Hamelin officially acquired Pelikan (and Herlitz) on December 13th, 2023, bringing hope for a brighter future for these companies, which have faced bankruptcy, takeovers, tough market conditions, and austerity. However, for many employees, that hope has faded. Hamelin has aggressively reduced redundancies in Germany, Poland, Italy, Benelux, and Switzerland. A key change has been the closure of Pelikan Vertriebsgesellschaft (PVG), Pelikan’s German sales and distribution operations in Hannover and Falkensee, affecting around 250 employees. There have also been changes in distribution; Stone Marketing, which distributed Pelikan in the UK for over 25 years, is no longer involved as of January 1st because Hamelin has its own logistics in the UK. Eric Joan, Hamelin’s CEO, aims for growth by offering a wide range of products from a single catalog. Emphasizing the need to reduce redundancy, Mr. Joan recently summed it up like this; “We only want to run one company and not three.” Although Hamelin’s plans for Pelikan’s Peine-Vöhrum manufacturing plant are unclear, there are indications that developments are forthcoming.
Malaysian entrepreneur Loo Hooi Keat and Hamelin’s CEO Eric Joan shake hands to seal the deal after the brand’s sale
At the close of the sale, Hamelin acquired the Pelikan and Herlitz brands, along with a catalog of roughly 12,000 school and office supplies, including our favorite fountain pens. The sale also encompassed local subsidiaries in Germany, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Japan as well as production facilities in Germany, Mexico, Colombia, and Poland.
Before Hamelin’s acquisition, the future of Pelikan’s Peine-Vöhrum plant was already uncertain. For years, locals worried that the prior owners might outsource production of certain parts to Pelikan’s plant in Mexico. Since 1973, Pelikan has produced writing instruments and school supplies in Peine, but years of neglect by the previous Malaysian owners have left the equipment outdated and hindered expansion.
In late 2022, Pelikan suggested selling nearby land to fund upgrades and a logistics center. By March of the following year, a proposal emerged to sell the factory and land to the Hillwood Group for demolition and redevelopment, allowing Pelikan to lease the new facilities under a sale-leaseback arrangement. However, these plans were abandoned when Hamelin decided to purchase the company, leaving a festering issue for the new owners to address.
Pelikan’s Peine-Vöhrum manufacturing facility, operating since 1973
Where do we stand now? Hamelin seems to prioritize process over products. In fact, regarding the acquisition, Mr. Joan recently said that “nothing will change in the product range, there would be no reason for that,” which raises questions about how (and where) those products are made. Combining the newly acquired assets with existing processes can create better, more efficient, and cost effective results, but at what cost?
Recent reports from Germany highlight the fear and uncertainty surrounding the plant’s future, impacting not only its 220 employees but also local politicians who are trying to maintain jobs in the area. A one-year location guarantee is in place between Hamelin and Peine, but uncertainty remains after that. Although Hamelin has not endorsed plans to relocate production, there are indicators that significant upgrades may not be in the immediate future.
About five years ago, Mr. Joan gave an interview to OPI that might provide insight into the company’s current mindset. In reply to a query about the company’s manufacturing locations, Mr. Joan had this to say. “We have ten manufacturing plants in total. About a decade ago there were more than 20, but we intensely consolidated our capacity. Our facilities are now much bigger, and they contain a very high degree of automation in the various processes. If you want to be successful today, you have to be extremely lean and efficient – having fewer units definitely helps with that efficiency.” Hamelin is all-in on a “run lean” business strategy which means focusing on efficiency, eliminating waste, continuously improving processes, and maximizing value while minimizing cost. You can find these principles at the heart of every move the company has made since acquiring Pelikan and Herlitz.
Insiders say Hamelin has not guaranteed jobs for the factory’s workers, which affects morale, especially after PVG’s closure this year. Recent decisions have raised concerns because Hamelin often restructures for optimized profitability. For example, Hamelin closed the Lecas paper mill in Charente, France last year, where Oxford diaries were made for over 50 years. Production has since moved to Turkey and Romania, where costs are lower. While these decisions may help corporate finances, they have led to the loss of a historic factory and local jobs. Could Pelikan’s German pen production also be sacrificed for profitability?
One possible reprieve for Pelikan’s Peine factory is that it might be more immune to redundancy planning than either PVG or the Lecas paper mill. Hamelin has concentrated on school and office supplies instead of fine writing instruments, so other facilitates may not be prepared to take over fountain pen production anytime soon. However, it is conceivable that some school supplies may be outsourced to reduce production cost.
Reliable sources say that Hamelin will invest five million euros in Vöhrum over the next five years, which is about one million per year. Experts believe that this amount may not be enough for a sustainable future investment. It is uncertain what impact this small investment might have on the factory and its ability to maintain or expand production. There has been talk about buying a large industrial parcel of land at Stahlwerkbrücke, where Ostrandstraße meets Lehmkuhlenweg, to build a logistics center. The city of Peine owns this land and has not agreed to any sale terms. They are worried about Hamelin’s plans for the site and are currently not considering new logistics centers in the city.
Hamelin is reportedly eyeing a vacant parcel of land that sits in an industrial area at the intersection of Ostrandstraße and Lehmkuhlenweg
In other news, a search is currently underway for a new plant manager to oversee factory operations. In addition to that, the IGBCE trade union, representing most factory workers, will elect a new works council of 9 members this month. The new council will continue to work with Hamelin to protect workers’ interests. Fans, employees, and politicians alike will continue to be disquieted by the prospect of production moving out of Germany until Hamelin shares their strategic plan for Pelikan’s manufacturing. Anyone paying attention has cause for alarm, but it is far too soon to panic. Any reports of Pelikan’s death at this stage would be grossly premature.
My attachment to the brand would decline significantly if production were outsourced and I believe that many share this view. Emotions greatly influence consumer choices, and we should remember the importance of 187 years of corporate history before making any changes. Fallen giants like Parker and Sheaffer, shadows of their former selves, serve as cautionary tales. People have a strong emotional bond with these writing instruments, likely stronger than what they feel for their notebooks and diaries. Mr. Joan understands this and has told us as much which is why I remain hopeful.
References
- Biester, Von Silke. “So stellt Hamelin Pelikan und Herlitz neu auf.” Lebensmittel Zeitung. March 5, 2025.
- Dieckmann, Heike. “Big Interview: Focused on the core.” OPI. February 20, 2020.
- Graphiline, Rédaction. “Oxford against offshoring: call for boycott of Hamlin Group brand.” PrintIndustry.news. December 9, 2024.
- Polreich, Mirja “Pelikan: Was passiert mit dem Werk in Vöhrum?” Peiner Allgemeine. February 26, 2025.
- Urquhart, Michelle. “Hamelin To Distribute Pelikan Products In UK From January.” StationaryNews.net. October 15, 2024.
So where does this leave those of us who want those fine writing instruments?
Nothing has changed for the time being. Business continues as usual. We’ll see the usual spate of releases this year. This is just a thought piece exploring Hamelin’s corporate mindset and how that might impact manufacturing in Peine. I don’t think anyone really knows what direction we are ultimately headed so it’s stay tuned for now. Perhaps this article will also serve to give Hamelin some food for thought as they formulate their strategy.
Very well written article, but sadly, it is also worrisome about what will happen to the magnificent Pelikan fine writing instruments. I hope that the Pelikan brand does not follow behind what happened to both the Parker and Sheaffer pens, and to a much lesser degree, Cross pens.
Thank you. Yes, worrisome indeed. Hamelin seems to do their research so I’m hopeful that they will come to the right conclusions. The CEO seems to have a good head about him.
I hope they put out some more Tortoises before they head into ambiguity.
Sad to hear this.
I hope they never head into ambiguity AND put out more Tortoises. No reason we can’t have both!
As a total devoté of Hamelin’s Oxford paper this sentence really caught my eye: “For example, Hamelin closed the Lecas paper mill in Charente, France last year, where Oxford diaries were made for over 50 years. Production has since moved to Turkey and Romania, where costs are lower.” I had heard rumours of a change in Oxford’s quality over the past year but haven’t gotten deep enough in my stash to experience any changes. I hope Oxford’s paper formula isn’t as sensitive to machine and location changes as TR was!!
The rumours are true unfortunately, the new Oxford Optik Paper + isn’t nearly as good as the older paper. The regular Optik Paper hasn’t changed (yet?), but it’s getting harder and harder to find any.
On the other hand Hamelin is also behind J. Herbin and Clairefontaine (AFAIK) and has handled both brands fairly well, especially with regards to their heritage. Pelikan is a German brand just like Sheaffer is an American one and to move production would kill the brand.
I think even the school and office supplies are somewhat sensitive areas, a lot of people buy Pelikan rather than often much cheaper rival brands because it is a German company with many products still being made in Germany. There’s already a lot of competition in the market from other German brands (Faber-Castell, Staedtler, Stabilo, Lamy,…), so unless Pelikan also reduces prices significantly (unlikely and even then it would probably still be a bad move)) any changes would most likely in a significant loss of domestic market share.
I believe Hamelin is well aware of this and bought Pelikan as their premium brand, so I’m still somewhat optimistic. Prior to the sale Pelikan was also already profitable again.
I do believe that Pelikan is one of the “Premium” brands in Hamelin’s portfolio and they know that. I expect they will treat it accordingly. It is also true that the prior Malaysian owners were did not optimize efficiencies after certain acquisitions. I think that is the streamlining we are seeing now, perhaps something that should have happened years ago to be honest. I do expect Hamelin to be better stewards of the brand than the prior owners ever were but that might just be my hopeful naivety. I also am inclined to agree that part of the brands allure for consumers is the reputation for “German quality.” I think that reputation has been earned but it could just as easily be squandered if not cared for.
That is interesting. I’d be curious to know of your experience should you observe a change in quality over time. Of course, so many factors can contribute to that but hopefully it will not come to pass.
Not knowing the economics of the Luxury Writing business presents a challenge. Moving school supplies and other “crank it out” products to another location and streamlining certain other processes is one thing, but putting a high profitability (I assume) division at risk is quite another. Imagine the Pelikan line produces high margin and steady profit–and you state the CEO seems reasonable and smart. He’s going to give thorough thought as to moves with high margin and profitability. It’s entirely possible I demonstrate wishful thinking, but this could end up a blessing.
All the best
I do hope that you are right. We’ll just have to wait and see how things play out. I’m particularly interested to see how the recent turmoil in the global economy might play into corporate decision making.
Joshua, you seem to be really well-informed about the Pelikan company, and I regularly read your articles with great enthusiasm.
Thank you for the article with all this information on the company’s status quo. I, too, am a huge fan of the Pelikan brand and have built a relationship over many years that I don’t have with my other fountain pen brands. Perhaps it’s also because my very first fountain pen was a “Pelikano 4.”
I find it worrying what one reads and hears about Pelikan’s future – unfortunately, nothing positive.
Let’s hope the new models attract widespread interest and find many buyers – and that the CEO makes a sensible and wise decision that allows us collectors and enthusiasts to look forward with optimism.
Are there any plans for a hub event this year like in previous years?
If I am informed, it is only through diligent research and an ardent interest. I have no special window into the company I’m afraid but I do suppose enthusiasm makes up for a lot. No official word on a Hub event yet but it is a touch too soon anyways. Hopefully we will hear about a Hub before long as May has been the date of announcement in recent years.
Thank you for this detailed report on the Pelikan situation. I started my fountain pen collection with the Pelikan M815, M800 Renaissance and M1005 Stresemann. After that the waiting game started and since then I am truly sorry to say, nothing interesting on the M80x/M100x front has been released. Meanwhile I have resorted to Montegrappa (custom) celluloid fountain pens and Pilot fountain pens (such as the limited edition Rikka 823) but my true love is for Pelikan. Pelikan has the reputation that would make me purchase a new interesting release without hesitation, but the releases of late just haven’t been that interesting. So please proof me wrong Pelikan and release a M805/M1005 Tortoise Black or how about an ocean swirl M1005?
I’m curious to know if the new M815 Metal Striped Blue qualifies as new and interesting for you, particularly since you already have the M815 Metal Striped Black.
Thank you, Joshua, for this very interesting article
You’re most welcome!
I hope they realise that nobody want’s to buy high priced german fine writing pens anymore if they are produced entirely in eastern europe or something. I get that they have to reduce cost somehow but it won’t work if Pelikan ends up being just a subbrand of a french company
not ‘nobody’. I was only vaguely aware of where they were made – I bought on quality and reputation so it wont put me off.
And I think many would continue to do so. I do think part of that reputation is based on the mystique of German manufacturing excellence so that could take a hit if production were relocated, particularly if the relocation came with a decrease in quality.
There will always be people that buy but yes, your point is understood. It would certainly tarnish the brand in the eyes of many and turn quite a few off to the company. Hopefully that is something we will never see come to pass.
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In reference to last paragraph, for me the scariest tales aren’t those about Sheaffer and Parker because they still exist and we can still enjoy (more or less) their products like e.g. Duofolds. The scariest tales are about those once big and with excellent products which didn’t survive like Soennecken. Its 111 series was competitive or even superior than Montblancs Meisterstück and today what has left? Just hollow brand which is stick to everything just like “premium” tag on Chinese goods.
R.I.P. Soennecken 1875-1973
Yes, when a brand like Soennecken dies, it is a loss but when trademark rights are used to slap a name onto a lesser product, it really is a disservice to the credibility that name had earned.
I reckon that, unfortunately,the Pelikan Hub will not take place…..
I don’t think that is a fair assessment. There has been no announcement in either direction so it’s all just speculation at present. As far as I have heard, a Hub is still anticipated for later this year. I expect an announcement in the coming weeks.