NEW FLAGSHIP MODEL FROM BRAUN

He is global vice president for Braun at Procter & Gamble, and describes the Braun Nevo shaver as the biggest news in many years, with new shaving technology, adaptive power control and a stainless-steel housing shaped using hydroforming.

The launch takes place on 1 July in Kronberg outside Frankfurt, Germany, where Braun’s innovation centre is located. Some 350 guests from around the world have been invited. Braun has paid for Elektronikkbransjen’s travel and accommodation.

According to Braun, the development of Braun Nevo began with a simple question: How can you achieve a close shave without compromising skin comfort?

– Irritation comes from friction, pulling and pressure. We asked ourselves: How can we make shaving better? says Aboulenein from the stage at Zoom Frankfurt, which previously housed the Cocoon Club nightclub and concert venue.

The answer was what Braun calls AeroTouch technology. The system consists of a new foil and 250 diamond-sharp cutting edges designed to reduce friction against the skin while cutting hairs effectively.

– With precise blades that adapt to every contour, you get maximum efficiency and exceptional closeness. The skin looks good and feels good. No compromises, says Aboulenein.

Learned from the shark

An important part of the development lies in the foil that meets the skin.

– We are moving away from the polished path we have followed for many years, says product researcher Thom Bruehl.

Instead, Braun has developed an embossed structure in the nickel foil, inspired by sharkskin.

– This is the world’s first of its kind, and we have a patent for it. It is like reinventing the wheel, says Bruehl, letting the group of journalists feel for themselves how much more easily a finger glides across the new matte foil, compared with the shiny foil previously used.

Bruehl stresses that the challenge was not merely to develop the idea.

– It is not enough to have an idea; the process is difficult. We have spent a long time developing a method that allows us to produce the foil at scale, says Bruehl.

Adapts to the beard

Braun also places great emphasis on the electronics in the new model.

Nevo is equipped with what the company calls a central processor that detects beard density and automatically adjusts the power. According to Braun, the shaver can handle everything from short stubble to several days’ beard growth, without the user needing to select settings themselves.

– Nevo reads beard growth in real time, whether it is one, three, five or seven days’ growth. A smart processor adjusts the power for a personalised shaving experience, not because you press a button, but because the machine understands you, says Aboulenein from the stage.

The shaver has a smart display that shows information and maintenance advice when needed.

– You do not need to manage Nevo. Nevo takes care of itself, says Aboulenein.

Braun Nevo has a 7-in-1 station that automatically cleans, lubricates and charges the shaver.

Built to last

Durability has been a key development goal for Braun.

– We use the shaver every day, in the shower, when travelling, and it can take a knock. We need a shaver that survives our lives, says Aboulenein.

The company’s solution is a surgical stainless-steel housing, made using hydroforming, a production method borrowed from the automotive industry.

– The result is a seamless housing in one piece; light in the hand and built to last. One shape, no joints and no weak points.

Chief designer Wolfgang Stegmann says the desire to use real metal came directly from consumers.

– They wanted a more premium feel, real metal. A large piece of stainless steel is heavy, around 20 times heavier than plastic, and an extra 20 grams on a shaver is noticeable, says Stegmann.

Hydroforming made it possible to create very thin steel structures without visible joints.

Stegmann highlights repairability as an important part of the development work.

– You loosen one screw and pull out the inner core. Consumers may never do it, but we must design for repairability. If it is easy to repair, it is usually easy to manufacture, with fewer parts that can fail, says Stegmann.

Form follows function

The design team has sought to carry forward several of the principles that have characterised Braun for decades.

– The world has become more complex. People do not need more features and more noise. They want peace of mind and products that do the job well for many years, says chief designer Oliver Grabes.

Stegmann describes Nevo's shape as slimmest around the battery and motor.

– It provides an intuitive grip, shaped like a male torso with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, and it is an identity we want to carry forward, he says.

He compares this way of thinking with the development of classic sports cars.

– Like a 911, you do not change the silhouette simply to be different, says Stegmann.

Developed in Kronberg

In Kronberg, we also get an insight into Braun's development environment.

– This is Disneyland for us. Everything happens under one roof: consumer research, industrial design, mechanics, electronics, software, prototypes and testing, says global head of research and development Raju Konduru as he welcomes us.

He says that the company culture is still characterised by the expectation that products should have a long lifespan.

– When I started, I asked: Why does it have to last ten years when the warranty is two? The team looked at me and said: «We are Braun. This is what we stand for.» It is not about the warranty, but about ensuring that the products last, says Konduru.

Braun Nevo comes with a flexible shaving head, integrated long-hair trimmer, travel case and charging solution. The shaver can be used wet or dry, is waterproof and has a lithium-ion battery providing up to 60 minutes of use. A five-minute quick charge is said to be sufficient for one shave. NOK 9,150.

This is what global vice-president Ahmed Aboulenein says from the stage as he unveils Braun Nevo:

– Four years of design and engineering work to answer the same question: Can we make it better, and simpler? This is a special moment.