Procter & Gamble inaugurated today the hair care products’ plant from Urlaþi, Prahova County: its newest investment in Romania and an innovation in sustainability

Urlati, Prahova, September 29, 2010 – Procter & Gamble has officialy inaugurated its new shampoos and hair care products plant from Urlaþi, Prahova county. The ceremony has been held in the presence of His Excellency Mr. Traian Basescu, President of Romania and of Mr. Bob A. McDonald, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, P&G.

The ceremony was attended as well by Mr. Werner Geissler, Vice Chairman, Global Operations, P&G; Mr. Jon R. Moeller, Chief Financial Officer, P&G; Mr. Laurent l. Phillippe, Group President, Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, P&G; Mr. Sotirios Marinidis, General Manager, P&G Romania, Mr. Luc Viaene, Urlati Plant Manager, other representatives of the company.

In the event also took part Ms. Jeri-Guthrie Corn, Deputy Chief of Mission US Embassy in Romania, Mr. Laszlo Borbely, Minister of Environment and Forests, other representatives of the central and local authorities, business and industry associations and media.

As part of its strategy of sustainable development in Romania, Procter&Gamble has build from „grass” the new shampoos and hair care products plant. Over 250 people are working in the new plant which represents an investment of over 100 millions USD. Over 90% of the production from Urlaþi will address the supply of the markets in this region, and other countries such as Turkey, Russia, and Ukraine.

P&G Urlaþi plant integrates the latest innovations in terms of sustainable development and design principles, as well as equipment totally in line with the latest technology. Also, the new plant incorporates the newest know-how on organization, methodology of production and planning methods, all of them able to create a visible advantage in quality, costs and the capacity to respond to a highly dynamic business, such as the personal care products field.

“P&G’s Purpose as a Company is to touch and improve lives, now and for generations to come. This requires us to be focused not only on improving lives now, but also developing operations that are sustainable so we can continue to touch and improve lives in the future. The new Urlati plant is one of the most technologically advanced and environmentally friendly plants that P&G has ever built.

It is part of a new generation of P&G plants which incorporate sustainability elements from design through operation and it serves as a model for other P&G plants around the world. P&G’s investment in this new facility reinforces our commitment to improving lives in Romania through our products, business growth and philanthropy. The facility is a milestone in the history of P&G in Romania and will contribute significantly to the economy and employment. It is an honor to be part of the opening ceremony of the Urlati plant. The P&G people at Urlati and the products that they make will touch and improve consumers’ lives in Romania, CEEMEA, and the world for generations to come.” said Mr. Bob McDonald, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, P&G.

„P&G Urlati will be supporting Romania’s development in the region through production and exports from Urlaþi. These high quality products, I am convinced, will touch and improve the lives of many consumers inside and beyond Romania’s borderlines”, added Mr. Laurent l. Phillippe, Group President, Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, P&G.

„We celebrate today the official opening of an innovative and modern plant, which integrates equipment totally in line with the latest technology and the newest innovations in terms of sustainable development and design” mentioned Mr. Luc Viaene, P&G Urlati Plant Manager.

About Procter & Gamble
Four billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun® and Fusion®. The P&G community includes approximately 127,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.