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
Austin Cartridge Company powder. In 1884 the company became the exclusive supplier of gunpowder for shotgun shells manufactured by Chamberlain Cartridge Company. Austin Powder Company built the company town of Glenwillow, Ohio in 1892, and established the Austin Cartridge Company there in 1895 manufacturing "Crack Shot", "Club Sporting", and "Champion Ducking" shotgun shells. The Union Cap and Chemical Company was formed in 1900 as a joint venture of Austin Cartridge Company and Western Cartridge Company to manufacture blasting caps, primers, and .22 and .32 caliber rimfire cartridges. The Union Cap and Chemical Company trademark was a Maltese cross and a UCC headstamp appeared