Ana and I were gobsmacked today by the press release that the Mitsubishi Pencil Company has acquired LAMY! If you hadn’t heard, or read the release yet, go do it. Then come back and let’s chat.
Ok, so I’m the first person to admit that I haven’t really been enamored with the LAMY Safari or the AL-Star. I have a slight preference for the metal bodied AL-Star, but in general I find the angled grip uncomfortable. However I have used quite a few of their other pens and enjoyed them through the years. I also love that the nibs are interchangeable on a lot of the pens and that they are so easy to buy and switch out.
That said, I feel like what we’ve seen in the last few years, particularly in colorways of the year is a lot of recycling and renaming. I can’t argue with wanting to collect all the colors – who doesn’t need a rainbow of pens? But this years Safaris look an awful lot like Vibrant Pink and Dark Lilac. Even if the inks are different, body colors feel really familiar. Same with the 2023 editions – anyone remember the ever so slightly paler pastels (which reminded me of Jordan almonds). I wonder if new ownership will breathe some life back into the brand?
What do you think? We want to know!
That sounds like wonderful news, at least for me. I hope that this acquisition will bring in new models, new colors, new ideas!
Well I’m not so sure about the acquisition will be a good thing, time will tell. Lets wait and see what happens. A complete surprise none the less. Got a couple of their pens and yeah I think it’s likely new models will come out. I’ve always felt their pens were of a conservative nature and Lamy seemed reluctant to step out of the box. Sounds exciting like you said, take care.
Maybe Lamy can help make the Uni Kuro-Toga Dive more affordable and with aluminum bodies! I hear the factory in Germany will be preserved. I’m more into new Lamy designs than their new colors.
Holey molely, I never would have seen this coming! I had no idea that Lamy was even for sale!! And right after Pelikan got bought too…
I never heard of Mitsubishi Pencil Company. I wasn’t aware Lamy was on the ropes, go figure.
Mitsubishi is the parent company of Uniball; they’re one of the big three Japanese pen companies, along with Pentel and Pilot.
You might have heard of their popular brand, Uni-ball.
Mitsubishi Pencils is the company behind Uni/Uni-Ball.
Mitsubishi owns Uni. I’m sure you’ve had a Uni-Ball pen at some point in your life. So it’s a big, well-known company known for quality. I think the purchase will be a good one.
Lamy is a good brand and widely affordable. Agree on the nibs–especially the newer Cursive. I’m not a pink guy, but if its was as popular as the Dark Lilac that disappeared too soon, I don’t blame them for recycling with an updated color in the grip section. Just smart marketing. The grip shape is unique and I have always found it comfortably functional.
I wonder why Lamy wanted to sell. Mitsubishi makes good automobiles and airplanes (and apparently pencils)!
Not the same company. The Mitsubishi Pencil Company manufactures Uni-ball pens and pencils. Mitsubishi Motors manufactures automobiles.
Mitsubishi Motors and Mitsubishi Pencils are two separate and unrelated companies that happen to share a similar name. Mitsubishi Pencils is behind Uni/Uni-Ball.
at first I was a bit taken aback, but then settled into the idea. Mitsubishi has a lot of resources that can only make Lamy shine-if handled thoughtfully. And then I got very excited. What if Mitsubishi retools Lamy rollerball and ballpoint refills so that they take Uni type refills? That would be amazingly good!
That would be great; definitely my fave refill. Especially the .38
Yes, this is interesting news. Let’s see how it plays out.
One item of interest, from Mitsubishi Pencil’s Wikipedia page: In Germany, they are distributed by Faber-Castell. I’d imagine that is going to change!
Hi all,
Didn’t see it coming. Then I started dreaming of new things that would be possible, like maybe creating a Safari clutch pencil with Hi-Uni leads in different softness (making their leads more available in Europe in the process)