11.14.05
Gillette executives don’t mind a little com- petition—even when the competition may come from within. Last month, Gillette said it would invest up to $7 million with Palomar Medical Tech- nologies Inc. to develop an at-home laser hair removal device for women. Gillette plans to invest up to $7 million during the next 30 months to develop the device, which would be an at-home version of a costly hair removal machine that can only be used at a doctor’s office.
The current agreement only involves research and development, but if testing and regulatory requirements are met, the two companies said they will consider a commercial launch. If the product is successful, it could cut into demand for Gillette’s namesake razors, but a spokeswoman said the company hoped that any new product would “augment and enhance” Gillette’s razor business.
The current agreement only involves research and development, but if testing and regulatory requirements are met, the two companies said they will consider a commercial launch. If the product is successful, it could cut into demand for Gillette’s namesake razors, but a spokeswoman said the company hoped that any new product would “augment and enhance” Gillette’s razor business.