Hello dear Pelikan lovers,

I am very happy to let you know that in a couple of weeks i will go to visit the Pelikan factory.
As some of you already know, i have done the same before with Aurora, the idea is to get informations to write an article and share, mainly to share ( for Aurora, http://aurora.penandco.com ).
It will take several weeks and i will appreciate help from you.
How? just by giving me idea of questions about vintage and/or modern pens )
Thanks in advance
Best
Jean Elie
www.penandco.com
http://aurora.penandco.com

Pelikan has a little known policy in their factory....
Any pen found on the floor or a table becomes the property of the finder.

(Yeah RIGHT!!)

Enjoy!

Hmmm, a very small number of replies here.

This is what I myself (in Berlin) would ask Pelikan (in Hannover):
(1) How do they quality control everything, since (as in every company) none of the nibs (even for one and the same model) are in any way identical? B is not always B, nothing is all that smooth, and although Pelikan FPs are said to be wet, and thus their ink is dry, nothing is constant here either. No problem, that's just my biggest complaint in regard to Pelikan.
(2) How many M 200s, M215s, M400s, M800s, and all of the 3 Toledos etc etc... do they manage to sell and keep alive?
(3) Is Pelikan convinced that they still offer one of the world's best Meister-Craftmanship, or do they just live from the good name everybody (mainly in the USA) attributes to them?

To make a long story short, I like the company, I think they make good FPs, but I also think that they are not at all as good as almost everybody here on the forum claims....

All best wishes for your visit.

Mike

[quote name='lapis' date='Jun 5 2008, 05:16 PM' post='632052']

To make a long story short, I like the company, I think they make good FPs, but I also think that they are not at all as good as almost everybody here on the forum claims....

All interesting questions.
All I know is I try EVERYTHING...and always come back to my Pelikans.

Hello all.

Jean Elie, you make me jealous one more time!
Last time with Aurora I was "out of time" but now, here are my 2 cents..

What I would like to know from them is something about their strategies and how do they see the market going in the next few years, both geographilcally and product wise: will the LE fever last? And classical desing? School fountain pens are still a well sold product?...

Additionally, it would be interesting for me to know whether they have some "cash cow" sector to allow some other to be in red numbers...

And again if their FP products are gaining or losing market share over opponents...

Too much deep information? Pelikan is a leading company in the FP field and I am very curious about this!

Thank you so much.

Get me an M805 in blue

Congratulations!

Back again;

Pelikanyo,Lapis,Diplomat,SquelchB..thank you very much for your courtesy and inputs.
Sorry Diplomat :-)
If you have other inputs do not hesitate, i will let you know what happens.
Best
Jean Elie
www.penandco.com

Jean Elie - I'd be interested in Pelikan's view of product evolution going forward. Are there any innovations in nib design and materials, pen body materials that might affect the market going forward? Also, certain of the Japanese manufacturers are making custom order pens. How does Pelikan see that affecting its worldwide market, if at all? Is Pelikan going to put a more flexible nib in its 800 and smaller model FPs? Love the 1000 nib!! Merci bien et bon voyage! Scribe 75

You need to tell them that there would be a market for a tortoise 805 !

Take a coat with large pockets is my advice!

Ask them to make a tortoise and Amber demo M800! Please!

I hate to say it, but I agree with you Pelikanyo. As for what I would like to know: How do they decide on what colour combinations? And a hint of what pens they are planning on for the future (if that isn't considered to be a business secret).

Ask them how the change in ownership (the 1996 Malaysian majority buy) impacted their business overall, and the pens they turn out.

In addition...

This is probably a question that can be answered here on the forum, but given lapis' response, how are Pelikans perceived in Deutschland, and abroad (ie: what is associated with the brand...quality or mediocrity).

It is always fun to go to a factory. If you ever are in the US, check out the Corvette plant in Kentucky. It is a great trip.

Jean-Elie,
Nice, being able to visit the Pelikan plant, congratulations !
Please ask Pelikan about their policy allowing the use of their Pelikan nib assemblies in custom made pens.
In my experience they are rather reluctant on this subject, maybe you can change their mind !
Francis

With the growing influence of Chinese pen manufacturing do they see this as a threat or do they see it in a positive way?

With several major brands setting up manufacturing facilities in China do Pelikan envisage doing so themselves in the future or have they already done so.

Enjoy mon ami.

Ian

Trade Liasion Officer
Writing Equipment Society

I doubt a high quality pen company such as Pelikan should be worried of Chinese fountain pen manufacturers. Most Chinese pens are still of questionable quality, not to mention that China doesn't have a luxury piston filler pen that could touch Pelikan, Mont Blanc or Aurora.

They are not even in the same market quality wise/ style wise/ luxury wise!

Jean, I'm quite envious of your position, my friend! Enjoy your trip.

As a special favor to all of us who aren't able to find the appropriate arms to twist, could you put a bug in someone's ear to bring back the M75/GO! pen, please? I've been writing with one most of this afternoon, and I'm convinced that this is one of the top three bangs for the buck in ANY price range, and a hands-down winner in the sub-$50 market. Don't redesign it or change it at all. Just give us a few more non-80s color combos and put it on the market for the same price as an Al-Star.

I think it would be very unwise (and very unlikely) for Pelikan to ignore the 'threat' posed to them by China.

The musical instrument industry (and presumably others) has/have discovered that China can indeed make very high-precisiion, high-quality components (in brass!) at very competitive prices.
A piston-filling mechanism would be a doddle for them, if they chose to do it.

So I think it would be very interesting to hear how they see their future in relation to the ROC.

Well, i can tell you that the day Pelikan decides to move production to China, thats the last day I buy one.

I understand the sentiment....however I was recently shown some Chinese-made trumpet valves which looked and felt (and I was assured they were) superior to the German-made ones used in $2k trumpets

We have to get over the notion that Chinese-made 'precision machinery' is necessarily going to be inferior to Western products.

Remember how we used to think the same of Japan, the home of Honda, Sony, and Yamaha?

I also understand that some will have 'political' objections, but again wasn't 'The West' once saying they'd never buy anything made by 'The Japanese'?

Pelikan may outsource the making of some parts and then do final assembly/inspection in Germany. Anyway, it should be interesting to see the Pelikan factory first hand. I hope you enjoy the trip and we all look forward to your report!

I would ask them if they would make a FPN limited edition pen!

I wonder if they would let you take photos? If so, the geek in me would love to see the production/assembly line.

Hello friends,

Thanks you very much for all those questions and good remarks.
I will first have an interview with the DG of Pelikan France in less than 10 days and then will come back to you for sure, after having his testimonial translated in english.
Trip to the factory will be by the end of the year
A huge thank you again
Best
Jean Elie
www.penandco.com

Ask them if they can resell the m1050 on the french market.

Hey Jean Ellie

Are you going to visit their pen-factory? They also do printer-cartridges, school and office equipment etc...

Actually, most brands seem to hop on the LE and SE bandwagon. Many Italian firms seem to produce more ridiculously expensive LEs than normal pens. Reportedly al for the Russian market. Al those nouveau riche in Russia buying gold and diamond pens.
Pelikan seems one of the few brands that just stay there making pens to write with, not museum-exhibits. What is their view on this? (they do have LEs like the Lighthouse, but these seem fairly modest as compared to some other brands..)

Have a nice trip

Dick

Hello,

I hope it's not too late (but in your last post here you mentioned that the visit will be end of the year).

Matter is that there is a thread now in the Writing Instrument forum, that have a question that possibly you can answer by the means of your interview.

Topic: Pelikan nibs: In-house or Bock?

It's about who produces Pelikan nibs: Pelikan itself or Bock? We understand that the answer may vary by model and year of production, so it would be interesting to have those details as well!!

Thanks in advance on beahlf of the FPN community.

Cheers,

Andre