Société Bic
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
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[edit] History
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
[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
- BIC World - Company website
- Yahoo! - Société BIC Company Profile
- BicSurf
- BIC Promotional Pens
