Marcel Bich
Encyclopedia
Marcel Bich was the co-founder of Bic, the world's leading producer of ballpoint pen
s.
, France
. Bich’s knowledge of the writing instrument trade, gained while working as a production manager for an ink maker, had them starting with production of fountain pen
parts and mechanical lead pencils. In 1950, Bich purchased the patent
for the ballpoint pen from Hungarian
László Bíró
who had been producing such pens since 1943 in Argentina
.
The company formed by Bich still exists as the Société Bic
Group and is listed on the Paris Stock Exchange.
Baron Bich was a keen sailor. He funded four campaigns to compete in the trials to select a challenger for the America's Cup
in 1970, 1974, 1977 and 1980. He was inducted into the America's Cup Hall of Fame
in 1998.
Ballpoint pen
A ballpoint pen is a writing instrument with an internal ink reservoir and a sphere for a point. The internal chamber is filled with a viscous ink that is dispensed at its tip during use by the rolling action of a small sphere...
s.
History
In 1945, Bich and his partner, Edouard Buffard, bought an empty factory near ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Bich’s knowledge of the writing instrument trade, gained while working as a production manager for an ink maker, had them starting with production of fountain pen
Fountain pen
A fountain pen is a nib pen that, unlike its predecessor the dip pen, contains an internal reservoir of water-based liquid ink. The pen draws ink from the reservoir through a feed to the nib and deposits it on paper via a combination of gravity and capillary action...
parts and mechanical lead pencils. In 1950, Bich purchased the patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
for the ballpoint pen from Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
László Bíró
László Bíró
László József Bíró was the inventor of the modern ballpoint pen.Bíró was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1899. He presented the first production of the ball pen at the Budapest International Fair in 1931...
who had been producing such pens since 1943 in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.
The company formed by Bich still exists as the Société Bic
Société Bic
Société Bic is a company based in Clichy, France, founded in 1945, by Baron Marcel Bich known for making disposable products including lighters, magnets, ballpoint pens, shaving razors and watersports products. It competes in most markets against Faber-Castell, Global Gillette, Newell Rubbermaid...
Group and is listed on the Paris Stock Exchange.
Baron Bich was a keen sailor. He funded four campaigns to compete in the trials to select a challenger for the America's Cup
America's Cup
The America’s Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America's Cup match races between two yachts. One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America's Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging...
in 1970, 1974, 1977 and 1980. He was inducted into the America's Cup Hall of Fame
America's Cup Hall of Fame
The America's Cup Hall of Fame, located at the Herreshoff Marine Museum of Bristol, Rhode Island, USA, honors individuals for outstanding achievement in the America's Cup sailing competition...
in 1998.