Group items tagged

Haleon, the consumer healthcare giant behind brands like Sensodyne toothpaste and Advil painkillers, has announced plans to shut down its Maidenhead manufacturing site in the UK. This decision will impact 435 employees and comes as part of a broader strategic realignment of the company's global manufacturing operations according to BBC. The Maidenhead facility, which has been in operation for years, manufactures some of Haleon's most popular oral health products, including Sensodyne and Parodontax. However, following a comprehensive review of its manufacturing capabilities, the company has concluded that the site is no longer economically viable. In a statement issued by a spokesperson for Haleon, they stated, "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."

Haleon is enhancing its research and development (R&D) capabilities and accelerating its new product innovation pipeline with a $54 million (£43.49 million) investment in its global R&D centre of excellence in Richmond, Virginia, USA. This investment is in addition to the company's annual R&D budget of approximately £300 million. The Richmond site, one of Haleon's three global R&D centres of excellence, alongside facilities in Weybridge, UK, and Suzhou, China, provides the global scale necessary for the company to deliver disruptive and locally relevant brand innovations across over 170 markets worldwide. The upgraded facility will feature new, state-of-the-art laboratories designed to enable development of innovations across ingredients, formulations, flavours, formats and packaging for Haleon's Over-the-Counter (OTC) and Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements (VMS) categories. Franck Riot, Haleon's chief R&D officer, emphasised the critical role of R&D in the company's success, stating, "R&D is the cornerstone of our business and the innovation engine behind our category-leading brands." "Consumers trust our products because they trust our science - so investing in R&D is vital for driving consumer preference for our brands."

Bas Vorsteveld, former Haleon's vice-president and general manager for Great Britain and Ireland (GBI), has been appointed as Kenvue's new area managing director for Northern Europe. In his new role, he will oversee the company's operations across the UK, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland, managing a portfolio of iconic brands, including Nicorette, Aveeno, Johnson's Baby, Listerine, Neutrogena, Calpol, OGX, and Imodium. Vorsteveld has over 30 years of experience in consumer goods and healthcare. At Haleon, he played a pivotal role in driving its GBI business following its separation from GSK, delivering significant growth and earning notable recognition, including Best Company at the UK Pharmacy Awards 2024. He announced his departure from Haleon in October 2024, after "a journey of nearly 19 amazing years." Until recently, Vorsteveld was president of the board of the PAGB, spearheading the organisation's five-year strategy focused on advancing self-care to help alleviate healthcare pressures.

STADA has appointment Nigel Stephenson as General Manager UK with effect from 1 August 2023. Based in Huddersfield, UK, Stephenson will report directly to STADA's Head of Western Europe and Germany, Stephan Eder. He will take over from Rudolf Bär, who has successfully led the UK business for almost one year in addition to his responsibilities for STADA's Mid-Sized European Markets.| A dynamic and modern commercial leader with extensive experience in sales and marketing across Western, Central and Eastern Europe, and the UK in leading pharmaceutical, consumer healthcare and fast-moving consumer goods companies. He joins STADA from consumer healthcare leader Haleon, where he most recently served as General Manager Switzerland. "With his strong people and results orientation, along with deep purpose-driven engagement, Nigel will support our UK team in realizing its full potential through innovative and inclusive leadership," stated Eder.