Procter & Gamble forges R&D partnership to improve Gillette shave
In what is said to be an unprecedented move, Gillette executives say they have given the Stark Industries team a free reign, which will see Stark employees essentially ‘take over’ the World Shaving Headquarters, in Boston, Massachusetts.
Stark Industries has carved out a reputation for itself in the research and development field as being one of the most cutting edge businesses in the arena, having broken ground in the areas of robotics, aeronautics, fringe science and weaponry.
Tasked with building the next generation razor
The task is simple: to build a razor that can better P&G’s existing portfolio of blades, which includes the Fusion ProGlide with FlexBall technology, currently considered to be the company’s most advanced razor.
Stark Industries agreed to take up the challenge after convincing P&G executives that they were the best people to take Gillette razors to the next level.
“Gillette has developed one of the best shaving technologies around, but we wanted to see how Avengers-inspired technology would work in a razor,” said Abe Zimmer of Stark Industries.
Collaboration already in full swing
Work has already begun on the collaborative project, which has been sealed by a Gillette/Stark Industries sign that now adorns the R&D headquarters in Boston.
In the past week, the collaboration has resulted in four prototypes of razors that point to the new direction the Stark developers would like to take Gillette razors in, with each being named after Avenger film series characters – Iron Man, The Hulk, Captain America and Thor.
The four prototypes include a blade with Arc Reactor Technology, generating pulse beats to eliminate facial hair, a stress triggered sensor blade to increase razor mass to enhance the shave, Super Soldier Technology that incorporates a Vibranium-coated Shield and a concept known as Gillette Thunder that is said to scorch facial hair using micro-lightning technology.