BIC

The Bic logo is made up of two elements: The BIC lettering in its slanted, round-cornered rectangle and the Bic Boy, which was designed by French graphic designer Raymond Savignac. The Bic logo has not been modified since 1950, when it first appeared.

Raymond Savignac, c.1956

Raymond Savignac, 1978

Raymond Savignac, 1950

Ruedi Kulling, 1961

Fix-Masseau, 1950

Amalric, 1950

Anonymous, 1950

In Clichy (France) in 1950, Marcel BICH obtained the patent for a ballpoint pen invented by a Hungarian, Laslo Biro, improved its process, and introduced his own ballpoint pen which he called “pointe BIC®”, a shortened, easy-to-remember version of his own name.

In 1953, he formed SOCIÉTÉ BIC to manufacture and market BIC® ballpoint pens. Remarkable for its writing features, its accessible price, and its original design, a form that fully follows function, the BIC® ballpoint pen revolutionized writing habits.

The company began to enter foreign markets and introduced new writing instruments. BIC diversified its activities by launching the BIC® lighter in 1973, the BIC® shaver in 1975, and BIC Sport sailboard in 1981.

Since its founding, BIC has built its success on a clear vision of making top-quality affordable BIC® products available to everyone. The BIC® brand is recognized the world over, and is synonymous with functionality, affordability, and universality.

1945 | Marcel Bich, who had been the production manager for a French ink manufacturer, buys a factory outside Paris and sets up business with his partner, Edouard Buffard, as a maker of fountain pen parts and mechanical lead pencils. He sees the enormous potential of a ballpoint pen that offers both quality and value.

1950 | Marcel Bich introduces his ballpoint pen in Europe, which he calls “BIC” a shortened, easy-to-remember version of his own name.

1956 | BIC begins operations outside of Europe and opens in Brazil. BIC launches the M10 Clic retractable ballpoint pen.

1958 | Recognizing the universal appeal that a mass-produced ballpoint pen has, Marcel Bich turns his attention to the vast United States market and buys the Waterman Pen Company in Seymour, Connecticut. BIC also starts its development in Africa and the Middle East. In 1963, Waterman-BIC moves to its present site in Milford, Connecticut, which is today the headquarters of BIC Corporation.

1959 | Swedish ball pen company Ballograf® is acquired.

1965 | BIC enters the Japanese market.

1969 | BIC offers in the United States a line of diverse promotional BIC® products for the corporate advertising and gift business. This activity is now handled by BIC Graphic USA.

1972 | BIC becomes a publicly traded company on the Paris Stock Exchange on November 15th.

1973 | BIC diversifies its activities by launching the BIC® Lighter with adjustable flame. With its quality and reliability, it becomes a major success.

1975 | Not content to just revolutionize the writing and lighting habits of the world, BIC also launches a one-piece shaver that offers a quality shave at a fraction of the price of more traditional systems. BIC® Shavers now have a leading market share among one-piece shavers.

1979 | Conté®, French pencils and felt pens, is acquired.

1981 | Recognizing the growth in the leisure industry, BIC begins a subsidiary called BIC Sport, which markets sailboards. Today BIC Sailboards are the number one selling sailboard in the world.

1985 | BIC launches its BIC® Mini lighter.

1992 | BIC acquires Wite-Out® Products, Inc. and prepares to launch a complete line under the Wite-Out® Brand. BIC launches the Softfeel® Ball Pen.

1997 | BIC acquires Tipp-Ex®, Europe’s leading brand of correction products, and Sheaffer, a worldwide brand of premium writing instruments. BIC Graphic Europe offers a line of diverse promotional BIC® products for the corporate advertising and gift business.

1998 | BIC introduces more than 10 stationery products including the BIC® NS Fine, Wide Body™, M.V.P Erasable™ ball pens, Great Erase™ and Softsider™ mechanical pencils, the Softfeel Bold™ permanent marker, and Wite-Out® brand correction tape. The company also launches the BIC® Spicy Mini electronic lighter with striking colors, the SureStart® child-resistant utility lighter, and BIC® Plus™ shavers. From 1998 until 2003, CITROEN, the famous French car manufacturer, launched in partnership with BIC, a limited edition of the SAXO model: the Saxo BIC.

1999 | BIC launches more new stationery products including BIC® Cristal Grip™, Round Stic Grip™, Atlantis™, and Softfeel® Jumbo ballpens, Softfeel® Rollers, Softfeel® Finestyle, as well as the Tipp-Ex® Mini Pocket Mouse™.

The twin blade shaver BIC® Softwin™, launches in Greece and Italy, featuring a unique pivoting head, as well as two lubricating strips and a rubberized handle.

2000 | The Marne-La-Vallée (France) state of the art writing instruments factory opens. BIC launches a wide variety of new products: ball pens with added features such as BIC® Cristal™ Colors, Sensi® Grip, Intensity™ gel ink roller, Technolight™ free ink pocket highlighter, a new foam applicator for correction fluid, and Tipp-Ex® Shake’n Squeeze correction pen. The BIC® Softwin™ shaver is introduced in new countries, including the US in March and France in May.

2001 | BIC continues to launch new products in the stationery business (BIC® CRISTAL® Pocket, e.3, CONTE® Triangular PLASTIDECOR®), the BIC® Megalighter and the BIC® COMFORT TWIN one-piece shaver.

BIC increases its presence in Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia. BIC divestes the GUY LAROCHE fashion business, and continues streamlining of stationery business.

2002 | Bic continues to build on the strength of its classic products, bringing them to new markets and launch new value added products such as BIC® CRISTAL® GRIP and VELOCITY® ballpoint pens, BIC® Z4™, GRIP ROLLER, INTENSITY™ PASTEL, INTENSITY™ METALLIC, INTENSITY™ FLUO and INTENSITY™ CLIC rollers; CONTE EVOLUTION® TRIANGLE color pencil; TIPP-EX®/BIC® WITE-OUT® EXACT LINER™ correction tape; BIC® Styl’it lighter case; BIC® SPORT kayak.

2003 | Bic continues to grow their geographic presence and offer higher-quality products at a fair price to consumers. Launch of Cristal Pocket Scents™ and Orange™ Grip ballpoint pens, Cristal® Gel and Velocity® Gel rollers, Permanent Marker Grip, Atlantis™ and BIC Matic Fun mechanical pencils, and TIPP-EX® Micro Tape mini correction tape. The Luminere lighter enlarges the multi-purpose lighter range. Launch of the first BIC® triple-blade shaver: Comfort 3™.

2004 | Bic introduces new products with a more contemporary design, like the Flip Your BIC™ gel ink roller, the Z4™ Handwriting / Z4™ Bold felt tip pen, the Z4™ highlighter or the BIC® Velleda® Grip dry wipe marker ; Bic also improves the writing smoothness of its classics. Bic reinforces its partnership with Disney by launching Disney Magic Artist BIC® full range of coloring products; CONTE® coloring products are progressively commercialized under BIC® KIDS brand. In shaver, Bic launch the first triple-blade in the one-piece segment specifically designed for women: BIC® Soleil. BIC Sport enlarges its kayak range.