Planta Milenio is Procter & Gamble’s (P&G) 1.13M-square-foot facility devoted to the development, manufacturing, packaging, and shipping of blades and razors to distributors worldwide. The plant, located on a 100+ acre site, accommodates 3,000 people in three shifts. Planta Milenio is P&G’s first fully sustainable manufacturing facility in Latin America. Davis Brody Bond, a Page company and Arup worked together on a fast track program completing the project within two years.

The design process began with a programming exercise to define the process adjacencies. The technical aspects were challenging as the manufacturing process starts with raw materials: steel coils for the blade production and molten plastic to form the body of the razors. Raw materials are formed and assembled in the basic operations area. Once completed, blades and razors are moved into the pack center and packaged into plastic cases and processed for shipping. The integration of a flexible infrastructure enables the facility and the manufacturing process to adjust to newer technologies and production strategies. The central location of a spine through the basic operations area and the pack center allows for direct communication between production, facility management and testing labs. It was important to develop a friendly user experience without compromising functional capabilities; thus benefiting the staff and the seamless flow of products from raw material to packaging.

The main building houses a cafeteria, common areas, and gymnasium with showers. These common areas are easily accessible and connected to the manufacturing and packaging area through the central administrative office spines. A running path and soccer field are additional amenities. Planta Milenio was the recipient of an Architectral Record/ Business Week Good Design is Good Business Award commending the facility for its commitment to the wellbeing of its staff.