Société Bic

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Société Bic is a company based in Clichy, France, founded in 1945, best known for making inexpensive disposable products including cigarette lighters, magnets, ballpoint pens, and shaving razors. It competes against Faber-Castell, Global Gillette, Newell Rubbermaid and Stabilo. The Bic pen, more correctly titled the Bic Cristal, is perhaps the company's best-known product.

1 History
- 1.1 In the U.S.
2 Ownership
3 Revenue
4 Products

[edit] History

The recent Bic®

BIC was founded in France by Marcel Bich with Edouard Buffard in 1945. The two bought a factory and set up a business making parts for mechanical pencils and fountain pens. In December 1950, Marcel Bich introduced his own ballpoint pen, and named it the BIC. The 'h' from Bich was dropped in order to avoid a potentially inappropriate English pronunciation of the name. Although the pens weren't entirely new (Bich obtained patent rights from Hungarian inventor, László Bíró), the process of manufacturing was. An inexpensive, and at the same time reliable, ballpoint pen was introduced to the world. In early September 2005, BIC announced that it had sold its 100 billionth disposable ballpoint pen, making it the world's best-selling pen.

[edit] In the U.S.

Ten years after the release of BIC pens in Europe, the same BIC pens were introduced to the USA. Americans were wary of BIC pens at first. There were many other pens on the market at the time and people were hesitant to switch over. BIC's marketing share increased with its televised advertising campaign, with the slogan "Writes first time, every time." BIC sold the pens for 29 cents each and, within a year, prices dipped down to a mere 10 cents. Bic is famous mainly for cheap reliable pens. One of its most successful pens is the Cristal. In terms of lighters, Bic is the top-selling disposable lighter in the USA, partly due to the success of their "Flick Your Bic" marketing and advertising campaigns.

[edit] Ownership

The Bich family owns about 40% of BIC's stock and controls 55% of its voting power.

[edit] Revenue

Stationery (pens, pencils, highlighters, markers, crayons, and correction products): 43%
Lighters (disposable, utility, and special-edition): 49%
Shavers (men's and women's): 8%

[edit] Products

BIC offers a variety of products:

[edit] Pens

Cristal
Orange Fine
NS Fine
BIC Fine Plus
Opaco
Round Stic
Diamante
Clic Stic
Bu2
M10 Clic
4 Color
Cristal Grip
Round Stic Grip
Diamante Grip
Softfeel Round Stic
Orange Grip
BU2 Grip
Atlantis Stic
Softfeel Clic Stic
Atlantis
e3 Multi Pen
Velocity
Pro+
Smoothie
Body Action
Briefing/Duo
Cristal Pocket
Cristal Pocket Scents
Shimmers
Shimmers Perfumada / Shimmers Scents
Ultimates/ Round Stic Grip
Cristal Grip Colors
Sculpted Disney / Tigger Novelty
Disney Mickey
Disney Winnie the Pooh
Disney Princess
Barbie
Hot Wheels
Sponge Bob
Wide Body Grip
Wide Body Ice
Disney Widebody / Pooh Widebody
Sponge Bob Widebody
XXL Retractable Ball Pen
Turn & Up Fountain Pen
Turn & Up Roller Pen
X Pen Fountain Pen
Wide Body Grip Ballpoint Pen
Steel Ballpoint Pen
Steel Retractable Ballpoint Pen
Rondo Ballpoint Pen

[edit] Markers

Permanent
Highlighters
Dry Wipe

[edit] Pencils

Rondo Mechanical Pencil
550 Criterium Technique
Gilbert
Mentor
650 Evolution Graphite
Disney Mickey graphite pencil
Disney Winnie the Pooh graphite pencil
Disney Princess graphite pencil
Sculpted Evolution / Princess pencil with topper
Barbie
Hot Wheels
Sponge Bob Graphite Pencil
Evolution Triangle Graphite
BIC Matic
BIC Matic Grip Round
BIC Matic Graffiti
BIC Matic Fun
Disney Mickey mechanical pencil
Disney Winnie the Pooh mechanical pencil
Sponge Bob Mechanical Pencil
Round Stic Grip
Clic Matic
Color Codes Disney
Softsider
BIC Silk Metal
Softfeel Pencil
Atlantis Pencil
Velocity
Clic Master
Criterium 2 mm
Leads

[edit] Crayons

[edit] Correction Fluid

Wite-Out

[edit] Glue

Glue Stick
Disney Glue Stick
Sponge Bob Glue Stick
White Glue
All Purpose Glue
Metallic Glitter Glue
Neo Glitter Glue

[edit] Lighters

Maxi
Mini
Slim/Midi
Electronic
Mini Tronic
Multi-Purpose Lighter
Megalighter for Candles

[edit] Razors

Double Edge Blade
Classic
BIC Plus
Metal
Twin Select
Comfort Twin
Softtwin
BIC 3 Sensitive
Comfort 3
Comfort 3 "Advance"
Classic Lady
BIC Plus Lady
Comfort Twin for Women
Softwin Lady
Comfort 3
Pure 3 Lady
Soleil
Soleil Scent

[edit] Surfboards

ACS
CTS
Soft-Deck
G Boards

[edit] External links

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Categories: Writing instruments | Manufacturing companies | Companies of France