Page 20 - BOSS Today Issue 44

BOSS Today #44 SPECIAL FEATURE

The Pilot Pen Company (UK)

Mark Knibbs, Managing Director

Q: How has the UK writing There will be new rollerball is made from recycled materials
instruments market changed in technology to improve writing where possible. On blisters, there
the last two years? performance compared to is a small amount of plastic that
A: The grocery retailers have traditional designs. covers and protects the product
increasingly looked at lower while still enabling product
cost writing instruments to Q: Which of your products have visibility to end consumers. We
satisfy consumer demand seen the greatest increase in are quite some way down the
for everyday value and have interest by end-users – and line in terms of eradicating this
accordingly given more space to why? plastic and new packaging will
ballpoint pens etc, particularly A: B2P (Bottle to Pen) pens made be in the trade in due course
during promotional periods such from recycled PET plastic. Pilot once we are 100% ready to go
as ‘Back to School’. Whether or launched the B2P and Begreen live. In 2019, Pilot launched the
not this change in strategy can range of writing instruments ‘Evolutive Case’, a multi-use
deliver the same profitability over a decade ago: these have pen case manufactured from
and cash turnover than selling a been top performers in the B2B 100% recycled PET plastic. It is
lower volume of higher quality, channel and in 2019 we have not only used for shipping and
better writing products such as also seen a significant increase merchandising the pens but is
rollerballs remains to be seen! in interest from the B2C also intended to be used after
channel, as the issue of plastics purchase as either a pen case for
Q: Which innovations have been in the ocean has become more a school or laptop bag, as well as
most successful in the writing prominent in the minds of end- a desk stand for Pilot pens. It is
instruments sector in the last users. also recyclable through normal
two years? home recycling bins.
A: Pilot continues to be a key Q: What have been the recent
innovator in this sector with developments for writing Q: What developments are you
the FriXion erasable pens, and instruments in the education expecting from the WIA in the
we are continually evolving our sector? next year?
offering into new categories A: We have just launched the A: If the UK does leave the
such as erasable colouring pens FriXion Fineliner into the market European Union (!!!!), then we
and fineliners. and it has already become very will see the WIA becoming more
popular in the education sector relevant in terms of managing
Q: What innovations can we as an erasable handwriting pen. British standards in relation to
expect in the near future? writing instruments. Currently
A: Expanding the range of FriXion Q: What has your company’s the EWIMA - as a pan European
erasable writing instruments to approach been to the issue of body - does most of the work
enter new product categories single use plastic packaging? on behalf of writing instrument
and reach new consumer groups. A: Traditionally, all of our packaging manufacturers.

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