The Mitsubishi Pencil Company acquires LAMY, aiming to lead the company and brand into the future
TOKYO and HEIDELBERG, Germany, Feb. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Mitsubishi Pencil Co Ltd, founded in Japan in 1887 and the company behind the well-known uni brand, is taking over C. Josef Lamy GmbH and the LAMY brand. The family-owned company LAMY underwent a complex process to look for a buyer who could lead the company, founded in 1930 by C. Josef Lamy, into the future with expertise, experience and love for the LAMY brand along with a commitment to Germany as a business location. This process has today been successfully concluded with all shares in the company now sold. The annual turnover of Mitsubishi Pencil is several times that of the company Lamy.
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Focus on the internationalisation and expansion of digital writing
The reasons that prompted the sale included the need to find a strong partner to develop the growth area of digital writing and expand international sales. Mitsubishi Pencil is able to bring this to the table whilst also ensuring that the headquarters and production facilities in Heidelberg will be maintained and that investments will be made in the further development of the company and the brand. Shigehiko Suhara, sixth-generation President and CEO of Mitsubishi Pencil Co Ltd: “We have the greatest respect for the history and strength of the LAMY brand. We believe that the vision and corporate culture of Lamy and Mitsubishi Pencil harmonise perfectly. We are also confident that the acquisition of the company Lamy will provide a strong combined platform for future growth and increased shareholder value for both LAMY and Mitsubishi Pencil.”
Vera Lamy, former co-partner of C. Josef Lamy GmbH, explains, “It was very important to us to find a company with the strength and heart to work with Lamy employees and open up a whole new chapter for Lamy together with all our partners. We have found this company.” Her brother and co-partner Markus Lamy adds, “The core of the LAMY brand will be retained and further developed. ‘Made in Germany‘ will continue to play a key role in this. That was and is of the utmost importance to us.”
Mitsubishi Pencil was founded a good 137 years ago and today employs more than 2,700 people worldwide. The company has 22 international sales offices and operates 11 production facilities. Mitsubishi Pencil is a leading company in the manufacture of writing instruments and has made a name for itself by producing high-quality writing instruments ranging from simple pencils to sophisticated ballpoint pens, marker pens and mechanical pencils.
C. JOSEF LAMY GMBH
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The wide range of writing instrument products include the popular uni-ball rollerball pens, which are known for their innovative waterproof pigment ink. The uni brand also includes Posca water-based ink markers, which can be used on a variety of surfaces, and the innovative Kuru Toga mechanical pencils, which has the automatic lead rotation mechanism.
Mitsubishi Pencil and Lamy have already had points of contact in the past and have always valued each other. In addition to its innovation and international sales strength, Mitsubishi Pencil will also contribute its e-commerce expertise, which will strengthen Lamy. The LAMY brand products complement the Mitsubishi Pencil range in the premium segment. Mitsubishi Pencil furthermore aims to accelerate the technological development of LAMY. In particular, this technological development will include the growth area of digital writing as well as innovations in production. Steffen Rübke, CEO of C. Josef Lamy GmbH: “We are certain that the Mitsubishi Pencil Company will strengthen the company and the LAMY brand with its focus on innovation, its large distribution network and its strong e-commerce expertise as exemplified by the success of the business with Amazon in the US market.”
Lamy stands for ‘Made in Germany’ and has its headquarters and production facilities in Heidelberg. The company employs more than 340 people. Lamy stands worldwide for high-quality designer writing instruments with timeless modern aesthetics and perfect functionality. The real success story began 36 years after the company was founded with the LAMY 2000: in 1966, this model established the clear, unmistakable design language that still characterises the style of all the brand’s products today the LAMY design.
Today, the LAMY brand is represented in more than 80 countries with over 15,600 sales outlets. These include around 200 mono-brand stores.
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