Communities thrive when major employers and local governments work together to invest in a shared future, and that theme was on display at last week’s Iowa City Lunch Connections event at Big Grove Brewery commemorating Procter & Gamble’s 70th Anniversary in Iowa City.
The event served as a reminder of how partnerships between business, government and community leaders can shape a region for generations. P&G’s story in Iowa City began with a bold recruitment effort in the 1950s, and today the company’s planned $150 million expansion demonstrates how those investments continue to create jobs, drive innovation and strengthen the local economy.
The History
To start the Lunch Connection, City Manager of Iowa City Geoff Fruin and Bill Bywater of Bankers Advertising Company each shared key historical context of how P&G expanded operations to Iowa City in 1955. The story illustrates how local and state leaders worked together to secure a transformational employer for the region. At the time, P&G viewed Iowa City as a potential candidate for a new beauty care manufacturing plant. To close the deal, the City of Iowa formed a 16-person coalition and visited P&G’s headquarters in Cincinnati with the Governor of Iowa Leo Hoegh, key local business leaders, state representatives and the University of Iowa.
Shortly after that meeting in Cincinnati, Procter & Gamble announced plans to start construction on their new manufacturing site in Iowa City in spring 1955. P&G’s new beauty care facility opened in fall 1956. The company then opened an Oral Care plant in Iowa City in 1958. Over the decades, P&G has employed thousands of eastern Iowans at its Beauty Care and Oral Care plant and generated hundreds of millions oral care and beauty care products at its facilities. Notably, the Oral Care plant ships approximately 98% of its volume within North America, and the remaining 2% globally, producing over 1 million tooth brushes daily.
Driving Our Economy and People Forward
For seven decades, Procter & Gamble’s Iowa City operations have been an economic anchor. P&G currently employs more than 600 people in Iowa City, and their new $150 million expansion will add 100 high-quality jobs to Johnson County. The site produces products used by consumers across the country while providing generations of local residents with strong careers. Those jobs help families build financial security, purchase homes, support local businesses and contribute to the quality of life we enjoy in Johnson County. Beyond economic impact, P&G is an engaged community partner, supporting organizations such as United Way, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Habitat for Humanity and Greater Iowa City, Inc.
Procter & Gamble representatives spoke at last week’s Lunch Connection and one of the top themes from the discussion was confidence in the Iowa City workforce. Plant managers from the facility praised the strong work ethic and innovation of eastern Iowans as key in why the facilities are successful. The company’s commitment to developing and manufacturing new products here in Johnson County positions Iowa City to remain an important part of P&G’s future.
The impact extends far beyond the facility. Large private-sector employers diversify the local economy, strengthen the tax base and generate the resources that fund critical public services and infrastructure. They also create opportunities for local suppliers, service providers and entrepreneurs who benefit from a healthy business ecosystem.
As P&G celebrates 70 years in Iowa City and prepares for its next chapter of growth, the milestone is a powerful reminder that economic success is built through collaboration, long-term investment and confidence in local talent. The same spirit that brought P&G to Iowa City in 1955 continues to position our region for opportunity and growth today.
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