At Platignum we have always believed that writing should be a pleasure. Our designers understand and express the balance of crafting every pen to be a pleasure to hold, to use and to give.

Diplomat has been producing Writing Instruments in their German factories since 1922. Even today all Pens are still assembled and individually tested by their highly skilled workforce and carry a five year warranty.

The Diplomat Pen Collection today is a mixture of old traditional models and new Innovative designs such as the new Guilloch Rhomb and Balance ‘C’ collections (both illustrated).

The Pen Warehouse announces that their new Healthy Living range has been developed to meet specialist hygiene needs.

Silver ion technology is built-in to the Vogue Biofree™ ballpen and Spirit Biofree™ ballpen during manufacturing to provide continuous antibacterial and antifungal protection. This element of the production process makes this ballpen the perfect choice for a wide range of markets including pharmaceutical, medical, food retail and many more in the healthcare sector. In addition to its sleek design and outstanding quality, the Biofree™ provides a guarantee of continuous, durable and effective protection based on over 50 years of successful pioneering work in this field.

The latest consumer activity undertaken by Mitsubishi Pencil Co. has proved a smash hit with students and shoppers.

Visiting universities and shopping centres throughout the autumn, the firm’s promotion targeted pen savvy consumers to sample the super smooth Jetstream rollerball.

2010 marks the start of a new decade and new innovations. Ergonomics is a topic that has long been talked about in the office world, but now products are available for all ages including children in the classroom.

Bic is introducing two new pens to its BIC Cristal range. BIC Cristal Large features a 1.6mm nib for bold, vivid and even writing. The transparent hexagonal barrel provides a visible ink level and comfortable handling. BIC Cristal Clic Gel features a 0.7mm nib and gel ink for steady, smooth writing. Thanks to a retractable nib and ink that glides over paper, this pen is perfect for general office use. 

Made especially for kids, PenAgain's Twist ‘n Write pencils' unique design provides the ideal grip for maximum control and consistency while reducing stress on the hand. 

Sakura, winners of the 2008/2009 Craft Business Awards for Art Materials, is offering a product for stationers to meet existing customers' requirements while testing a market that is growing during the credit crunch.

BIC is adding two new products to its mechanical pencil range, the AI and Quantech mechanical pencils. Both products are designed to offer innovative technology at an affordable price and provide further depth to BIC's category range.

Stabilo's move EASY pen is stated as the number one selling branded rollerball by value and number two by volume at Back to School 2008. Furthermore, according to latest GFK figures, it was the top value rollerball for the whole 12-month period.

In three news announcements, Sagem Communications is showcasing its green credentials at SOPX, signing a trademark licensing agreement with Xerox Corporation and unveiling new Philips laser multi-function products.

Although few would dispute 2009 promises to be a tough year for industry, and manufacturers will need to work hard just to stay level, it's certainly not a time to batten down the hatches.

This year's BTS has been a success for the writing instruments market, despite the current turbulent economic climate. This August the market peaked at £21.6m, up 4.5 per cent from August '07. The key product groups which have benefited from the strong BTS figures are ballpoints, mechanical pencils and rollerballs.

Pilot has launched a new concept in recycled writing instruments and it's all in the name. Bottle to Pen (B2P) is a retractable, refillable gel ink rollerball, manufactured from recycled plastic bottles and designed to look like one too. Its bottle-styled barrel mirrors the product it's made from, illustrating that everyday products can have a second life.

The new Studio No 5 collection from London pen maker Platignum comes in a rainbow of eight acid bright colours, each set off with a matt black clip and trim.

Stabilo has launched its GREENrange which is manufactured from 100 per cent FSC wood with an environmentally friendly matt varnish. FSC certification guarantees wood comes from ecologically and socially well managed forests to ensure environmental sustainability. This range reflects Stabilo's commitment to acting ecologically, sustainably and responsibly.