Lamy Sold to Mitsubishi Pencil Company

[OCArt]

See the details in the press release here

[mizgeorge]

Crikey...

[Chrissy]

Wow

[Sailor Kenshin]

Very strange....and too many phrases like innovation, leading the brand into the future, digital writing, blahblahblah.

Unhappy surprise.

[dneal]

It makes business sense. If you look at their global page, Mitsubishi/Uni-Ball has a presence in most major European countries except Germany.

https://www.uniball.com/home/index.html

Staedtler and Faber Castell would be the major competitors for a Japanese company of this type. The Lamy name and manufacturing base would be relatively easy to expand into the sector and avoid problems importing Japanese made products.

[Brilliant Bill]

Fascinating. It also puts them in the ink business.

[amk]

I'm sad that Lamy as a family business is no more.

I can see this could be good or bad news. On the one hand, Lamy/Mitsubishi pen-ink-pencil colour coordination? Could be very good indeed. I am one of those people who really rates the Lamy Sketch Up, so... watching that space!

On the other hand... we all know the tales of Parker and Waterman.

The first indication we will get is whether all the senior Lamy design and marketing management stay with the company, so it's worth keeping a close eye on press releases and trade news.

[Cyril]

Very strange and interesting story. Where will Lamy go next? It is the same story about Rotring Technical pens that part of it particular pens started to be produced in Japan. Similar story but this one completely fallen in to Japan. Is it it a good thing or the future will tell more of that an answer.
Lamy nade in Japan will never happen for the time being. But Mitsubishi is a unique brand which made good quality writing products.

[manoeuver]

Lamy's already run by bean counters.
Mitsubishi seems well-equipped to choose colors for LE Safari and Al-Star pens.
Will they continue to release new watered-down versions of the good pens Lamy used to make? Who cares?

[Sailor Kenshin]

Mitsubishi could do anything. Even discontinue the Safari/AlStar line, and inks. Or turn things around. At this stage it's a guess.

[KrazyIvan]

In a few years, we will discuss the "real" Lamy pens vs. the current selection. If anything, Mitsubishi will introduce economies of scale and cheaper production. If they can keep the quality and maybe even increase it, it's an obvious win. We can't do anything about it so it's not worth contemplating. Wait and see, then move on if it goes down the drain.