OCB, a closer look at the leading rolling paper brand

The Bolloré Group is very influential in France and is present in major sectors such as energy, transport and logistics. But the group began in paper making, starting with the OCB brand. The acronym stands for Odet-Cascadec-Bolloré. The first two words are the names of places where the company owned buildings, and Bolloré of course refers to the name of the firm’s founder.

The brand, known mainly for its slim rolling papers for cigarettes, was bought in July 2000 by Republic Technologies, a company based in Chicago. That company was called Don Levin and changed its name after the acquisition. In 2006, the Bolloré Group sold the remaining 19% stake it held in the business to the Republic Technologies group.

The OCB brand is anchored in popular culture, among the smokers who use it regularly and among artists who mention it in their songs. One example is Raimundo Amador and B. B. King, who covered « Bollore » by Cathy Claret.

In the 1990s the company also drew attention over rumours of a link with Jean-Marie Le Pen’s political party, the Front National. The rumours claimed that the party was a shareholder in the business. Although Bolloré did not respond directly to them, a campaign ran featuring a black model which, according to some, was created to show that OCB and the Front National were not connected.

As the undisputed leader of the rolling paper market, OCB nonetheless has to keep an eye on how the public sees it. And although the company was bought out, the OCB brand has remained strong and kept its presence in France and worldwide. Quite a feat given the current state of the world economy, and above all the steady rise in the price of tobacco.

See the products: The OCB brand