OUR STORY | BIC Corporate (2024)

1940-1949

• 1944 - Marcel Bich and Édouard Buffard start their business creating writing instrument parts.

1950-1959

• 1950 - Marcel Bich improves László Biró's ballpoint design and launches his own pen under the BIC^® brand. The first BIC® Cristal pen is introduced in France.
• 1951 - BIC establishes its presence in Belgium.
• 1953 - Société BIC is created.
• 1954 - BIC enters Italy.
• 1955 - BIC enters the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and Spain.
• 1956 - BIC launches theBIC^®M10^®retractable pen.
• 1956 - BIC expands into Brazil.
• 1957 - BIC moves into the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
• 1958 - BIC enters the North American market.
• 1958 - BIC expands into Africa and the Middle East.
• 1959 - BIC enters the Scandinavian market.

1960-1969

• 1960 - BIC develops in Africa and the Middle East, selling products through local distributors.
• 1961 - Raymond Savignac creates BIC's iconic BIC Boy logo.
• 1965 - BIC enters the Japanese market.
• 1969 - BIC creates BIC Graphic, offering other brands a selection of products to use as advertising aids.

1970-1979

• 1970 - BIC launches theBIC^®4-Color™ pen.
• 1972 - BIC is listed on the Paris Stock Exchange.
• 1973 - BIC launches the firstBIC^®full-size pocket lighter with an adjustable flame.
• 1973 - BIC begins manufacturing and distributing products in the Mexican market.
• 1975 - BIC is the first brand to launch a one-piece razor.
• 1979 - BIC acquires Conté^®, a famous 200-year-old French brand, and officially enters the coloring and drawing markets.

1980-1989

• 1980 - BIC launches its first razor with a sensitive blade.
• 1981 - After acquiring Tabur Marine, BIC begins manufacturing and selling water sports products under the BIC Sport brand.
• 1985 - BIC launches the BIC Mini Lighter.
• 1988 - BIC launches its first mechanical pencil, the BIC Matic.

1990-1999

• 1990 - BIC introduces the first decorated BIC lighter.
• 1992 - To broaden its range of stationery products, BIC purchases Wite-Out^®, a famous American brand of correction products.
• 1993 - BIC launches BIC^®Evolution^®, a graphite and coloring pencil made with recycled materials.
• 1994 - Bruno Bich assumes role as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
• 1995 - BIC opens BIC Polska, followed in 1996 by BIC Russia and further expansion in Eastern Europe.
• 1997 - BIC purchases the Tipp-Ex^®brand, the leading European brand of correction products.
• 1998 - BIC launches its first utility lighter in the United States.

2000-2009

• 2001 - The BIC^®Cristal^®pen enters the Museum of Modern Art of New York's permanent collection.
• 2002 - BIC launches a range of Multi-Purpose Lighters.
• 2003 - BIC launches its sustainable development program.
• 2004 - BIC acquires Stypen^®and enters the school fountain pen market.
• 2006 - BIC purchases Pimaco^®, adding adhesive labels to its stationery offerings in Latin America.
• 2006 - The BIC^®Cristal^®pen,full-size pocket lighter and Classic Original and Classic Sensitive razors enter the permanent collection of the Musée National d'Art Moderne/Centre de création industrielle-Centre Georges Pompidou Paris.
• 2006 - Mario Guevara is appointed Chief Executive Officer.
• 2009 -BIC launches the Ecolutions razor with a bioplastic handle and 100% recycled cardboard packaging.
• 2009 - BIC becomes the first writing instrument manufacturer to receive the French eco-label NF Environment (NF4000) for seven of its products.
• 2009 - BIC enters the Indian stationery market by acquiring 40% of Cello, the number one brand of writing instruments in India.

2010-2019

• 2011 - BIC partners with TerraCycle in Europe, a pioneer in collecting and reusing non-recyclable waste, for the collection of used writing instruments.
• 2012 - BIC establishes a subsidiary in the UAE to manage Middle East and Africa operations, creating proximity to customers and consumers.
• 2013 - BIC opens a lighter facility in China, better positioning the business to supply the fast-growing Asian lighter market.
• 2015 - BIC completes the acquisition of Cello in India, creating BIC Cello.
• 2015 - BIC opens ‘shopbic.com’ in the United States, the group’s first online shopping platform.
• 2015 - BIC launches BIC Kids, its first line of drawing and coloring tools for kids.
• 2016 - Bruno Bich is reinstated as Chief Executive Officer of BIC.
• 2016 - BIC creates the BIC Corporate Foundation for Education.
• 2017 - In partnership with Plas Eco, BIC develops ‘Ubicuity’ park benches made from recycled pens.
• 2018 - Gonzalve Bich becomes Chief Executive Officer of BIC.
• 2018 - BIC enters the temporary tattoo market with the launch of BodyMark^®By BIC^®temporary tattoo markers in North America.
• 2019 - BIC completes divestiture of BIC Sport, its water sports subsidiary, to Tahe Outdoors.
• 2019 - BIC acquires the Lucky stationery brand in Nigeria
• 2019 - BIC establishes a subsidiary in Lagos.

2020 to today

• 2020 - BIC launchesBodyMark^®By BIC^® in European markets.
• 2020 - BIC launches the EZ Reach multi-purpose pocket lighter in the United States – with an extended wand, it is perfect for all lighting occasions.
• 2020 - BIC acquires Djeep, a French manufacturer of high-end pocket lighters, strengthening leadership in branded pocket lighters.
• 2020 - BIC acquires Rocketbook, a brand of reusable smart notebooks, entering digital writing space.
• 2020 - BICsold its Brazilian adhesive label business, PIMACO, to Grupo CCRR.
• 2020 - BIC establishes its five-year Horizon Plan, a path to sustainability and ensuring a brighter future for all.
• 2021 - BIC launches the BIC Cristal Re’New ballpoint pen in Europe, the company’s first refillable metallic pen.
• 2022 - BIC establishes subsidiary in Ivory Coast to centralize West and Central Africa operations.
• 2022 - BIC acquires Inkbox, a Canadian brand of semi-permanent, realistic tattoos.
• 2022 - BIC acquires Tattly, a leading brand in temporary tattoos that works with real artists to develop designs.
• 2022 -BIC acquires AMI (Advanced Magnetic Interaction), a French start-up pioneer in augmented technology.
• 2024 -BIC makes its solo debut into the Metaverse with the launch of the Roblox game, BIC DrawPlanet: Go make WOW.
• 2024 - BIC launches its first reloadable lighter, the BIC EZ Load multi-purpose lighter, in North America.
• 2024 - BIC reintroduces the BIC Kids line in parts of Asia and Europe with updated products and packaging.
• 2024 - BIC launches its first ever metaverse art gallery leveraging the Cristal ballpoint pen competition, Art Master Africa.

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