P&G London Plant
The P&G London Plant is a large chemicals plant on the side of the Thames Estuary, in West Thurrock.

History
The factory started production in the late 1930s.

Construction
At a Thurrock Urban District meeting on Tuesday 6 July 1937, plans for a new factory at Thurrock were approved.Chelmsford Chronicle Friday 9 July 1937, page 9 In April 1938 the foundations were being built to 20 feet in depth. The site was 15 acres, with buildings up to 129 feet in height.Daily Herald Tuesday 12 April 1938, page 12

Detergent industry
P&G introduced Tide onto the UK market in 1950; Tide now has around 15% of the world market. Tide was introduced in 1950 to compete with Unilever's leading products. To compete, Unilever introduced Surf in 1952, followed by Omo in 1954.

In May 1963, the UK household detergent market was investigated by the government, reporting on 10 August 1966. It was found that 23% of the retail price, for both Unilever and P&G, was taken up by selling and promotion expenses, and the retailer's margin, for both, was 16%. Factory costs were 43%, of retail cost, for P&G, and slightly more for Unilever. The 1966 report found that Unilever and P&G had 96% of the UK market for laundry detergent powder products.Liverpool Echo Wednesday 10 August 1966, page 3

The industry was investigated by the National Board for Prices and Incomes in 1965.Liverpool Daily Post Wednesday 5 February 1975, page 16

Incidents
36 year old Kevin Scott-Dean, of Southend-on-Sea, was decapitated on a washing powder process line. P&G UK was fined £18,000 by local magistrates on 28 February 1996 for breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The plant manager was Dexter Mueller.Wolverhampton Express and Star Thursday 29 February 1996, page 9Aberdeen Press and Journal Thursday 29 February 1996, page 11996 prosecution

Structure
The site has its own fire service unit.

The east-west London, Tilbury and Southend line, the Tilbury Loop Line, runs directly to the north of the site. There is a Co-op distribution centre nearby to the west, and a large National Grid substation to the south-west.Thames Estuary 

Production
It makes well-known laundry detergents.

See also
 List of cleaning products
 The former Unilever Warrington, which closed in October 2020

thumb|right|August 2008

References

External links
 P&G

Category:1939 establishments in England
Category:Buildings and structures in Thurrock
Category:Buildings and structures on the River Thames
Category:Chemical industry in London
Category:Chemical plants of the United Kingdom
Category:Detergents
Category:Economy of Essex
Category:Industrial buildings completed in 1939
Category:Manufacturing plants in England
Category:Procter & Gamble
Category:Thames Estuary