Just hours after Schick announced this week that it plans to introduce a new four-bladed razor, The Gillette Co. filed a patent infringement lawsuit against its rival.
Gillette filed the lawsuit Tuesday against Energizer Holding, charging that the Schick Quattro razor, set to debut in September, illegally incorporates blade technology of the three-bladed Mach3 system in the Schick product, according to news reports.
The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in Federal District Court in Boston and asked for preliminary and permanent injunctive relief, monetary damages and other relief. In 2002, the Mach3 and Mach3Turbo systems generated $2 billion in worldwide sales, the report said. Schick, an intense competitor, remains a distant second in the market.
The filing comes just days after Boston-based Gillette announced that it would debut two new shaving systems and a new premium razor. Venus Divine will roll out in April 2004 and the Mach3Turbo Champion, a racing-themed razor, will be introduced next month. (Xtra, Aug. 7)
Energizer, St. Louis, bought the Schick-Wilkinson Sword business in January for $930 million.
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