Grey Imports with another country often playing the man in the middle to export such goods to the other countries.

 

[lasta]

GSB's have been rumored to be discontinued at least 5 times in the past 10 years.

I can still buy them in the 100's.

 

[ivan_101]

GSB's have been rumored to be discontinued at least 5 times in the past 10 years.

And Iridium -Super too.

AFAIK the Gillette factory in Poland makes carts/disposable razors. I don't think they could switch back to making high quality DE blades in a short period of time.

I don't know how international trade works but Russia and India are still trading. There could be a possibility that Gillette India could buy the DE making machines from Gillette/PPI.

The Gillette plant in Lodz indeed only makes cartridges and disposables.
I seriously doubt that DE machinery will be moved from Russia to India. There are 2 P&G plants in India that make DE blades.

 

[ivan_101]

OK. I have been searching for these on Google for 3 days. Finally found them.
Here you can see Astra Superior Stainless made in India. Look carefully, especially on the back of the 100pcs card. https://www.tokopedia.com/tokobmakm...inless-double-edge-made-in-india-original-p-g

 

[Jopo]

OK. I have been searching for these on Google for 3 days. Finally found them.
Here you can see Astra Superior Stainless made in India. Look carefully, especially on the back of the 100pcs card. https://www.tokopedia.com/tokobmakm...inless-double-edge-made-in-india-original-p-g

Interesting, they seem to be made for the Indonesian market, whereas the other Gillette blades sold in Indonesia are made in Shanghai.