The original cult marker pens, POSCA is celebrating its 30^th anniversary in 2013, with a series of events and initiatives to say thank you to its loyal fan base.

 

Europe’s largest urban art festival Upfest, crafted by POSCA has announced the impressive international line up for its sixth year and has unveiled plans to take over the cultural home of UK graffiti, Bristol. The event takes place over May Bank holiday weekend, 25^th – 27^th May 2013.

 

Europe’s largest Street Art Festival 25^th – 27^th May

Hundreds of urban artists will descend on Bedminster, Bristol for Upfest 2013. This FREE bank holiday festival invites you to see world class painters and illustrators at work painting 20,000sqft of surfaces including a NY subway train, alongside music stages, pop up cafes and street parties from Saturday 25^th to Monday 27^th May 2013.

Upfest 2013 returns with more artists, venues and a brand new festival sponsor, POSCA.  Graffiti, street and illustration artists will take over car parks, a skate park, a subway train, a theatre, beer gardens and streets, alongside music, pop up cafes and stages awash with hip hop, RnB and beatbox acts.

Legendary Bristol based graffiti writer Turroe has created the design for this year’s festival and will curate one of the main venues, painting alongside an amazing spectrum of artists from numerous genres. Bristol’s iconic Tobacco Factory will host many activities including a live illustration battle in the Cafe Bar, headline music stage in the garden, while the outside area will be packed full of artists creating modern masterpieces.

 

Children and adults will also be able to test their abilities with a spray can by joining a graffiti workshop throughout the weekend. Upfest attracts visitors from all over the world to witness the most groundbreaking  artists create artwork in Bedminster, while raising funds for the National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACOA).

A selection of the biggest names in international graffiti culture will be taking to the streets, including Faith47 (South Africa), DALeast (China), C215 (France), Peeta (Italy) as well as Bristol natives Turroe and Inkie.

For the first time Upfest is being sponsored by POSCA Pens, a range of premium art pens favoured for decades in the urban art world. The festival will also feature the inaugural POSCA Awards, designed to recognise the very best in graffiti and illustration.

Upfest founder Stephen Hayles explains;

“Now in its 6^th year, we’re lucky to already have interest from some amazing names in the urban art world from afar afield as China and South Africa. We’re looking for the very best in urban artists to paint over the weekend and hope we’ll get a record number of artists painting thanks to our new sponsors POSCA, who are also creating awards for the talents attending to recognise the amazing talents of the artists who visit the festival.”

Upfest will be based at the Tobacco Factory and throughout North Street, Southville, Bristol on Saturday 25^th May through to Monday 27^th May and will be running between the hours of 11am-9pm. The festival is FREE to attend.

Once again Upfest will help raise money for and awareness of The National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACOA) who offer a confidential phone line for children effected by alcoholism with the family unit.

Uni-ball has underlined its position as one of the UK’s most flourishing pen manufacturers with the recruitment of three new professionals and one internal promotion – just months after relocating to their new headquarters.

 

POSCA has unveiled its first European art exhibition in partnership with Rip Curl.

The exhibition, held during the Rip Curl Pro Peniche in Portugal, showcased 12 customised surfboards designed around the theme of rock, nature and freedom of expression.

The surfboards, which are all unique works of art, were designed by POSCA artists on each of the 12 steps of the Rip Curl GromSearch in Europe.

Dave Webb and Jon Watkins were on hand during the UK stages of the GromSearch to customise their surfboard and offer advice to talented young artists.

Bekki Griffiths, marketing manager for the POSCA brand in the UK, said: “We were really impressed with how each artist had expressed themselves with style, passion and lots of colour."

“The twelve boards perfectly capture the essence of POSCA to show you how a surfboard can easily be customised."

“Thanks to POSCA’s waterproof qualities your art won’t chip, smear, crack or peel in the water as long as you have applied a layer of lacquer over your finished design.  From extra fine to chisel tips, you can create big, bold and bright illustrations or intricate detailing, limited only by your imagination.”

The 2012 Rip Curl GromSearch sponsored by POSCA is a contest for young surfers aged 16 and under.  Held from June to October and across four different countries, the competition lets surfers showcase their talent and compete to be crowned the best in Europe.

A few weeks into their new office move to Milton Keynes and staff at uni-ball are celebrating with the unveiling of a wall mural.

The artwork created by David Webb from Illustrated Events brightens up the entrance hall and stairwell thanks to the vibrant colours of the company’s POSCA marker pens.

Starting out with 96 pens and only using two completely up, the design took five days to complete and is a bold and bright illustration that showcases the freedom given to artists to express their creativity through art.

Bekki Griffiths, marketing manager for uni-ball, said: “I couldn’t think of a better way to start life at our new premises than with a colourful new entrance hall to provide us with inspiration every morning."

“With our move to Milton Keynes now nearly complete, we have made every effort to minimise the disruption to our customers and now look forward to building on our market share with improved customer service and a renewed focus on our product range.”

 

MITSUBISHI PENCIL CO. TO CELEBRATE 125 YEARS AT OFFICE*

Mitsubishi Pencil Co. is inviting PAs and office managers to join them for an office* party as the leading stationery brand celebrates 125 years of bringing innovation to the writing instruments market.

Neil Buchanan, the former presenter of children’s TV hit Art Attack, has joined forces with leading pen manufacturer Mitsubishi Pencil Co. to launch a national competition to discover the superheroes in children’s lives.

Mitsubishi Pencil Co. is to champion the written word with a little help from BBC Outnumbered star Daniel Roche.

uni-ball will put the spotlight on our obsession with stationery as the leading pen brand makes its debut at the Stationery Show on April 24, 2012.

Showcasing the efforts of its latest marketing campaign to drum up support for the inaugural National Stationery Day, uni-ball will also reveal a number of new products as well as displaying some all-round favourites such as uni POSCA, uni Jetstream, uni-ball eye and uni-ball Signo 207.

Buyers looking for something new and innovative, should look no further than the uni-ball Insight, uni Chalk Marker and Signo 207 Bold to revitalise their stationery sales.

Available in six colours, the uni-ball Insight is a medium line liquid ink rollerball that will appeal to school children and teenagers.  Sold loose and in a variety of pack formats, the uni-ball Insight is sure to be this year’s talk of the playground.

The uni Chalk Marker is resistant to wet weather making it ideal for businesses wanting to create an impact with outdoor signage.  Suitable for use on chalkboards, windows, metals and plastics and other non porous surfaces, the uni Chalk Marker produces vibrant writing lines and colour that is easily wiped off with a damp cloth.

The uni-ball Signo 207 Bold comprises fade resistant and waterproof pigment ink that is fast drying, but also protects against cheque and document tampering.  Comfortable to hold with an ergonomically designed rubber grip and scratch free tip, the Signo 207 is completed with a high quality finish and a bold writing line.

“We are looking forward to the Stationery Show and intend to leave quite an impression by launching several new products,” said Stuart Barker, marketing manager for uni-ball.  “As we lead up to the show we are revealing just how passionate we are about the pens we buy. Buyers visiting our stand will get a glimpse into these stationery obsessions and we’ll show them just how our range of writing instruments are meeting customer demands.”

To find out more about uni-ball visit www.uniball.co.uk, follow twitter.com/uniball_uk or like facebook.com/uniballfanpage.

uni-ball has revealed an extensive competition programme following the announcement that the leading pen brand is to become an official partner of National Stationery Day.

Over the next eight weeks, uni-ball will give away its most popular writing instruments to champion the written word through its social media channels.  Pens up for grabs include the uni-ball fanthom, uni-ball Vision Elite, Jetstream, uni-ball eye, uni-ball Signo 207, Power Tank, POSCA and Kuru Toga.

Stuart Barker, marketing manager for uni-ball, said: “In the run up to National Stationery Day, we want to engage with our fans on twitter and facebook.  By launching a series of weekly giveaways, we are able to get people talking about their obsession with stationery as well as promote the benefits of our writing instruments at the same time.”

The news is announced as uni-ball publishes its facebook timeline to share news, competitions and hold discussions with fans of stationery and those within the creative industry online.

National Stationery Day takes place on the opening day of the London Stationery Show on Tuesday 24 April. 

For further information visit www.uniball.co.uk, follow twitter.com/uniball_uk or like facebook.com/uniballfanpage.
 

Mitsubishi Pencil Co. has appointed Paul Smith to the newly created role of head of sales for UK and Export.

Smith joined the company in 2010 as sales manager – mass export – having previously spent seven years as national account manager for Henkel Limited.

UK general manager for Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Owen McGonagle, commented: “We are delighted to appoint Paul to this new role as we look to maintain and further strengthen our position in the UK writing instruments sector. 

“This is an exciting time for the company as we get set to increase our sales turnover, launch a series of new products and relocate our UK and European headquarters to a new facility in Milton Keynes later this year.”

Mitsubishi Pencil Co. has a history of developing products which uniquely match the needs of individual uses.  Its uni-ball brand is the market leader in the UK rollerball pen market.

To find out more about Mitsubishi Pencil Co. visit www.uniball.co.uk, follow twitter.com/uniball_uk or like facebook.com/uniballfanpage

Mitsubishi Pencil Company UK Ltd, owner of the uni-ball brand has today announced that the UK and European Headquarters will be relocating from its current base in Worcester to a new facility in Milton Keynes.

The decision to relocate is taking place to ensure greater integration of the UK based operation with that of the wider European operations of Mitsubishi Pencil Company.  The target is to increase Mitsubishi Pencil Company’s European sales turnover by 40% over the coming years.

The new site will sit in a region of the UK with strong expertise, skills and competency in logistics which will contribute towards Mitsubishi Pencil Company providing a high standard of service to our customers.

The relocation is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2012.

Mitsubishi Pencil Company will now enter a staff consultation phase with employees based at the Worcester facilities. 

An announcement on the new address for Mitsubishi Pencil Company will be made at a later date.

Mitsubishi Pencil Co. has announced two senior personnel changes as the leading pen brand looks forward to the year ahead.

Olivier Brenot will take on the position of European director having previously carried out the role of European marketing director.  Owen McGonagle, previously financial director, becomes UK general manager.

“I’m delighted to take up the position of UK general manger and look forward to developing closer working relationships with our partners, suppliers and customers,” said Owen.  “We will launch a number of new products this year and have a series of strong marketing and PR campaigns in place that will not only support business partners, but will appeal to a wide range of consumers.”

Mitsubishi Pencil Co. has a history of developing products which uniquely match the needs of individual uses.  Its uni-ball brand is the market leader in the UK rollerball pen market.

To find out more about Mitsubishi Pencil Co. visit www.uniball.co.uk, follow twitter.com/uniball_uk or like facebook.com/uniballfanpage.

Leading writing instrument manufacturers Sheaffer, Faber-Castell and uni-ball have signed up as Official Partners for National Stationery Day on Tuesday 24 April, which is the opening day of the London Stationery Day.

“This is great news for National Stationery Day,” say organiser Chris Leonard-Morgan.
“The involvement of these major names will really help National Stationery Day achieve its objective of getting people writing, talking about and buying more stationery and writing instruments.”

National Stationery Day will be a day of celebration of the written word and all things stationery, from the functional and fun to the stylish and luxurious.  An extensive programme of PR activity is planned around the day including social media, radio and press, the appointment of a team of stationery 'ambassadors' and inviting well known public figures with a penchant for stationery and pens to visit the show.

Mitsubishi Pencil Co. has lent its support to a ‘Children in Need’ project, which creates a safe haven for young people in Liverpool.

‘DIY SOS: The Big Build’ has transformed a rundown youth centre in a one-off special for the annual charity appeal.
The Big Build team took on their biggest project to date with the complete refurbishment of the Norris Green Youth Centre, a dilapidated youth facility in one of Liverpool’s most deprived areas.
The mammoth Big Build challenge was supported by a donation of 80 uni POSCA marker pens by Mitsubishi Pencil Co. to transform a huge wall space in the centre’s recreation room.

“We are thrilled to have been involved in this fantastic makeover. Norris Green Youth Centre helps young people to broaden their horizons and is a priceless facility for its local community.” commented Stuart Barker, marketing manager for Mitsubishi Pencil Co. 

Artist Dave Bain used the uni POSCA markers to create a custom woodland mural, with help from fellow Bristol-based artist Loch Ness.

The 5m by 12m wall was transformed using a mixture of mediums. Matt vinyl paint was first applied with the design then being drawn directly on top using black uni POSCA marker pens ranging from fine tip up to extra broad chisel tip.

Working alongside a team of over 150 volunteers on site, Dave and Loch Ness had only four days to complete the mural, working in building site conditions throughout.

Dave commented: “The centre is used by a wide range of young adults aged from 12 right up to 20 years old, so I wanted to create a design that wasn’t too childish.

“The woodland theme aims to bring the outdoors inside and features colourful friendly characters that have a bit of an edge.

“uni POSCA marker pens worked well for this project because we had a large area to cover in a limited time and the pens are very fluid and easy to use.”

Norris Green gives a rare beacon of hope to the young people in the area, attracting at least 50 children every evening, seven days a week. With the help of the local community the huge workforce of tradesmen and volunteers fully refurbished and extended the centre to provide better facilities.

The team had to pull out all the stops; only having nine days to complete the whole restoration, which included fitting a new kitchen, installing three mezzanine floors and replacing the roof.

“The task was huge but everyone was really touched by the reactions of the staff and children when the results were revealed.” added Dave.

“Young people can sometimes be quite guarded when expressing emotions so I was pleasantly surprised by the gratitude and enthusiasm which they showed.”

Stuart Barker added: “The team put in an incredible effort to complete this project in such a short amount of time. Dave and Loch Ness have created an extraordinary piece which we hope will inspire visitors to the centre.”

For further information visit www.uniball.co.uk, follow @uni_posca on twitter or like www.facebook.com/uniballfanpage.
 

A talented writer from Penshaw has penned herself a huge success story after winning a national competition.

Helen Scott, aged 13, scooped the top prize in a prestigious handwriting competition from leading pen manufacturer uni-ball.

The magical writing competition aimed to get children writing over the school holidays by evoking their imagination.  Fronted by Strictly Come Dancing Star Anton Du Beke, budding young authors were given the chance to showcase their talents by describing how they would spend a day with their favourite storybook character.

Helen, who beat scores of other students from across the UK, chose to spend the day with super spy Alex Rider by saving the world.   She now hopes to forge a lengthy literary career for herself on the back of her success.  She said: “I am thrilled to have won top prize in this competition. I dream of working as a script writer when I’m older so this is a fantastic step in the right direction. ”

Helen’s creativity was awarded with a bumper prize pack containing an Apple iPad 2, Apple iPod Nano, Canon powershot digital camera, book vouchers worth £100, iTunes vouchers worth £50 and a uni-ball fanthom gift pack.
 
Stuart Barker, uni-ball’s marketing manager, said: “Congratulations to Helen.  Her entry clearly showed that she has a real talent for writing and we hope that she uses the uni-ball fanthom to pen many more imaginative tales.

“Judging by the number of entries this competition received, we are delighted to see that the art of handwriting is being kept alive.  We must also thank Anton for his support in promoting the benefits of the uni-ball fanthom, a magical pen which is smooth to write with and makes light work of erasing mistakes.”

For further information on uni-ball visit www.uniball.co.uk or follow the brand on twitter by following @uniball_uk.
 

Mitsubishi Pencil Co. has lent its support to a ‘Children in Need’ project, which creates a safe haven for young people in Liverpool.

‘DIY SOS: The Big Build’ has transformed a rundown youth centre in a one-off special which will kick-start a series of programmes for the annual charity appeal.

The mammoth Big Build challenge was supported by a donation of 80 uni POSCA marker pens by Mitsubishi Pencil Co. for use by artists Dave Bain and Loch Ness during the transformation.

Working alongside a team of over 150 volunteers on site, the artists only had four days to complete a bespoke mural, working in building site conditions throughout.

“We are thrilled to have been involved in this fantastic makeover.  Dave and Loch Ness used uni POSCA to create an extraordinary piece which we are looking forward to people seeing when the show airs.” commented Stuart Barker, marketing manager for Mitsubishi Pencil Co. 

DIY SOS: The Big Build is expected to be aired on Thursday 10th November at 9pm on BBC One.

For further information visit www.uniball.co.uk, follow @uni_posca on twitter or like www.facebook.com/uniballfanpage.
 

Superheroes from the office world descended upon this year’s office* show at Earls Court to delve into the heroic world of Mitsubishi Pencil Co.

On stand 7024, PAs and office managers heralded a range of writing instruments that will assist them during a busy day at work.

A range of ‘office heroes’ from the reliable and well proven uni-ball eye, to the safe and trustworthy Signo 207, were sampled by visitors throughout the show’s main hall and seminars.

“It was a pleasure to meet with so many visitors at the show,” said Stuart Barker, marketing manager for Mitsubishi Pencil Co.  “Office workers are under so much pressure these days and our range of writing instruments can become your valuable ally in your daily quest for office efficiency.
 
“Whether you see it in yourself or in your colleagues, we can all identify with and exhibit superhero characteristics in our daily working lives. From the reliable and the cool headed who deliver under pressure, to the adaptable hard worker who saves the day, isn’t it time that you had the perfect sidekick in hand to see you through your busy day?”

For further information visit www.uniball.co.uk, follow @uniball_uk on twitter or like www.facebook.com/uniballfanpage.

Leading stationery brand Mitsubishi Pencil Co. has launched an online shop via its website uniball.co.uk.

Powered and developed by eCommerce provider Shopatron, the shop features every pen within the firm’s portfolio including refills.

The site enables users to easily and securely purchase products with all orders fulfilled by a trusted network of UK partners recruited by Mitsubishi Pencil Co.

“We’re delighted to launch our very own online shop that will increase our brand exposure and product availability within the marketplace,” said Stuart Barker, marketing manager for Mitsubishi Pencil Co.  “Retailers will benefit by growing sales through the fulfillment of orders and the shop is sure to be a hit with our customer base.”

For more information about the uni-ball shop visit www.uniball.co.uk or email info@mpuni.co.uk.

Leave a lasting mark with your Back to School offering this summer with a range of must-have stationery items from Mitsubishi Pencil Co.

Mitsubishi Pencil Co. has embraced the digital revolution by launching an iPhone app based on its POSCA paint marker.

An impressive new display unit from Mitsubishi Pencil Co. looks set to liven up retail spaces across the UK.

uni-ball has officially launched its consumer Back to School campaign with a little help from Strictly Come Dancing Star Anton Du Beke.

Holidaymakers in the South West can add a splash of colour to their favourite possessions when the POSCA camper van tour hits the road this week.

Staff at one London stationers have discovered that some things are definitely made to last when they uncovered a Mitsubishi Pencil Co. pen that is a quarter of a century old.  

Staff at Barbican Stationers,  which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, discovered a UB-100 and were shocked to find that despite being stowed away since the store opened, the pen was still fully functioning.

Mr. Devidas Kachhla company director at Barbican Stationers said: “My wife found the pen when moving some old furniture. We were amazed to discover that not only did it still work, but that it writes as well as it did 25 years ago.”

He continued: “We have stocked uni-ball pens for many years and our customers often make repeat purchases because they love the ink flow and quick drying abilities.”
 
Established in 1986, Barbican Stationers is a family-run business. Mrs. Sheila Kachhla found the blue barreled UB-100 in the store which is soon to undergo a complete re-design.

Stuart Barker, marketing manager at Mitsubishi Pencil Co. commented: “I would like to congratulate the store on its 25th anniversary. We were thrilled to hear about Mrs. Kachhla’s discovery. This pen is no longer in production yet still proves to be the perfect handwriting tool.”

He continued: “The launch of the UB-100 back in 1979 saw the introduction of the “uni-ball”, the world’s first roller ball to incorporate a metal tip. After 25 years this pen has stood the test of time. Still providing exceptionally smooth writing performance with a good flow of ink, it is a testament to the quality of Mitsubishi Pencil Co. products.”

For further information on Mitsubishi Pencil Co. visit www.uniball.co.uk, www.unisuperpens.co.uk or view the company’s latest tweets on Twitter by following @uniball_uk.

 Eggciting craft projects in leading consumer crafts magazine Craft Beautiful uses Posca to inspire all crafters

Have a look at our Twitter page www.twitter.com/uni_posca to see our winning background

Mitsubishi Pencil Co. has undertaken one of its most successful retail activities to date in an effort to promote its latest range of writing instruments.

Congratulations to all the staff at uni Mitsubishi Pencil Company that took part in the 5KM Race for life, raising a whopping £550 for Cancer research UK. Well done!

Mistakes can easily be erased having put pen to paper thanks to a revolutionary new writing instrument launched by leading stationery brand uni-ball.

Mitsubishi Pencil Co. UK is celebrating having picked up its second Lyreco Award of the year.

The prestigious Lyreco UK Logistics Award was awarded to the biggest name in the UK rollerball market in recognition of the firm’s exceptional logistics performance throughout 2009.  The news follows an announcement made earlier in the month when MPC UK scooped the Lyreco European Logistics Award.

This is great news for everyone involved and underlines our excellent logistics performance across the UK office supply chain.  Both awards also recognise our close relationship with Lyreco locally and on a European level to deliver quickly, on time, correctly and without fuss.

To find out more about Mitsubishi Pencil Co. visit www.uniball.co.uk

Go to
http://www.debutart.com/news/help-celyn-harry-jon-serge-help-the-birmingham-childrens-hospital

Mitsubishi Pencil Co. UK has been awarded the coveted Lyreco European Logistics Award.

Judges praised the performance of the leading stationery brand and recognised the firm’s exceptional logistics below 35 SKUs in Europe.

We are delighted to win this award for the second year running in recognition of having the best logistics performance in our category across Europe.  This is a great achievement for everyone involved and puts us in a strong position looking ahead to the UK Lyreco Awards next month.

Writing has never smelt so good thanks to a new range of scented gel pens.

One lucky office worker has become the envy of all her neighbours by winning an impressive new home entertainment system courtesy of uni-ball.

A talented writer from Arbroath has penned herself a huge success story after an award winning children’s author judged her work as ‘perfect.’

A leading national newspaper has listed two must-have products from Mitsubishi Pencil Co. in a guide selecting the 50 best stationery items for 2010.

Mitsubishi Pencil Co. has shown it has the X Factor when it comes to writing instruments thanks to the results generated from its latest marketing activity.

A leading stationery brand is urging home and office workers to get in touch if their top desk drawer looks more like a war zone than a picture of perfection.

The latest audited figures released by GFK Marketing Services reveal that uni-ball has topped the hit list by volume in September 2009*.

A leading stationery firm is celebrating World Teachers’ Day on October 5, 2009 by offering inspirational classroom figures a free writing instrument.

The UK's leading rollerball brand is coming to Aston University, Birmingham next weekend (Sunday 4th October) as part of the city's Freshers' Fair celebrations.

The UK's leading rollerball brand is coming to Norwich next week as part of the city's Freshers' Fair celebrations.

The UK's leading rollerball brand is coming to Nottingham next week as part of the city's Freshers' Fair celebrations.

uni-ball, the leading brand in the UK rollerball market, has gifts and stocking fillers covered this Christmas with an impressive range of writing instruments.

The latest craze in writing instruments is on its way to the UK this year after proving to be a huge success in Japan and across the globe.

Two new products from Mitsubishi Pencil Co. are set to take the UK stationery market by storm as the company gears up for the Back to School season.

Mitsubishi Pencil Company UK has won two awards at this week's Lyreco UK awards ceremony.

Mitsubishi Pencil Company offers a full service on over printed writing instruments.

Want to know exactly what makes uni-ball products different?  Take a look at our "uni Science Museum" video to find out more: