Final day for Avon production

Final day for Avon production

Avon's Polish workers earn about £4,000

Production at one of Britain's most famous companies will come to an end on Thursday as manufacturing at Avon Cosmetics in Northampton closes down.

The first lipsticks and powders rolled off the conveyor belts in 1959 and generations of families have worked together here over the past 44 years.

But like many other British companies it is now cheaper to manufacture abroad.

It may be the end of of the line for manufacturing, but not the end of Avon in Northampton.

Expanding distribution

The firm even has plans to expand the administration and distribution in the future.

The firm is moving its production from England to Poland to save the company £8m a year.

The Northampton cosmetics firm is cutting 465 jobs, although it is retaining about 2,000 posts in Northamptonshire, including 700 at the Corby distribution centre.

At the Polish factory at Garwolin workers earn about £4,000 a year, while at the Northampton factory the salary is £13,500.

Production costs in Poland are less than half those at the facility in England.