Founded in 1946 in Japan, Pentel is in its early days a manufacturer of fine art products. The origin of the name of the company Pentel comes from PEN for painting and TEL for pastel.

Today, Pentel is a manufacturer of writing and hobby products and our products are sold all over the world.

Present on the French market since 1963, Pentel has never stopped developing and has shown dynamism with its new products.

Some of our products are manufactured in France in our factory in Bry-sur-Marne (94), the only factory in Europe. This plant was the first Japanese factory to set up in France on authorization by official decree of General de Gaulle in 1967.

Over the last 70 years, about two thirds of the new writing products in the world have been created by Pentel. The company has been responsible for many innovations in the world of writing, including the launch of the indelible marker N50, the first Ball R50 ballpoint pen and the first liquid corrector with valve tip under the Pentex brand.

1946 - Yukio Horie founds "The Japan Stationary Corporation" and focuses on the production of water-based and oil-based colors and drawing instruments for schools in war-torn Japan.

1960 - Opening of the first research and development laboratory. To this day this laboratory remains the driving force of the company. Product of the year: the first mechanical 0.9 mm mechanical pencil is born.

1963 - The first felt pen follows; known until today as the Sign Pen. This writing instrument made Pentel a world-famous brand.

1960s - the first subsidiaries outside Japan are opened, including Hon Kong, Chicago and Los Angeles. Later France, England and Germany followed.

1971 - Pentel Corporation Limited becomes Pentel Co. Ltd. now known simply as Pentel.

1972 - The Ball Pentel is introduced. It is the first ink roller in history. Its striking design and the typical green colour of its body are still its hallmarks today.

1977 - opening of the Swiss subsidiary Pentel Papeteriewaren AG.

1983 - the first fine-tip liquid correctors replace brush correctors from time to time.

1989 - the invention of the gel ink roller "Hybrid Roller" revolutionizes the world of writing instruments.

1995 - Long-lasting markers, the MAXIFLO by Pentel, are introduced.

2002 - Pentel introduces its new liquid gel ink pen, the EnerGel, which quickly becomes a Bestseller. Today the EnerGel range comprises more than 10 different articles in various variations, colours and writing thicknesses.

2011 - Pentel at 65 and not a wrinkle.

2016 - Pentel celebrates 70 years of success

...that's why we love to write.

Our three watchwords at Pentel are: Innovation, Quality, Satisfaction

• Innovation: Pentel is at the origin of most of the innovations in the field of writing instruments such as the felt-tip pen, mechanical pencils, the lead or the gel ink pen. Since its creation in 1946, Pentel has continued to develop and bring real benefits to consumers.

• Quality and Customer Satisfaction : Pentel remains to this day one of the few companies in the stationery products sector to be the recipient of the prestigious "DEMING" prize received in 1976, rewarding companies with a high level of excellence in the field of quality. In this sense, Pentel has implemented numerous quality controls at all stages of the manufacturing of its products, from their design to their marketing. This quest for quality and perfection has enabled us in all our factories to be certified according to the international standard ISO 9001, which defines the requirements for quality management systems within companies.