Parker Ownership

[Fulcanelli]

I thought that Parker was an American(USA) company. I've been buying their pens for...for...decades. (YiKES!)

 

While writing with a relatively new Sonnet, I noticed the "Made in France" imprint on it. When did Parker start making pens in France? Now, don't get me wrong...I don't have any French issues, just a point of curiosity.

 

I went to Parker's homepage, looking for 'made in France' notes and saw that the page was copyright Sanford. I visited Sanford and saw a slew of different pens, including Waterman and Parker. SO...are Waterman and Parker cousins or something? Wait, if they're first cousins, they can't marry, at least in the USA. Maybe things are different in France.

 

Can anybody clarify Parker's ownership?

[pmocz]

Hi Freelance, sorry to disapoint you but Parker was bought out by its English sub. in 1986 and the rights transferred to Newhaven, England. Then purchased by Gillette and joined the Papermate, Waterman team. The group was then sold to Rubbermaid, Sanford Div. in 2000. This team consisted of Rotring, Sharpie, Parker, Papermate and Waterman (and Liquid Paper). I heard that this team had been split-up but not sure of the status to-day.

 

If this keeps up they will all be related.

 

George

[Guest Denis Richard]

Last I have heard, the Waterman factory in Saint-Herblain is producing Parker and Rotring pens. I don't know if that includes the full lines or only the upper market. Sanford has "consolidated" its writing instruments manufacturing. The Saint-Herblain factory is capable of manufacturing FPs 100% on site.

 

The Parker 100 and the Rotring Skynn have also been created by Waterman design team.

[Fulcanelli]

Wow, what a shock! Parker was my introduction to the world of fountain pens. "A few years ago" ) I went to my friendly office supply store and ordered my pens out of a catalog. Parkers were the only ones I could afford. So I was loyal by default. I always thought of it as an American(USA) company. I don't really mind because I think I tend to be more cosmopolitan anyway.

 

Thanks.

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

From what I remember, the Parker Reflex is made in Newhaven, England nib and all. Sanford seems to have some more brands, but I just recently found out that they do not own Uniball.

 

Dillon

[Guest Denis Richard]

Their website says that they do own Uni-ball. Is it outdated ?

 

http://www.sanford.com

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

Go to the Uni-ball website and it says that Uni-ball is owned by Mitsubishi Pencil and that Sanford is just a US distributor. http://www.uniball-na.com

 

Dillon

[Guest Denis Richard]

ok. That explains.

 

Welcome to FPN Dillon !

[Fulcanelli]

Does anybody know who the largest pen company is, the entire world, I mean?

 

Are sales steady for FPs? They've hung in there this long already, and I still see a few glossy mags on the magazine racks dedicated to only the FP, so someone must still be interested, I mean, other than the ppl in this group.

[Keith with a capital K]

I believe that Bic is the largest pen manufacturer in the U.S. and the world and although they started as a manufacturer of fountain pen parts (1945) they quickly moved into the world of manufacturing low cost ballpoint pens (1950).

 

They bought out the U.S. Waterman company in 1958, Sweden's Bal o Graf in 1959, and acquired Sheaffer in 1997. Although most see Bic as a French company their headquarters have been U.S. based since the acquisition of Waterman.

 

Sanford is an immense conglomerate that presently markets a huge range of products and owns the rights to Parker, Waterman (France), Rotring, Sensa, and Paper Mate among many other lines and may be pretty close to Bic in numbers of pens sold.

 

Other notable manufacturers would be Pilot, which is Japan's largest pen maker and ranks 3rd in the U.S.

 

There are companies that dominate regionally as companies like Borghini of Italy sell an immense number of pens throughout Italy and Europe as they too manufacture high numbers of inexpensive ballpoints and really target the business and school markets.

 

We should not forget Hero of China which makes immense numbers of pens and distributes them throughout China, the Soviet union, and far east which is a huge market. Most people I know here who have come from the ex Soviet Union and China will recall using Hero pens rather than pens like Bics or Papermates. Without knowing actual numbers, I would venture a guess that Hero ranks as one of the top manufacturers of pens as well.

[Fulcanelli]

Thanks Keith with a Capital K, for all that information.

[Sidney]

I believe that Bic...

 

They bought out the U.S. Waterman company in 1958, Sweden's Bal o Graf in 1959, and acquired Sheaffer in 1997...

Neither Waterman nor BIC web site timelines mention acquistion or merger. Although Waterman announces Stateside shutdown in the 1950's.

[Keith with a capital K]

Sidney -

 

I gleaned my information on Bic's history directly from a number of web sites including the Milford Chamber of Commerce and the Bic Corporate website. These references were not the easiest to locate but do provide some good info:

 

http://www.milfordct.com/bushistory_54.htm

 

http://www.bicworld.com/inter_en/corporate/time_line.asp

[Sidney]

The Waterman web site timeline mentions "U.S. shuts down production" in the 1950's. Maybe Bic bought the plant and had stateside distributor rights until Sanford bought Waterman Paris.

 

I'm giving this thread back to Parker discussion by writing with my Sonnet in black laque with silver trim.

[Fulcanelli]

I didn't mean to make this thread 'Buy American' sentiment. That would be pretty ridiculous, considering how much foreign interest is invested in the Big Three auto companies, and the fact (according to Michael Moore) that the Saudi's own roughly 7% of the American economy.

[Guest Denis Richard]

With today's structures, I think it's almost impossible to know where your money is going. By the time you get to the store, the once American/European/Japanese brand has changed hands.

 

Waterman, Jaguar, Mazda owned by American groups, Nissan and Universal by French ones, etc...

 

Even if your intention is to support your national economy (nothing wrong with that, btw), It would be hard to tell if it is better achieved by buying a Japanese brand car manufactured locally in the US, or a pair of Jeans of American brand, made in Mexico or Morocco...

 

We've been globalized

[Keith with a capital K]

Sidney - from what I have read, Bic bought Waterman U.S.A. in 1958 and promptly closed down the plant. Subsequent Waterman operations and marketting were taken over by Waterman France which is now owned by Sanford.

 

On another note, I think I will ink up my French made Parker Sonnet as well.

[Sidney]

I didn't mean to make this thread 'Buy American' sentiment. That would be pretty ridiculous, considering how much foreign interest is invested in the Big Three auto companies, and the fact (according to Michael Moore) that the Saudi's own roughly 7% of the American economy.

The Waterman Bic thing was something I wasn't aware of and my search didn't find the results that Keith later pointed out, and I still can't verify it on the Waterman web site.

 

Fulcanelli,

 

Please don't quote Michael Moore on here any more. I come hear to escape all of that.

[Pingu]

I have a couple of Parkers, a Classic FP and another FP that I am not sure the model (lost the box and paperwork), which I bought in the mid 1980s. They both read "Made in France".

 

A later Parker that was bought in the early 90s read "Made in U.K."

 

As I understand it, a lot of the traditional fine pen companies ran into trouble with the arrival of the cheap ballpoint, and Parker was one of those old names that essentially was saved by its European subs. Before later returning to US ownership.

 

I guess there's a parallel with the fine watch industry, with the arrival of quartz and digital causing a lot of traditional watch companies struggling to survive. Now like with fine mechanical watches, fine fountain pens too I think are making a strong comeback as the cool and quality thing to have.

 

It's nice to see everything turning full circle.

[pathologyliu]

The Jotter and Parker45 bought in 1980's read"Made in England".Nowadays ,it becomes"Made in UK".But the Classic ballpen is always "Made in USA".

Dose anyone notice the coverters of Duofold and Sonnet ? Their styles are exactly the same, only few letters are different , "UK" vs "France".