Gillette is to shut two UK factories and move to a new plant in Eastern Europe to cut costs.

US-based Gillette, the world’s largest razor blade company, said the closures would mean at least 415 UK jobs would be axed over the next four years.

The factories to be closed include a 66-year-old razor blade factory in Isleworth, west London, and a packaging and warehouse facility in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. The Isleworth factory will be closed in 2007.

The Hertfordshire factory is run by logistics business Tibbett & Britten and packaging firm Sonoco and will be shut in 2005.

Gillette operates from two other UK factories, with an R&D centre in Reading and a factory in Wrexham, which makes Duracell batteries. It employs a total of 30,300 people.

The shaving products-to-battery manufacturer also plans to close factories in Germany and the Czech Republic. It said Sensor shaving products would be transferred from Berlin to a plant in Eastern Europe.