OCB (rolling paper)
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OCB (rolling paper)
| Product type | Rolling paper |
|---|---|
| Owner | Republic Tobacco |
| Country | France |
| Introduced | 1822 |
| Related brands | JOB |
| Markets | Worldwide |
| Previous owners | Bolloré Technologies |
| Registered as a trademark in | 1923 |
| Website | www |
OCB is a brand of rolling papers owned by Republic Tobacco.
| Product type | Rolling paper |
|---|---|
| Owner | Republic Tobacco |
| Country | France |
| Introduced | 1822 |
| Related brands | JOB |
| Markets | Worldwide |
| Previous owners | Bolloré Technologies |
| Registered as a trademark in | 1923 |
| Website | www |
Name
OCB stand for Odet Cascadec Bolloré.
Odet- A location in Ergué-Gabéric, Finistère on the banks of the Odet river which flows through Quimper where, in 1822, the first paper mill was founded.
Cascadec- A nearby location in Scaër, where another paper mill was located. It was rented in 1893 and bought 24 years later, in 1917.
Bolloré- From the Bolloré family which founded the company.
History
OCB traces its origins to the opening of a paper mill near the Odet river in western France in 1822 by Nicolas Le Marie (1790-1870), René Corentin Bolloré (1793-1838) and his older brother Guillaume Claude Bolloré.
[2] [3] The 2nd factory was created in 1893, the main function of this factory was to specialize in the manufacturing of smoking rolling papers. [3] [4] The company purchased the Casadec paper mill in 1917, having rented it for the previous 24 years. It initially produced letter copy paper, but later began making cigarette paper. As cigarettes began to grow in popularity in France, the mill focused most of its resources to produce cigarette paper, while letter paper, cotton paper, muslin paper and other paper products became secondary. [2]
The OCB name was first used in 1918, when the first packs of OCB papers were produced.
[2] [3] The OCB trademark was registered at the National Institute of Industrial Property in 1923. An 8-day celebration of the company's centennary was organized by René Bolloré in 1922. The Le Coq Francais rolling paper trademark was launched in 1923. [2] In 1930, two Bolloré paper mills produced nearly 2000 tons of paper on reels and 86 million packs of cigarette paper. 90% of the produce was exported, primarily to the United States. [2] [3]
During Nazi occupation of France, production dropped with only mill operating at 20% of its production capacity.
The company was unable continue exporting to the United States.
In 1938, French engineers from the company helped set up a mill in North Carolina to meet demand in the United States.
The company expanded its facilities in 1951 and 1960, began manufacturing bible paper, tea bags and insulating paper for condensers.
Vincent Bolloré assumed control of the company in 1981, and founded Bolloré Technologies.
[2] In 1987, Vincent Bolloré purchased competitor, JOB from Perpignan, France.
The company launched OCB Premium rolling papers in 1999.
In 2000, Vincent Bolloré sold an 81% stake to in the company to its main American customer since the 1960s Don Levin, owner of the American Republic Tobacco Group.
[2] Levin renamed the company to Republic Technologies.
Since July 2000, OCB is a brand of Republic Technologies, part of the Republic Group.
In 2006, Bolloré sold his remaining 19% share of the company to Levin.
The OCB Xpert range of rolling papers was launched in 2004.
OCB Organic, made of organic hemp paper was launched in 2009.
OCB biodegradeable filters were launched in 2010.
OCB Virgin rolling papers were launched in 2013, and OCB Ultimate in 2015.
In popular culture
In 1991, Cathy Claret recorded a Spanish song called Bollore, from the album Sun y locura, an ode to OCB papers. The song was later covered by Raimundo Amador and BB King.
In 1993, French rock and reggae band Billy Ze Kick released the song OCB on their first album Billy Ze Kick et Les Gamins en Folie. The song expands the acronym OCB to "occis carton blindé" (slain armoured cardboard), and references the consumption of cannabis in a group.
OCB is a song by French rapper MC Jean Gab'1 on his album Ma vie (My Life), released in 2003.