What company owns Iridium blades?

[umgowa997]

Does anyone know anything about the company that makes Iridium razor blades? I know they use the big factory in St. Petersburg Russia. Gillette Sharp Edge is made there and I know the Gillette company is responsible for those blades . . (my favorites by the way). But I'd love to know who owns and is responsible for Iridium blades. Same question for the Shark blades made at the big Egyptian plant. Does anyone know who owns Shark blades? Is it an Egyptian company?

 

[rm71]

Apparently, Shark blades are made by Lord.

 

[lamina]

Does anyone know anything about the company that makes Iridium razor blades? ... But I'd love to know who owns and is responsible for Iridium blades.

Procter & Gamble is the owner...the brand Gillette still exists but just as a product brand.Once you could see their name at NYSE as a corporate name but it's no longer the case. In 1993 P&G bought a Polish factory named Wizamet, owners of the Iridium and Polsilver blades. How the transition was made to Russia still needs some sources...Maybe both plants were Wiz' owned?

 

[umgowa997]

Apparently, Shark blades are made by Lord.

Thanks, that's very helpful. Do you know if Lord is an American company? Or where they might be headquartered?

 

[michiganlover]

Thanks, that's very helpful. Do you know if Lord is an American company? Or where they might be headquartered?

Here is the Lord Website:

http://www.razorslord.com/

 

[umgowa997]

Here is the Lord Website:

http://www.razorslord.com/

I went to the Lord web site and it's very funny. It's written in broken English, obviously by someone with a limited grasp of our language. They don't tell you outright on the site that it is an Egyptian owned and based company but you can figure it out. Up top there is Arabic writing and some small pyramids. Also there is an Egyptian flag. So, as far as Shark blades are concerned they are manufactured in Egypt by an Egyptian owned company . . . unlike Iridiums which are manufactured in Russia by Procter & Gamble, a U.S. Company (just renting or using the big Russian plant). Same with the Gillette Sharp Edge. The word "Lord" is a fooler because it is an English word . . . I'm sure they figured out they could sell more blades that way, than with an Egyptian name.

 

[Rufust445]

I have here in my hand a yellow carton for Gillette 7o'clock SharpEdge blades.

On the bottom edge of the carton there is the following:

"Made by Petersburg Products Int., Pulkovskoye shosse 54, St. Petersburg, 196140, Russia under license from the Gillette Company, Boston, MA USA."

On the back of the carton is another address:

"Correspondence:
Gillette Middle Ease,
PO Box 1996, Dubai UAE"

Petersburg Products is 65% owned by Gillette/P&G, and the rest by the Russian government. That's the deal they could cut in the early '90's to get their foot in the door. The plant back then was in a rundown waterfront/warehouse district of St. Petersburg, making Sputniks, Astras, and other such blades. I believe a new plant has since been built on the outskirts of St. Petrsburg.

At about the same time in the early '90's, Gillette purchased Wizamet S.A. in Lodz, Poland They continued making Iridiums, Polsilvers, and "Swedes" there until 2005, when P&G decided to move all DE blade production to St. Petersburg. The Lodz plant was converted to making Mach3's and Fusions. The "W" on Iridium and Polsilver wrappers is the Wizamet logo.

The four large wax/glue spots under the wrapper are a trademark of any blade made in the St. Petersburg plant. They are a deal breaker for me. I'll use up what blades I have from there, but won't be buying more.

 

[Rufust445]

As for Lord, they did a joint venture with Wilkinson from 1978 to 1981.

Shark Super Stainless blades are part of my stash. They work well for me, and are available at a good price from B&B member Melyus.

 

[umgowa997]

I have here in my hand a yellow carton for Gillette 7o'clock SharpEdge blades.

On the bottom edge of the carton there is the following:

"Made by Petersburg Products Int., Pulkovskoye shosse 54, St. Petersburg, 196140, Russia under license from the Gillette Company, Boston, MA USA."

On the back of the carton is another address:

"Correspondence:
Gillette Middle Ease,
PO Box 1996, Dubai UAE"

Petersburg Products is 65% owned by Gillette/P&G, and the rest by the Russian government. That's the deal they could cut in the early '90's to get their foot in the door. The plant back then was in a rundown waterfront/warehouse district of St. Petersburg, making Sputniks, Astras, and other such blades. I believe a new plant has since been built on the outskirts of St. Petrsburg.

At about the same time in the early '90's, Gillette purchased Wizamet S.A. in Lodz, Poland They continued making Iridiums, Polsilvers, and "Swedes" there until 2005, when P&G decided to move all DE blade production to St. Petersburg. The Lodz plant was converted to making Mach3's and Fusions. The "W" on Iridium and Polsilver wrappers is the Wizamet logo.

The four large wax/glue spots under the wrapper are a trademark of any blade made in the St. Petersburg plant. They are a deal breaker for me. I'll use up what blades I have from there, but won't be buying more.

Thanks for all the information. You certainly are knowledgeable on the subject. I couldn't help noticing your reaction to the 4 little (I perceive them as little) glue spots on the Gillette Sharp Edges I get from the St. Petersburg plant. They don't bother me at all. They don't affect the quality of the shave at all, so I just overlook them. It's interesting reading these forums how different things affect different people. I don't see how anyone could possibly shave with red pack Israeli's or Derbys, or Crystals, but there are people on this forum who love them. Different strokes.

 

[sandmountainslim]

Procter & Gamble is the owner...the brand Gillette still exists but just as a product brand.Once you could see their name at NYSE as a corporate name but it's no longer the case. In 1993 P&G bought a Polish factory named Wizamet, owners of the Iridium and Polsilver blades. How the transition was made to Russia still needs some sources...Maybe both plants were Wiz' owned?

Who makes the Gillette Super Thins from Vietnam and Thailand and where are they made??
They are marked "Registered Trademarks of The Gillette Company, Boston Mass". and the rest of the writing is in Thai and Vietnamese.

Wp

 

[Rufust445]

Thanks for all the information. You certainly are knowledgeable on the subject. I couldn't help noticing your reaction to the 4 little (I perceive them as little) glue spots on the Gillette Sharp Edges I get from the St. Petersburg plant. They don't bother me at all. They don't affect the quality of the shave at all, so I just overlook them. It's interesting reading these forums how different things affect different people. I don't see how anyone could possibly shave with red pack Israeli's or Derbys, or Crystals, but there are people on this forum who love them. Different strokes.

The glue spots on some of the blades I've used were so big they encroached on the edge of the blade. They can be removed by slicing/scraping them off with a used blade, but that's an extra chore and runs the risk of damaging the edge when the wax encroaches on the edge.

I've never tried Red Pack Personnas and see no need to based on what I've read about them. Derbys don't work for me, but Crystals do. The Shark Super Stainless and Treet Durasharp Classics that make up the bulk of my stash cost me less than Crystals, and work for me at least as well as Crystals, 7o'clock yellows, or Iridiums.

As always, YMMV.

 

[DerFly]

Just a stab in the dark here but perhaps by Gillette, Shanghai. Indonesian Gillette Goals are made there.

Who makes the Gillette Super Thins from Vietnam and Thailand and where are they made??
They are marked "Registered Trademarks of The Gillette Company, Boston Mass". and the rest of the writing is in Thai and Vietnamese.

Wp

 

[Shave A Buck]

Lord is in Eqypt now. When you see old blades such as Treet in antique stores you realize what has happened to double edge shaving here. Its no longer profitable and has been relegated to developing market countries where it is used most. Treet were made in Brooklyn back in the day, now Pakistan. Most of the blades have done the same through the years.

 

[Rufust445]

Treet Co. in Pakistan is a separate company, founded about the same time the country was founded in 1947. It's considered one of the top 25 companies on the Pakistan stock exchange.

They acquired the rights to make DE blades under the Treet name from ASR back then. ASR still retains the right to sell SE blades in the U.S. under the Treet name, as I have seen at Rite Aid.

Treet carbon steel blades from Pakistan carry the Treet logo in the same font style that ASR used in the '30's and '40's. The SE blades sold here also use that old logo.

For modern stainless blades and razors, Treet has developed a new font style, as I have seen on the Treet Platinums I have.

Despite the marketing efforts of P&G and others, DE blades still do well in poorer countries like Pakistan and most of Asia, because the customers seem to rebel at the higher cost of the alternatives.

 

[michiganlover]

because the customers seem to rebel at the higher cost of the alternatives.

I don't think it is a matter of rebelling, as much as it is a matter of not being able to afford to use an item that costs so much more. Cartridge razors are crazy expensive, and outside of the price range of most of the people in the developing world.

 

[lamina]

Planned obsolescence is a concept of well-developped countries, to keep money flowing from our pockets...In those countries a high price means high quality products or lifetime use...so they can not be thrown away.Why to buy an expensive product if it's just for one use, meaning inferior quality?

 

[KennD]

Treet Co. in Pakistan is a separate company, founded about the same time the country was founded in 1947. It's considered one of the top 25 companies on the Pakistan stock exchange.

They acquired the rights to make DE blades under the Treet name from ASR back then. ASR still retains the right to sell SE blades in the U.S. under the Treet name, as I have seen at Rite Aid.

Treet carbon steel blades from Pakistan carry the Treet logo in the same font style that ASR used in the '30's and '40's. The SE blades sold here also use that old logo.

For modern stainless blades and razors, Treet has developed a new font style, as I have seen on the Treet Platinums I have.

Despite the marketing efforts of P&G and others, DE blades still do well in poorer countries like Pakistan and most of Asia, because the customers seem to rebel at the higher cost of the alternatives.

Thanks for the information! I was kinda curious about Treet as a company. It's always nice to know more about the companies that I make the products that I purchase. I'm all for the revolting against higher cost, lower quality items.

 

[beaker]

I went to the Lord web site and it's very funny. It's written in broken English, obviously by someone with a limited grasp of our language. They don't tell you outright on the site that it is an Egyptian owned and based company but you can figure it out. Up top there is Arabic writing and some small pyramids. Also there is an Egyptian flag. So, as far as Shark blades are concerned they are manufactured in Egypt by an Egyptian owned company . . . unlike Iridiums which are manufactured in Russia by Procter & Gamble, a U.S. Company (just renting or using the big Russian plant). Same with the Gillette Sharp Edge. The word "Lord" is a fooler because it is an English word . . . I'm sure they figured out they could sell more blades that way, than with an Egyptian name.

Lord IS an Egyptian owned and located company, with a very long and fine history of producing blades. It was owned for a while by Wilkinson Sword as a production facility for it's blades for the (mainly) Middle Eastern and African markets.
During the Wilkinson Sword era the Lord brand name was created. Look at the sabre on the blade box - it's almost the same as the crossed sabres of the Wilkinson Sword logo.
The fact that Egypt was a British protectorate and therefore English was widely spoken explains the English names of some of their products e.g. the Big Ben blades and the (no longer produced) London Bridge blades.

The translation may be "funny", but Lord are deadly serious. They produce between two and three BILLION blades every year, and the factory is truly hi-tech. Egypt has a history of investing heavily in engineering and manufacturing.

I say good luck to them - how's the manufacturing industry been doing in the US and Britain over the last thirty years?

 

[khashayar]

hi. does anybody knows about the factorywho made the lord razor blade ?