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Gillette sues Schick as fight over razor patents cuts profits

The Gillette Co, the world's largest maker of razors and blades, took more actions on Friday to try to pre-empt hefty competition from the four-bladed Quattro razor that Schick-Wilkinson Sword has said it will introduce in a few weeks.

Gillette, which on Aug. 12 filed a patent infringement suit against Energizer Holdings, Schick's parent, filed a motion on Friday requesting a preliminary injunction against Schick.

It also announced a television campaign for its Mach3 Turbo razor that stresses Gillette's "advanced technology" and 57 patents, and that offers a money-back guarantee to anyone who concludes that any other razor gives a closer shave.

"We're putting our money where our technology is, in the shaving performance of Mach3 Turbo," said Eric Kraus, a Gillette spokesman.

Schick says it is not perturbed by either the suit or the ad.

Jacqueline Burwitz, an Energizer spokeswoman, said that Schick had its own "extensive worldwide portfolio" of patents, and that many of them protected the Quattro.

Gillette has a lot at stake. The Mach3 and Mach3 Turbo razors generated sales of more than US$2 billion last year, making them the world's best-selling razors.
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