both of which can support premium prices in the market. Because of this strategy, the company was able to become the leading small appliance maker in Europe.
The acquisition of Papermate Pens in 1955 at first seems a strange business move for a razor blade company. However, at the time the company made its money selling blades for its razors, and Papermate's largest profits came from selling cartridge replacements for its ball-point pens. In 1987, Gillette added the premium Waterman Pen Company of France to its portfolio, with the result that it now has pen products that cover the entire spectrum of writing instruments, from 30 cent disposable pens to premium-priced ($400) Watermans. As a result, Gillette is now the world's largest writing instrument company (Chakravarty, February 4, 1991, p. 85). The company also added Parker Pen to its port
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