Writing Instruments

China’s writing instrument export sales have been growing an average of 25 percent annually since 2005. Export volume, on the contrary, has been rising at a slower pace of 11 percent over the same period.

The coming months, however, will be challenging for the industry’s 3,000 suppliers due mainly to higher production costs, appreciation of the yuan, and stricter safety and environmental regulations in the US and the EU.

In particular, many makers are preparing to comply with the EU’s REACH directive, which requires substantial investment in material research and documentation.

All these challenges will translate into higher expenses for suppliers and force most to announce price increases in coming months.

This report will provide you a comprehensive overview of this changing industry answering questions such as:

• How do the new safety and environmental regulations affect the industry?
• How are suppliers meeting demand for higher quality?
• What are suppliers doing to deal with rising production costs?
• What are the latest products available, at what price points?
• What are the main materials used and where are they sourced from?
• And many more…