Société Bic S.A., commonly called Bic and stylized as BiC, is a French manufacturing corporation based in Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine. A world leader in stationery, lighters, and shavers for more than 75 years, BIC has become one of the world’s most recognized brands and is a trademark registered worldwide. It was founded in 1945 by Marcel Bich. [3] History [ edit ] a b c d Fletcher, Alan, ed. (2006). Phaidon Design Classics – Volume 2 (1. publ.ed.). London: Phaidon Press. ISBN 0-7148-4399-7.

a b c d Stadler, Sophie (9 April 2021). "Stylo Bic, ce jetable qui semble éternel". leparisien.fr (in French) . Retrieved 27 May 2021. BIC Official Supporter of the Tour de France". Bicworld.com. 15 June 2012 . Retrieved 19 August 2014. 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. [4] Marcel Bich bought the patent for the ballpoint pen from Hungarian inventor László Bíró, and using Swiss watchmaking tools, he devised a manufacturing process that produced stainless-steel balls for the tip of the pen. [5] Bich soon perfected the design of the ballpoint pen, and the Bic Cristal ballpoint pen became the company's first product in 1950. [6] [7] The Bic Cristal has sold over one hundred billion units since its launch in 1950. [8] In 1944, near the end of the Second World War, entrepreneur Marcel Bich bought a factory in Clichy, a suburb north of Paris, [2] and with business partner Edouard Buffard founded Société PPA (later Société Bic) in 1945. "PPA" stood for Porte-plume, Porte-mines et Accessoires; pens, mechanical pencils and accessories. During the war Bich had seen a ballpoint pen manufactured in Argentina by László Bíró. Between 1949 and 1950 the Bic Cristal was designed by the Décolletage Plastique design team at Société PPA. [3] [4] Bich invested in Swiss technology capable of shaping metal down to 0.01 millimetres (0.00039in), which could produce a stainless steel one-millimetre (0.039in) sphere which allowed ink to flow freely. [5] Bich developed a viscosity of ink which neither leaked nor clogged and, under a ballpoint pen patent licensed from Bíró, launched the Cristal in December 1950. [3]

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A Brief History of Flame: The Story of the Everyday Lighter". sharrowmills.com . Retrieved 15 September 2023. On November 20, 1962, BIC launched a range of three luxury ballpoint pens: Chrome, Luxury, and Grand Luxury. In 1969, Bic launched its advertising campaign in the United States. A year later, the 4-color Bic was launched. The 4 color pen allowed one to change the ink color without changing the pen. [13] Bic's ability to mass produce the manufacturing of their pens resulted in low prices. [14]

a b c Lemon, Michael (28 April 2015). "Bic Cristal Pens | The World's Most Popular Pen". OSU.EDU. Ohio State University . Retrieved 26 March 2017. Apart from fountain pens, I find myself using multifunction pens (or "multi pens")often. At work, I usually alternate between writing in pen and pencil, and on the pen side I regularly switch colors when I’m annotating documents and taking notes. When I’m at my desk at home, it’s easy to grab a pencil out of my pencil cup, or to simply reach for a different pen when I want to change colors, but if I’m sitting in a meeting at work or on an airplane, multi pens are the way to go. The universe of multi pens out there on the market, however, can be confusing and frustrating, and if you don’t do your research on the front end you can wind up with an unpleasant surprise when your refills run out and you realize replacements are unexpectedly expensive or difficult to find. Between 1950 and the 1970s, BIC expanded globally into Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, and Spain. In 1956, the company established itself in Brazil, and soon after expanded into the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Scandinavia in 1957. [5] In 1958, the takeover of the American company " Waterman Pen Company" allowed BIC to establish itself in the United States while continuing its development in Africa and the Middle East. [11] In 1959, BIC acquired the Swedish company Ballograf. [12]

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In December 2015, BIC acquired 100 percent ownership in Cello Writing, India, and the company was renamed as "BIC Cello (India)". [21] Cello was founded in 1995 and, as of December 2015, is India's largest manufacturer and distributor of writing instruments. [22] In 2019 BIC inaugurated a new facility located in Nairobi, Kenya, which serves the East Africa region. [23] As of May 2021, BIC has over 25 factories around the world. [5] BIC's global headquarters remains in Clichy, outside of Paris, France. Its U.S. headquarters are in Shelton, Connecticut. [24] BIC Joins 1% For The Planet To Further Enhance Commitment To Positive Environmental Impact Efforts". Waste360. 21 September 2022 . Retrieved 15 September 2023. In 2020, the Bic Corporate Foundation was recognized in the Netflix 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. [57] BIC® Pivo Chrome combines clean lines and chrome trim in a professional, compelling, twist-action promotional pen. Promotional BIC® Pens come in a wide variety of styles and designs. There’s a type of BIC® pen to suit every brand, budget, and occasion, from customer service counters to office supply cabinets, special events, and direct mail campaigns. Custom BIC® Clic Pens

The BIC® Pivo pen is a modern, twist-action promotional BIC pen that comes in myriad color options and combinations. a b "Everyday Icon #3 The BIC Biro". Phaidon. Archived from the original on 15 May 2013 . Retrieved 16 May 2017. Pourquoi Bic rachète la première usine de briquets de son histoire". Les Echos (in French). 16 June 2020 . Retrieved 27 May 2021. Raghunathan, Anu. "French Stationery Major Bic Buys India's Largest Maker Of Writing Instruments - Cello Pens". Forbes . Retrieved 27 May 2021.The Conté company was acquired by BIC in 1979. [15] In 1981, BIC launched "BIC Sport", which specializes in windsurfing boards. In 1985, the “BIC Mini lighter” was launched and, in 1991, the company launched the “BIC Electronic” lighter. 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 1950 and is the best-selling pen in the world, with the 100 billionth sold in September 2006. It has become the archetypal ballpoint pen and is considered ubiquitous, [1] to the extent that the Museum of Modern Art has made it a permanent part of its collection. Its hexagonal form and design mimics a standard pencil and it is sold in six types of point and 18 colours around the world. Bic cède sa filiale sport au numéro un européen des kayaks". Les Echos (in French). 2 January 2019 . Retrieved 27 May 2021. A Book for Her by Bridget Christie review – a hybrid of writing and performance". the Guardian. 20 July 2015 . Retrieved 4 June 2021.

Corporation, B. I. C. (13 April 2021). "BIC USA Inc. Launches Its First Full Range Eco-Friendly Stationery Line Made Of At Least 50% Recycled Plastic". www.prnewswire.com . Retrieved 15 September 2023. In May 2021, BIC launched an ad campaign featuring Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg to promote their new EZ Reach lighter. [31] BIC® Tri-Stic WideBody: A comfortable grip and three sides for your messaging means hours of comfortable writing plus branding visibility from every angle.Bic boss Bruno Bich not disposable after all". Gulf-Times (in Arabic). 22 May 2016 . Retrieved 27 May 2021.