Société BIC

History and Products

In 1950, in Clichy, France, Baron Marcel Bich and Edouard Buffard formed Société BIC and introduced BIC Cristal, a plastic disposable ballpoint pen for sale to the public. In 1973, Société BIC launched a plastic disposable butane lighter with the slogan, “Flick your BIC.” In 1975, BIC introduced the world's first disposable plastic shaver. Through acquisitions and expansion of its product lines, BIC rapidly gained a global presence. In 2005, BIC sold its one-billionth ballpoint pen. In the early 21st century, BIC leads the global market in disposable ballpoint pens with sales exceeding 20 million pens each day. Each day, BIC produces 5 million plastic disposable lighters. With sales in 160 countries traversing all continents and 3.2 million retail outlets, BIC manufactures over 40 million disposable product units each day. BIC sells ancillary products: stationery supplies, plastic “sleeves” for storing plastic lighters, and ashtrays (product life: approximately five butts per ashtray), and a BIC plastic phone. BIC Sport produces surfboards, sporting gear, kayaks, and dinghies from plastic materials. Additionally, approximately 14 percent of the company's revenue derives from contracted advertising and promotions campaigns utilizing BIC products.

BIC, as the corporation now calls itself, regularly updates graphics and designs on its butane lighter skins, depicting a vast spectrum of imagery and trendy motifs, aimed at luring a culturally diverse market. BIC has launched a consumer-friendly Website (http://BICworld.com) and an iTunes for iPhones and iPods—a digital lighter aimed at concert crowds—the digital image of a flame is a novelty item and sways when you move the phone.

BIC product designs have been exhibited at New York's Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in MOMA's Department of Architecture and Design. The BIC Cristal ballpoint pen is included in MOMA's permanent collection.

Hazardous and Nonhazardous Waste

Every day, consumers buy 24 million BIC stationery products, 5 million BIC lighters, 10 million BIC shavers, and 4 million advertising and promotional products. BIC faces global competition from both legal and illegal sources, including Gillette, Sheaffer, Papermate, and other corporations. In China alone, dozens of manufacturers turn out billions of “Looks-like-a-BIC” products, and a worldwide black market in fake “BIC” products is flourishing. The rate of disposable toxic waste grows exponentially.

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