The pen market - Spain

The pen is an indispensable writing instrument for writing or studying. There are different types of pen, depending on the type of writing: fountain pens, ballpoint pens, felt-tipped pens, porous-tipped pens, and so on. Pens can also be differentiated by selling price, with brand-name pens fetching record sums. The main customer markets for pens are students, teachers and pupils, as well as businesses and households. Worldwide, global companies such as Pilot, Bic and Staedtler are present in all countries, although many local companies still exist. In Europe, pen production is dominated by Germany, with its highly-developed industrial fabric, and France, home to one of the giants of the sector: Bic. In Spain, the pen market shows a structurally upward trend. While higher education students have often abandoned conventional pens in favor of computers, spending by primary, secondary and high school students remains strong, while other segments such as the smartpen are entering the market. Despite increasing Asian competition, domestic pen manufacturing continues, notably at the Tarragona plant. The main distribution channels are food superstores and stationery stores; online sales are growing strongly, particularly for branded pens, but are still limited in relation to the total market.