American Safety Razor Company American Safety Razor Company "For the company of the same name that was founded in 1901 and renamed as the Gillette Safety Razor Company, see Gillette (brand)" American Safety Razor Company is a personal care brand founded in the early 20th century (1906) by a merging of the Gem Cutlery Company & Ever-Ready and has been a principal competitor to Gillette for a century and more. Unrelated to the Gillette company which also used the name " 'American Safety Razor Company' " in 1901 until 1904 before it was renamed for its founder, King C. Gillette. The company produces a
Union Metallic Cartridge Company the Crittenden & Tibbals Manufacturing Company of South Coventry, Connecticut, and from C.D. Leet of Springfield, Massachusetts, was moved to Bridgeport where ammunition production began as the Union Metallic Cartridge & Cap Company until the operation was incorporated as Union Metallic Cartridge Company in September 1867. A powder magazine on Success Hill was destroyed by explosion of 16 tons of gunpowder on 14 May 1906. No lives were lost, but damage was reported as far away as Long Island. In February 1909 UMC completed a shot tower which was the tallest building in Connecticut for many years. The red brick