Where are Think pens made?

[newleaf]

Hi, recently received a Think pen. Wondering where are these made? The case has a 'Made in China' sticker, so wondering if whole pen is made in China or just maybe the case. Are they Chinese pens?

Any other info on this company? Are the part of some other pen company? Their website doesn't have much information.

 

BTW it's a nice writer, got the Hendrix LE.

 

Thanks

Rob

 

 

 

 

 

[sharonspens]

THINK is an offshoot of Krone as I understand it. I have a rollerball that I picked up last year at Century Pens; really nice feel to it, and it came with one impressive box! I can't remember where they are made, though.

 

Sharon in Indiana

[Deirdre]

See my prior thread on this topic.

 

I never got a response from Krone/Think, and I never bought a Think pen.

[MidnightBlue]

It's a Marlen

[Deirdre]

It's a Marlen

Krones are mostly Marlens. Think pens are not Marlens, nor are they made in Italy.

[MidnightBlue]

Thanks for that. I've put the feelers out about that pen for a while now and I seem to have been misinformed. (Even Think would not help me) It does work well, though it feels like an old school fountain pen of the 60's. Thanks.

[Deirdre]

Yes, well, it's unfortunately illegal for them to import them into the US if they're going to be that cagey about country of origin, and I have written U.S. Customs accordingly out of sheer irritation. If they therefore become difficult to find, it's not my fault....

[darrenimo]

Yes, well, it's unfortunately illegal for them to import them into the US if they're going to be that cagey about country of origin, and I have written U.S. Customs accordingly out of sheer irritation. If they therefore become difficult to find, it's not my fault....

 

Remind me to never get on your bad side.

[CharlieB]

If the case says, "Made in China," why would one not logically conclude that the case and everything in it came from China? That's not being cagey.

 

What IS being cagey is the distributor's refusal to answer your direct question. Clearly their marketing strategy is to portray the pen as coming from either North America or Europe (i.e., the name Think, and the basic design of the pen), so it probably irks them when vocal members of the fountain pen community seek to get them to admit that the reality is not the same as the marketing.

[MidnightBlue]

What IS being cagey is the distributor's refusal to answer your direct question.

 

I fished around the stores, Think themselves, even Krone an Marlen. Nobody was able to clear it up for me. I'm just glad the pen works well. Thank you all.

 

If my pen had been made on the moon but was made by people with their hearts in the right place that would be fine with me.

Edited February 22, 2009 by MidnightBlue

[Pinmin]

Hi, recently received a Think pen. Wondering where are these made? The case has a 'Made in China' sticker, so wondering if whole pen is made in China or just maybe the case. Are they Chinese pens?

Any other info on this company? Are the part of some other pen company? Their website doesn't have much information.

 

BTW it's a nice writer, got the Hendrix LE.

 

Thanks

Rob

I doubt that Krone, Buffalo Grove, Illinois, will reveal. Pretty good chance it is Asian-made, Krone-branded product used to be Marlen Italy but I seriously doubt Think brand is Marlen-made. I wonder if Robert Kronenberger, Dana Piat, or Jim Stringwell would tell us?!

 

[Federalist Pens]

Thanks for the info Deidre!

 

So, Krone is made (or distributed by) Marlen?

And Think is a division of Krone?

 

Talk about "badge" engineering!

 

Frank

[MidnightBlue]

Thanks

Rob

 

Hi Newleaf. The Hendrix is a really good writer. I'm just wondering if yours arrived looking a little different than the ad you saw to buy it. Or did you go in and see it before buying. I'm in Adelaide Australia and I had mine sent over from shop in washington.

Thanks

 

[Deirdre]

If the case says, "Made in China," why would one not logically conclude that the case and everything in it came from China? That's not being cagey.

Because when I went to the store and they LOOKED in the box, there was no such mark on the boxes they checked.

 

Also, the GOODS THEMSELVES are required to be marked. Boxes are frequently made in a different country than the product as a whole.

 

I don't buy goods that aren't marked, and I always report them to Customs because it just peeves me. I want to know who I'm dealing with.

[cuza]

POSTSCRIPT

 

According to a Taiwanese dealer I have purchased from, Think pens are manufactured in Taiwan or in India depending of the model. He had to sign an agreement not to ship Think pens to either Indian or Taiwanese addresses in order to carry Think pens. They frequently come in boxes that are made in the PRC hence the "Made in China" on the pen box. That does mean the pen was made in the PRC.

 

The nature of the international market is the cause for some pen companies and entrepreneurs to be creative in their business model and marketing schemes. About five years ago I dealt with a company called Romet. They advertised themselves as an Italian pen maker (even had a fancy address in Italy) when in fact they where a one-man operation headquartered in Texas USA and who had their pens designed and manufactured by one of Taiwan"s leading pen companies.

 

Keep up the good work, Deirdre.

 

 

cuza

Edited December 19, 2012 by cuza