Glaxo’s Guayama operation to become Haleon as part of spin-off
GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) announced that a new company, to result from the proposed spin-off of its consumer healthcare unit in mid-2022, will be called Haleon.
The name change will apply to Glaxo’s manufacturing plant in Guayama, officials confirmed.
“We’re proud to be part of this history as founders of this new company. We’re on track to become the first company of its kind worldwide guided by the purpose of delivering better everyday health with humanity,” said Shelly Cruz, director of the manufacturing site in Guayama.
Established in 1988, the site employs more than 1,000 employees, where a variety of Advil products are manufactured, as well as Caltrate, Centrum, Emergen-C and Nexium, that are popular brands in the Puerto Rico market. The plant also supports domestic and international markets.
The company’s presence in Puerto Rico also includes a commercial office in Guaynabo.
“These are really exciting times. We’ll become the first stand-alone consumer healthcare company dedicated 100% to the health of our consumers, so we are making history,” said Mayra Martinez, interim Country Manager of the commercial office in Guaynabo.
Haleon (pronounced “Hay-Lee-On”) is inspired by the merging of the words ‘Hale’, which is an old English word that means ‘in good health’ and Leon, which is associated with the word ‘strength’, the company stated in a news release.
The new brand identity was developed with input from employees, healthcare practitioners and consumers and will be deployed in more than 100 markets around the world where the business operates, it said.
Haleon’s portfolio includes Sensodyne, Voltaren, Panadol and Centrum.
The creation of Haleon results from a series of investments and strategic changes to GSK’s consumer health business over the last eight years, including integrations of the consumer product portfolios from Novartis and Pfizer.
“Introducing Haleon to the world marks another step in our journey to become a new, standalone company,” said Brian McNamara, Haleon’s CEO-designate. “Our name is grounded in our purpose to deliver better everyday health with humanity and to be a world-leader in consumer healthcare.”
“We’re on track to launch Haleon in mid-2022 and our business momentum is strong. We look forward to updating investors and analysts more on this at our capital markets event at the end of February,” he said.
The spin-off is subject to approval from at least 80% of GSK’s shareholders.
