BOSTON — Gillette Co. fired the latest shot in the blade wars Wednesday, introducing a new razor for men that features five blades, one more than competitor Schick's model.
The razor, called Fusion, also has a facial hair trimmer on the back, the company said. The blades are 30 percent closer together, which the company said causes less irritation.
Peter Hoffman, who runs Gillette's razor and blades division, said Fusion is expected to break the sales records previously set by Gillette's Mach 3 brand of razors, which have three blades.
Hoffman also said he's confident consumers will choose the Fusion line over the four-bladed Quattro, made by rival Schick-Wilkinson Sword, a unit of Energizer Holdings Inc. of St. Louis
"It's not just about the number of blades," Hoffman said. "It's how closely they are positioned together, the flexible comfort guard. All the technology combines to make a great shave."
A Schick spokeswoman didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.
William Chappell, an industry analyst with SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, said the bells and whistles may attract some consumers, but "those who buy Schick will always buy Schick and those who grew up on Gillette will go for Gillette."
But, he added, Gillette "is a marketing machine."
"I think their goal of this being a billion-dollar type product is pretty conservative," Chappell said. "They didn't want to just be another four-bladed razor."
Since its introduction in 1998, the Mach 3 brand has sold 450 million razors and makes up 30 percent of the global shaving market, the company said.
Boston-based Gillette is the largest manufacturer of wet shave products. Schick is No. 2.
The announcement of the new line comes as Gillette awaits approval by the Federal Trade Commission of its planned acquisition by Procter & Gamble Co., and as Schick plans to add a battery-powered Quattro to its lineup.
Gillette's Fusion, which is expected in North American stores early next year, will come in both standard and battery-powered versions.
The razor and two cartridges will cost about $9.99, and Fusion Power, with one cartridge and Duracell battery, will cost about $11.99. A four-pack of Fusion cartridges will cost $12 to $13 and a four-pack of Fusion Power cartridges will be $13 to $14, Gillette said.
The battery-powered Quattro, which is expected to hit stores this month, will sell at a suggested price of $10.99 for a kit that includes the razor, one cartridge, a stand, and a AAA Energizer battery. Blade refills will sell for $10.69 in a four-count pack and $20.75 for a package of eight.
Gillette shares fell 48 cents to close at $53.24 on the New York Stock Exchange. Energizer Holdings shares fell 61 cents to $60.86.