Schick bets guys will invest in comfortable and precise shaves

Gentlemen, we’ve come a long way from the days of straight-edge razors and shaving brushes.    

A new  razor from Schick — the  Quattro Titanium Trimmer — has a “battery-powered trimmer … a high-efficiency compact motor and low-friction technology,” according to Energizer Holdings Inc. of Town and Country, Schick’s parent company.

Aren’t the number of nicks and the amount of blood spilt  while shaving  supposed  to  be  badges of manliness?  

In the constant  competition with Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble Co. — seller of Gillette Fusion and other shavers — Energizer’s Schick division  is planning to introduce next-generation shaving products next year.  

The Titanium Trimmer, going on sale in the spring, is “the only razor that shaves, edges and trim,” according to the company’s latest annual report. The trimmer delivers “the functionality of a much larger trimmer,”  chief executive Ward Klein said in  a letter to shareholders included in the report.

Energizer is counting on new products to fuel continued growth in the Schick franchise, especially in international markets where fiscal 2007 sales increased 5 percent, not counting currency impacts. The “razors and blades” segment accounted for 29 percent of Energizer’s sales and 25 percent of profits in the 2007 fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30.