MARKET Trusted Brand at both the Platinum and Gold Pilot Pen (S) Pte Ltd (”Pilot”) is part of an levels. international network of 18 subsidiaries under The company has also actively sponsored the Pilot Corporation that is headquartered the National Inter-School Badminton Cham- in Tokyo, Japan. The company is a respected pionships, also known as the Pilot Pen Cup, for name in the writing instrument industry with a primary and secondary schools for the past 18 reputation for designing and manufacturing years, and was a sponsor of the inaugural Youth world-class products. It continues to be the Olympic Games (YOG) in 2010. leading brand of disposable writing instruments This year, Pilot Pen gets in on the sporting in Singapore. action as the Official Writing Instruments Partner Pilot’s wide range of products cater to the of SEA Games 2015. The sponsorship is a key different writing needs of customers, who range milestone in Pilot’s ongoing community efforts from students to professional draughtsmen. and steadfast commitment in cultivating young The company has maintained its popularity and sports talent. strong market share by offering competitive pricing, creative original designs and innovative HISTORY ink products. The founder of Pilot Corporation, mechanical In 1989, the company was renamed Pilot engineer Ryosuke Namiki, was an alumni and Corporation, and today, the organisation has 18 ACHIEVEMENTS professor of the Tokyo Merchant Marine College subsidiaries and five affiliates across the United The company has continued to grow rapidly and in Japan. While at the college, he identified a States, Europe and Asia. is recognised as a forward-looking, innovative need to improve the quality of pens used for company. It has been acknowledged multiple drawing. Upon successfully designing a gold times as a Reader’s Digest writing tip for fountain pens, Namiki entered a partnership with colleague, Masao Wada, to form the Namiki Manufacturing Company in 1918. Within just eight years of its establishment, Pilot had set up offices in London, New York, Shanghai and Singapore. These milestones were quickly followed with the launch of its first mechani- cal pencils, oil-based ink markers, and the manufacture and sale of its PRODUCT innovative ballpoint pens. Pilot also Although Pilot’s roots lie in fountain pens, the created a niche for itself in the mar- company plays a leading role in the development ket of ink cartridges, pencil leads, of other forms of writing technology. While stationery and computer supplies. competitors will often outsource the manufacture The company was renamed of various writing components, Pilot makes its The Pilot Pen Co Ltd in 1938. own components, under strict quality control, Years later in 1961, Pilot in its plants in Japan, the United States, France was listed on the second and Brazil. Committed to quality, Pilot invests section of the Tokyo heavily in research and development, and state- Stock Exchange, and of-the-art facilities, to ensure that it is always at the following year it was the forefront of innovation. listed on the first section Pilot’s top-of-the-line fountain pens showcase of both the Tokyo and the level of expertise the company has achieved Osaka stock exchanges. over the years. The fountain pen’s hallmark is its During the 1960s, Pilot distinctive Japanese lacquer polish that never moved forward with fades. Pilot’s world-class collection of fountain expansion into Europe pens feature hand-painted maki-e, a centuries- and the set up offices in old art that transforms gold, silver, colour Italy and France. pigments and lacquer into artistic expressions. 58 | SUPERBRANDS VOLUME VIII In collaboration with Marshal Cavendish, Pilot organised the Budding Writers Project. This is a children’s short-story writing competition which nurtures the younger generation’s love for the written word. It encourages the tradition of writing on physical media, instead of using electronic communication devices. BRAND VALUES Through the years, consumers have come to recognise the Pilot name and its reputation for producing trusted, top-quality writing instruments. The marketplace has benefitted from the company’s commitment of superior production, quality-driven innovations, as well For the everyday user, Pilot offers easy-to-use behind the pen is a strong representation of as its continuous creativity. writing instruments with modern designs and a Pilot’s eco efforts and firm belief that everyone broad range of nib point sizes to suit all categories can contribute to protecting the environment. of handwriting. Its product range includes Another green initiative has been the Pilot mechanical pencils, pencil leads, ballpoint pens, V-Board Master, a whiteboard marker that uses rollerball pens, drawing pens, liquid ink pens, gel replaceable anti-spillage ink cartridges and pens, whiteboard markers, permanent markers, saves users from the messy task of refilling with frixion pens and highlighters, among other writing regular ink pots. accessories. In January 2009, the company added Pilot FriXion Light – the first erasable highlighting RECENT DEVELOPMENTS marker – to the FriXion series. The marker uses To stay ahead in its field, Pilot constantly groundbreaking thermo-reactive ink which launches new products with enhanced features. vanishes cleanly upon the application of heat. The Pilot Acroball, featuring a newly developed This can be achieved with the rubber tail plug and unique oil-based ink, was launched in on the marker or applying any other form of conjunction with sponsorship for the Youth heat such as a hairdryer. The Pilot FriXion Point Olympic Games (YOG). 75,000 white barrel was added in 2011. This pen, with a thinner pens with the YOG logo were distributed to barrel and ergonomic design, is available in 10 officials, volunteers, and staff of the YOG. diverse colours. In 2012, the Pilot FriXion Clicker Pilot launched Begreen in 2008, which was introduced. The pen maintained the same included a new range of eco-friendly designs thermo-reactive ink properties with the added for Pilot favourites and bestsellers. Each convenience of a clicker mechanism. instrument within the Begreen classification is made using at least 65% recycled material, PROMOTION without compromising quality or performance. Pilot promotes the launch of its new products In addition, products in the Begreen range are through television commercials and creative print priced at similar levels as the standard products ads. As a significant proportion of its customers to ensure that conservation does not result in are students and schools, active sponsorship additional costs for customers. of student-related events and sport activities is As part of the Begreen series, Pilot launched integral to Pilot’s marketing strategy. The B2P (Bottle-to-Pen), a pen made from To instill a strong sense of community spirit 89.7% recycled content, including recycled among the younger generation, Pilot partnered PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) bottles. Its with Singapore Management University to retractable rollerball pen’s body is ‘waisted’ like initiate the Pilot Community Champion Award a bottle with a contoured barrel and is tinted in 2015. This award recognises undergraduates with an unmistakeable blue hue. The label on who has made outstanding contributions to the pen was also designed to resemble labels the local community and displayed unwavering found on mineral water bottles. The concept dedication in community service. www.pilotpen.sg THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT PILOT t *O 1JMPUCFDBNFUIFmSTUDPNQBOZJO Japan to manufacture a fountain pen with a gold nib. It was the first pen specifically suited to the writing of complicated Japanese characters. t 5IF1JMPU#1 CPUUMFUPQFO JTNBEFGSPN 89.7% recycled content. t "MM 1JMPU CBMMQPJOU QFOT BSF DPOTUSVDUFE with stainless steel tips. t 5IFmSTUSFUSBDUBCMF DBQMFTTGPVOUBJOQFO in the world was produced by Pilot. SINGAPORE’S STRONGEST BRANDS | 59.