BIC, based in Paris, turns everyday objects into disposable essentials so reliable they became the generic name for their category: writing instruments, lighters, and shavers built on one idea, that the simplest version of a thing is usually the best one. Founded in 1950 by Marcel Bich, Edouard Buffard, and Eugène Sivignon, the company stripped each product to its function and made it affordable enough to replace without a second thought. Seven decades on, BIC sells in more than 160 countries, with retail presence spanning every continent.