Ladislao José Biróborn in Budapest, Hungary, on September 29, 1899, left an indelible mark on the history of humanity with the creation of an invention that, although at the time it was underestimated, is indispensable today: the birome or pen.
This journalist, painter and above all inventor, forever changed the way we write, simplifying a process that had been dominated by quills and inkwells. His ingenuity led him to patent one of the most used devices in the world, but its historyboth personal and financial, had twists and turns that deserve to be told.
The birth of the pen
The idea to create a pen came from a personal frustration. While working as a journalist in Hungary, Biró became fed up with the difficulty of fountain pens, which tended to smear and required constant ink refills.
Additionally, the liquid ink in the pens did not dry quickly, resulting in many smudges on the paper. It was on a visit to a printing press where Biró noticed that the inks used in the rotary presses dried quickly. He decided to apply this idea to a more practical writing device.
Together with his brother György, a chemist by profession, he began working on a ballpoint pen that would use thicker ink, similar to that found in printing presses, and a mechanism with a small sphere at the tip that would regulate the amount of ink that flowed. After years of testing and adjustments, in 1938, Biró managed to patent his first pen. However, It was not until its migration to Argentina that the pen found the necessary momentum to become a global success.
The refuge in Argentina and the rise of its invention
In 1940, with the rise of Nazism and the Second World War, Biró, of Jewish descent, decided to emigrate to Argentina, a country that welcomed thousands of Europeans in search of refuge. It was in Buenos Aires where he found the right environment to continue developing his invention. There he met Agustín Pedro Justo, former Argentine president, who saw the commercial potential of the pen and helped him obtain financing to produce it on a large scale.
In 1943, Biró and his brother founded the company “Biró Pens of Argentina”, where they began mass production of the pen. This device was named “birome”, in honor of the fusion of the surnames Biró and Meyne, one of its partners in Argentina. Soon, the ballpoint pen gained popularity, especially among pilots and military aviation, as it was an ideal instrument for writing at high altitudes, where fountain pens failed due to pressure.
The global impact of the pen
The success of the pen did not go unnoticed globally. In 1945, the patent was purchased by the American company Eversharp and, shortly after, by the French company Société Bic, which transformed the pen into an accessible and universal product. From then on, the Biró pen was marketed throughout the world, forever changing the way of writing.
The pen allowed for faster, smudge-free writing with less effort. While the fountain pen did not disappear, the ballpoint pen became the preferred writing instrument in offices, schools and homes around the world. Today, millions of units are sold annually, and the pen remains an indispensable tool in daily life.
Did Biró become a millionaire?
Despite the success and popularity of his invention, Ladislao Biró did not become a millionaire. Although the pen spread throughout the world, the sale of the patent and licenses did not bring him the wealth that his invention seemed to promise. Biró was not a businessman in the strict sense; His true passion has always been invention and creativity. In fact, throughout his life he registered more than 30 patents, but most of them did not have the commercial impact that the pen achieved.
On the other hand, The sale of the rights to the pen to large companies, although it gave him income, was not enough to ensure him a fortune. Bic, for example, became one of the most successful brands in the marketing of pens, but Biró did not directly participate in that stage of financial boom.
Throughout his life in Argentina, Biró continued working on other projects and inventions. He died in Buenos Aires on October 24, 1985, being remembered as a creative genius, although without having accumulated great personal wealth. However, his legacy lives on in every pen we use daily.
Recognition of his legacy
The impact of Ladislao Biró has been such that in Argentina, September 29, his date of birth, is celebrated as “Inventor’s Day”, in honor of his contribution to the world. His invention, the pen, transcended borders and became a symbol of creativity and perseverance.
Globally, the pen is a testament to how a seemingly simple invention can change the daily lives of millions of people. Today, Biró is remembered not only for having created an indispensable tool, but also for his ability to transform a basic need into an ingenious solution.
Ladislao Biró was not only an inventor, but a man who, with his vision and effort, managed to leave a legacy that is still present in the lives of all of us. His creation, the pen, is used by millions of people every day, and although he did not achieve great fortune during his lifetime, his contribution to the world immortalized him as one of the great geniuses of the 20th century.
Source: Ambito
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
