1st series manga august 07

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Every Product Tells a Story

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Sign this, please.

In 1946, Yukio Horie established Dai NipponBungu Co. and began manufacturing crayonsand coloring materials as teaching aids.

In 1946, Yukio Horie established Dai NipponBungu Co. and began manufacturing crayonsand coloring materials as teaching aids.

Education isessential for anew Japan.

I’m a writing brush maker by trade. I wish we could make a penthat is easy to carry like a ballpointpen and that writes like a writing brush.

If we make tiny faults inside the tip,the ink will flow out to the end by capillary action.

For the ink reservoir, we canharden resin and heat it toform a tube.

OK. The test piece isdone.

!?

For the ink, pigmenteasily gets hard. But if wemake it too soft, the dye will flow out.

Let’s make a rather fat pen tomake it easier to hold. The capclip, too. Let’s make it strongenough so that the pen can befirmly held in a shirt pocket.

Oh! Now the penleaks?

Hmm, I wonder, if the pen gets warm, does the air inside the penshaft expand causing the ink toleak?

For the tip of a writing brush, we can bind acryl fibersusing resin by heating themand then sharpen it into theshape of a writing brush.

The tip of a writing brush must not betoo soft or too hard.

 We’ve seen ballpoint pens and fountainpens in the market, but I want to make writing materials that other companiesdon’t make.

This pen is easy to use.  Well, it’s a Pentel Sign Pen.Pentel’s“Sign Pen”For nearly 55 years Pentelhas supplied the world withthe highest quality stationery products. It has been anindustry leader, being theonly company in the field of stationery manufacturingthat was awarded with theDeming Award for recogni-tion of the highest standardof quality.

The company completed“Sign Pen” in 1963 aftereight years of research.Today it is widely used notonly in Japan but also allover the world. Here is ahistory of Pentel’s “SignPen.”

Illustrations by Ryuji Fujii 

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Let’s make a tiny hole here to allow theair pressure to escape inside the cap.

 What would happen in a country like America where people sign theirnames? It would be even better if wecould make some money there.

Chicago InternationalTrade Fair

Chicago InternationalTrade Fair

The White HouseThe White House

Before long, the Pentel Sign Pen was re-imported to Japan where it soon became highly popular.

To make a better Sign Pen, we have to handle alloperations ourselves. Otherwise, we can’tguarantee the quality. Also, we will aim at perfectautomation that won’t allow for faulty products.

This system was expanded to handle thetechnological developments of future Pentelproducts and for education of human resources.It became the start for turning out many outstanding people and products.

This system was expanded to handle thetechnological developments of future Pentelproducts and for education of human resources.It became the start for turning out many outstanding people and products.

But you know, the basic designof the Pentel Sign Pen has still barely changed from the firstday it went on sale.

Orders were pouring in from home and abroad, but the demand could not be met because thepens were still being made by hand.

Orders were pouring in from home and abroad, but the demand could not be met because thepens were still being made by hand.

 We need to introducemachinery for massproduction whilemaintaining quality.

 When Gemini 6 and 7 rendezvousedin 1966, it became big news thatSign Pens were used on thespaceships.

Do you have apen?

Here,Mr. President.

This pen’s easy to write with. Who makes it?

 When this conversation of PresidentJohnson’s was published in a magazine,the Pentel Sign Pen became immediately known throughout the United States.

 What anamazing pen!

 You’re not allowed to sell yourproducts at the fair!

 Well, it’s no use to take thesepens back to Japan. I’ll handthem out for free.

Here, it’sfree!

Sorry!

 After eight years of research, the Pentel Sign Pen wascompleted in 1963. After eight years of research, the Pentel Sign Pen wascompleted in 1963.

Unfortunately, however, theSign Pen was practically ignored.

Unfortunately, however, theSign Pen was practically ignored.

Huh?It’s finished!

These SignPens are

fantastic!