Pentel’s Saviour…?

Is the ASTRUM pen set the only notable writing instruments that came out of Plus Corporation? The integrated design won the iF Design Award in 1989, but I don’t know if any other MP products. But apparently their expertise in other stationery goods was enough to let them enter the fray when Kokuyo tried to take over Pentel. Let’s hope it’s a good merger.

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Seems way out of left field to me, but I guess we’ll see.

I never see it as a good thing when the bigger fish in any M&A transaction has no real expertise in (or even significant alignment with) the smaller fish’s domain.

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My bet is that we, as consumers, don’t really see any change.

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Yes, they always say things like “We think it’s a great company with strong management and great potential” and “It’s very much just carry on as you are”… and then fairly quickly start changing everything.

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Things will change. It may take a little time, but it will change. I’ll put my bets on trimming of product lines and an increased number of colors for existing products.

Having been swallowed by larger fish a couple of times. It is never better for the fish being digested. Don’t believe it when a shark says “Fish are friends, not food!”.

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