Société Bic S.A., commonly called Bic and stylized as BiC, is a
French manufacturing
corporation
A corporation is an organization—usually a group of people or a company—authorized by the state to act as a single entity (a legal entity recognized by private and public law "born out of statute"; a legal person in legal context) and r ...
based in
Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine
Clichy ( , ; sometimes unofficially Clichy-la-Garenne ) is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located on the Seine, from the centre of Paris. In 2017, it had a population of 61,070.
Located in Clichy are the headqua ...
. It sells a world-leading brand of
lighter
A lighter is a portable device which creates a flame, and can be used to ignite a variety of items, such as cigarettes, gas lighter, fireworks, candles or campfires. It consists of a metal or plastic container filled with a flammable liquid or c ...
s and
pen
A pen is a common writing instrument that applies ink to a surface, usually paper, for writing or drawing. Early pens such as reed pens, quill pens, dip pens and ruling pens held a small amount of ink on a nib or in a small void or cavity wh ...
s since its founding by
Marcel Bich
Marcel Louis Michel Antoine Bich, baron Bich (; 29 July 1914 – 30 May 1994) was an Italian-born, French manufacturer and co-founder of Bic, the world's leading producer of ballpoint pens, lighters, and razors.
Early years
Bich was born in Tur ...
(1914–1994) in 1945, and a competitive amount of
shaving
Shaving is the removal of hair, by using a razor or any other kind of bladed implement, to slice it down—to the level of the skin or otherwise. Shaving is most commonly practiced by men to remove their facial hair and by women to remove the ...
goods. For several years, it sponsored
Formula One
Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...
and
bicycle racer
Cycle sport is competitive physical activity using bicycles. There are several categories of bicycle racing including road bicycle racing, cyclo-cross, mountain bike racing, track cycling, BMX, and cycle speedway. Non-racing cycling ...
s.
History
In 1942, Marcel Bich and his partner, Édouard Buffard, set up a business creating writing instrument parts in a factory in the Paris suburb of Clichy, where they began production of pen holders and pencil cases.
Marcel Bich bought the
patent
A patent is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an enabling disclosure of the invention."A p ...
for the
ballpoint pen
A ballpoint pen, also known as a biro (British English), ball pen (Hong Kong, Indian and Philippine English), or dot pen ( Nepali) is a pen that dispenses ink (usually in paste form) over a metal ball at its point, i.e. over a "ball point". ...
from
Hungarian inventor
László Bíró
László József Bíró (; born László József Schweiger; 29 September 1899 – 24 October 1985), Hispanicized as Ladislao José Biro, was a Hungarian-Argentine inventor who patented the first commercially successful modern ballpoint pen. The ...
, and using Swiss watchmaking tools, he devised a manufacturing process that produced stainless-steel balls for the tip of the pen.
Bich soon perfected the design of the ballpoint pen, and the
Bic Cristal
The BIC Cristal (stylised as BiC Cristal and also known as the Bic pen) is an inexpensive, disposable ballpoint pen mass-produced and sold by Société Bic of Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France. It was introduced in December 1950 and is the best-se ...
ballpoint pen became the company's first product in 1950.
Bich formed Société Bic in 1953,
and the company was listed on the Paris Stock Exchange in 1972. The design of the pen has remained mostly unchanged since its initial launch, and as of 2021, remains the best-selling pen in the world.
Global expansion
Between 1950 and the 1970s, Bic expanded globally into
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
,
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
,
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
, and
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
.
In 1958, the takeover of the American company "
Waterman Pen Company" allowed Bic to establish itself in the United States.
In December 2015, Bic acquired 100 percent ownership in Cello Writing, India, and the company was renamed as "Bic Cello (India)". Cello was founded in 1995 and, as of December 2015, is India's largest manufacturer and distributor of writing instruments. In 2019 Bic inaugurated a new facility located in
Nairobi, Kenya
Nairobi ( ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai language, Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows throug ...
, which serves the
East Africa
East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territories make up Eastern Africa:
Due to the historical ...
region. As of May 2021, Bic has over 25 factories around the world.
Bic's global headquarters remains in Clichy, outside of Paris, France. Its U.S. headquarters are in
Shelton, Connecticut
Shelton is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 40,869 at the 2020 United States Census.
History
Origins
Shelton was settled by the English as part of the town of Stratford, Connecticut, in 1639. On May 15, ...
.
Products and product diversification
Stationery
Following the success of the Bic Cristal ballpoint pen, Bic released its next pen, the 4 color pen, in 1970. The 4 color pen allowed one to change the ink color without changing the pen.
In 1970,
Gillette
Gillette is an American brand of safety razors and other personal care products including shaving supplies, owned by the multi-national corporation Procter & Gamble (P&G).
Based in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, it was owned by The Gil ...
purchased
S. T. Dupont
S.T. Dupont is a French manufacturing company based in Paris, which has been making luxury goods since its founding in 1872.
Products commercialised include handbags, lighters, collectible pens, perfumes (produced under license by ''Interparfums ...
Paris, whose principal product was luxury cigarette lighters. During this time Dupont explored the possibilities of marketing a disposable lighter, developing an inexpensive disposable lighter called Cricket, which it introduced in the United States in 1972. Later that year Bic was test marketing a disposable lighter that could provide 3,000 lights before wearing out; Bic introduced this lighter in 1973. Typically the most affordable lighter on the market, the Bic disposable lighter was extremely popular and remains so today. Bic also started to produce disposable razors during the 1970s. In 1975, the brand released the one-piece polystyrene razor, which became a highly demanded product.
Razors
During the 1980s, Bic shaving products reached $52 million in sales and conquered 22.4% of the market shares. In 1981, Bic began a subsidiary called Bic Sport, which manufactured and sold
water sports
Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a s ...
products. Bic announced the sale of Bic Sport to the Estonian company Tahe Outdoor in 2019.
In 1989, Bic attempted further product diversification with the introduction of pocket-sized perfume spritzers. The perfumes were unsuccessful and were withdrawn in 1991.
1990s–present
In 1992, Bic purchased
Wite-Out Products, an American brand of correction products, and subsequently reintroduced the correction fluid as Bic Wite Out.
Bic's shaving portfolio expanded throughout the 1990s and 2000s, adding the Soleil, a brand of razors for women, in 2004, and increasing the number of blades until the Flex 5 launched, with five blades, in January 2015 in the United States.
The BiC Phone
![BIC Phone 7121359535 e04112ef8b o](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/BIC_Phone_7121359535_e04112ef8b_o.jpg)
In the summer of 2008, Bic launched the
Bic Phone
The Bic Phone is a variant of the Alcatel (mobile device brand), Alcatel OT-S210 GSM mobile phone. An inexpensive phone with only the most basic of features, it is marketed in France and Spain by Orange (brand), Orange as a "disposable" phone to ...
, marketed primarily in France and Belgium. It was advertised as a ready-to-use phone with one hour of communication and integrated
SIM card
file:SIM-Karte von Telefónica O2 Europe - Standard und Micro.jpg, A typical SIM card (mini-SIM with micro-SIM cutout)
file:Sim card.png, A smart card taken from a Global System for Mobile Communications, GSM mobile phone
file:Simkarte NFC SecureE ...
and charged battery. The SIM card came loaded with 10 minutes of prepaid calls.
In 2011, it was priced at €29 and came in 4 colors. The phone was the result of a partnership between Bic and
Orange S.A.
Orange S.A. (), formerly France Télécom S.A. (stylized as france telecom) is a French multinational telecommunications corporation. It has 266 million customers worldwide and employs 89,000 people in France, and 59,000 elsewhere. In 2015, ...
, though it was manufactured and distributed by
Alcatel-Lucent.
2018–present
In 2018, Bic introduced a new line of temporary tattoo markers called BodyMark by Bic. Soon after, in 2019, Bic launched the Made For You grooming line, a line of shaving products without gender labels.
In 2020, Bic purchased Djeep, a manufacturer of high-end and personalized lighters. The acquisition allowed Bic to expand its customizable lighter offerings. That same year, Bic acquired Rocketbook, the leading smart reusable notebook brand in the U.S., in order to bring together analog and digital writing.
The company introduced a new line of eco-friendly stationery products called Bic ReVolution in 2021. All are made of at least 50% recycled plastic. The paperboard used in all of the packaging is made of 100% recycled content.
In May 2021, Bic launched an ad campaign featuring
Martha Stewart
Martha Helen Stewart (, ; born August 3, 1941) is an American retail businesswoman, writer, and television personality. As founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, she gained success through a variety of business ventures, encompassing pub ...
and
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...
.
In January 2022, Bic expanded its focus on human expression through the acquisition of Inkbox. The direct-to-consumer, semi-permanent tattoo brand empowers customers with tools for self-expression. With the DIY Skin Creative market expected to reach $1.5 billion in value by 2031, the acquisition of Inkbox is expected to elevate Bic to a leadership position in the fast-growing skin creative industry.
Ownership
The Bich family owns about 46% of issued shares and controls 63% of its voting power.
Sponsorship
Bic sponsored a professional cycling team in the 1960s, led by
Tour de France
The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. Like the other Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España), it consists ...
winners
Jacques Anquetil
Jacques Anquetil (; 8 January 1934 – 18 November 1987) was a French road racing cyclist and the first cyclist to win the Tour de France five times, in 1957 and from 1961 to 1964.
He stated before the 1961 Tour that he would gain the y ...
and
Luis Ocaña
Jesús Luis Ocaña Pernía (; 9 June 1945 – 19 May 1994) was a Spanish road bicycle racer who won the 1973 Tour de France and the 1970 Vuelta a España. During the 1971 Tour de France he launched an amazing solo breakaway that put him ...
. The company began sponsoring the Tour again in 2011 as an "official supporter", which they have continued to do to the present day.
Bic also sponsored the
Alain Prost
Alain Marie Pascal Prost (; born 24 February 1955) is a French retired racing driver and Formula One team owner. A four-time Formula One World Drivers' Champion, from 1987 until 2001 he held the record for most Grand Prix victories until Mich ...
–led
Prost Grand Prix
Prost Grand Prix was a Formula One racing team owned and managed by four-time Formula One world champion Alain Prost. The team participated in five seasons from 1997 to 2001.
History
Purchase of Ligier
As early as 1992, Alain Prost had ambitio ...
team in Formula One from 1997 to 2000.
Corporate identity
Logo
The corporate logo comprises two parts; a
rhomboid
Traditionally, in two-dimensional geometry, a rhomboid is a parallelogram in which adjacent sides are of unequal lengths and angles are non-right angled.
A parallelogram with sides of equal length (equilateral) is a rhombus but not a rhomboid.
...
with curved corners, left and right sides angled upward and containing the letters "BiC" with "i" the only one in
lower case
Letter case is the distinction between the letters that are in larger uppercase or capitals (or more formally ''majuscule'') and smaller lowercase (or more formally ''minuscule'') in the written representation of certain languages. The writing ...
, and the Bic Boy to its left. The rhomboid, which debuted in 1950 to coincide with the launch of the
Bic Cristal
The BIC Cristal (stylised as BiC Cristal and also known as the Bic pen) is an inexpensive, disposable ballpoint pen mass-produced and sold by Société Bic of Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France. It was introduced in December 1950 and is the best-se ...
, was originally
red
Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondar ...
with
white
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
letters. The
font
In metal typesetting, a font is a particular size, weight and style of a typeface. Each font is a matched set of type, with a piece (a "sort") for each glyph. A typeface consists of a range of such fonts that shared an overall design.
In mod ...
of the letters remains unchanged. The Bic Boy is described on the corporation's website as "a schoolboy, with a head in the shape of a ball, holding a pen behind his back." The ball is the
tungsten carbide
Tungsten carbide (chemical formula: WC) is a chemical compound (specifically, a carbide) containing equal parts of tungsten and carbon atoms. In its most basic form, tungsten carbide is a fine gray powder, but it can be pressed and formed into ...
one that was the key feature in Bic's new
ballpoint pen
A ballpoint pen, also known as a biro (British English), ball pen (Hong Kong, Indian and Philippine English), or dot pen ( Nepali) is a pen that dispenses ink (usually in paste form) over a metal ball at its point, i.e. over a "ball point". ...
s in 1960. The schoolboy was designed by
Raymond Savignac
Raymond Savignac, often just abbreviated to "Savignac", was a French graphic artist famous for his commercial posters. He was born on November 6, 1907 in Paris, and died on October 30, 2002 in Trouville-sur-Mer (Calvados), aged 94. His work is d ...
who also developed the product's "Nouvelle Bille" (new ballpoint)
advertising campaign
An advertising campaign is a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme which make up an integrated marketing communication (IMC). An IMC is a platform in which a group of people can group their ideas, beliefs, and conc ...
, which was intended to attract the attention of children. When the Bic Boy was added to the left of the rhomboid one year later in 1961, both changed to the newly adopted official corporate color of
orange
Orange most often refers to:
*Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis''
** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower
*Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum
* ...
(
Pantone
Pantone LLC (stylized as PANTONE) is a limited liability company headquartered in Carlstadt, New Jersey. The company is best known for its Pantone Matching System (PMS), a proprietary color space used in a variety of industries, notably graphic ...
1235C).
In popular culture
In 2018,
Centquatre-Paris featured a Bic exhibition, which included 150 works created with the Bic collection. The exhibition included works from works by
Alberto Giacometti
Alberto Giacometti (, , ; 10 October 1901 – 11 January 1966) was a Swiss sculptor, painter, draftsman and printmaker. Beginning in 1922, he lived and worked mainly in Paris but regularly visited his hometown Borgonovo to see his family and ...
,
René Magritte
René François Ghislain Magritte (; 21 November 1898 – 15 August 1967) was a Belgian surrealist artist known for his depictions of familiar objects in unfamiliar, unexpected contexts, which often provoked questions about the nature and bounda ...
and
Fernand Léger
Joseph Fernand Henri Léger (; February 4, 1881 – August 17, 1955) was a French painting, painter, sculpture, sculptor, and film director, filmmaker. In his early works he created a personal form of cubism (known as "tubism") which he gradually ...
, Martin Parr and Mamadou Cissé.
The Bic Cristal is exhibited at the
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.
It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of ...
in New York and the
Center Pompidou in Paris.
In 2020, the Bic Corporate Foundation was recognized in the
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
Documentary On ''Est Ensemble''. The film follows French social entrepreneur Stephane de Freitas on his journey to meet social change worldwide, introducing viewers to the organization's work in Brazil to educate and empower women.
In July 2021, Bic partnered with iconic French 19th-century department store
La Samaritaine
La Samaritaine (French pronunciation: a samaʁitɛn is a large department store in Paris, France, located in the first arrondissement. The nearest métro station is Pont-Neuf, directly in front at the quai du Louvre and the rue de la Monnaie ...
to create a limited-edition collection of products inspired by the façade for which it is famous.
Additionally, in August 2021, to celebrate more than 70 years of the Cristal Ballpoint Pen, Bic has collaborated with luxury French malletier, Pinel et Pinel, on the launch of a special-edition version of its iconic pen.
Filmography
* ''Le Bic Cristal'', a documentary for television directed by Danielle Schirman and first aired on ''
Arte
Arte (; (), sometimes stylized in lowercase or uppercase in its logo) is a European public service channel dedicated to culture.
It is made up of three separate companies: the Strasbourg-based European Economic Interest Grouping ARTE, plus ...
'' in October 2005.
References
External links
*
Société Bic Company Profile and NewsBloomberg Bloomberg may refer to:
People
* Daniel J. Bloomberg (1905–1984), audio engineer
* Georgina Bloomberg (born 1983), professional equestrian
* Michael Bloomberg (born 1942), American businessman and founder of Bloomberg L.P.; politician and ma ...
{{Authority control
Fountain pen and ink manufacturers
Cigarette lighter brands
Writing implement manufacturers
Manufacturing companies of France
Manufacturing companies established in 1945
French companies established in 1945
French brands
Personal care brands
Razor brands
Companies based in Île-de-France
Companies listed on Euronext Paris
Lighters (firelighting)
1970s initial public offerings