Zebra Pens prides itself on offering a personalised approach to building solid relationships with its trade partners, as well as supplying premium products that offer everyday value Stylish stationery When did you start up and why? The Zebra Pen company was originally formed 129 years ago by Mr Tokumatsu Ishikawa in Japan, with the official Zebra brand being launched in 1914. Since then, the business has experienced substantial growth globally. What prompted you to launch the business? As part of the business’ continued development, Zebra Pen (UK) was set up in 1992 as the first sales base within the European market. Following on from its earlier success within the retail arena, Andy Hales was appointed as Managing Director for the UK in 2021 and in 2024 the business relocated from London to Cheshire as part of a wider expansion programme. What challenges have you overcome since the company’s launch? As with many other industries, the stationery sector has continued to face a number of challenging times over recent years, from the impact of the pandemic to current trade pressures that are being influenced by varying global conflicts and tensions. In response 45 COMPANY PROFILE
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