PACIFIC WRITING INSTRUMENTS invents, designs, produces, distributes, and sells fine writing instruments that are ergonomically designed to deliver a superior script with reduced hand fatigue and greater comfort. This privately held entrepreneurial company based in Pacifica, California has patents pending. The PenAgain™ is available for sale through better retailers and at the company's website.

Partners and college friends from Cal Poly, Colin Roche and Bobby Ronsse, decided to take a fresh look at the dynamics of hand control in writing, which yielded a surprisingly different pen. The PenAgain™ is intended to adapt to the contour of the human hand thus alleviating stresses normally observed with a standard pen. The writer's index finger sits in the saddle of a Y-shaped device and relaxes on the pen's point. The natural weight of the writer's hand provides sufficient pressure to apply ink to the paper. This eliminates the need to grip the pen allowing the thumb and forefinger to serve merely as guides.

Focus groups have demonstrated enthusiasm from a variety of user groups including connoisseurs of fine pens who appreciate the grace and workmanship, seniors with age and illness related gripping problems, people with penmanship problems, and college students and professionals who use pens frequently.

Initial reception among retailers has been strong. The company has received commitments to feature POP displays at several better pen retailers including Edwards Luggage, Signatore, and Write With Style, among others, and has a PO from a university bookstore prior to mass production. The $2 billion writing instruments segment of the promotional products industry has showed particularly strong interest because of the product uniqueness, practical usefulness, and ample room for printing promotional slogans or logos.

The company will market and distribute its PenAgain™ line to fine pen retailers directly and through segment appropriate distributors. The company will bolster availability and awareness by offering the PenAgain™ line for sale on its own website but always at price equity or above.

The company's marketing scheme will focus on PR by generating articles in local and national news, and in specialty pen and gift publications and by segment specific events. Advertising will play only a small role at this stage in the company because of limited advertising dollars and due to current high demand. The company views presence at the New York Pen and Stationary Show as important to showcase its innovative line.

Product strategy encompasses price and feature segmentation to accommodate a high end polished metal executive series, a standard version on introduction, and a lower cost series to accommodate the promotional market, for example. The company envisions augmenting the line with additional material, color, and size options over time. In addition, because of it's greater ease and comfort in use, the company has had interest from the medical, professional, and educational markets that would extend the scope of the PenAgain™ line with stylus, medical instruments, chalk holders, and light pens, among other potential applications.

The company has patents pending. A review of prior art made while pursuing its patent application leaves the company feeling positive about its product position.

The company has developed relationships with several outsourcing manufacturers, who can reliably ship finished products, initially in the U.S. and ultimately internationally. As volume increases, the company will be able to reduce costs and augment its PenAgain™ line with new design features.

Management includes Colin Roche and Bobby Ronsse, both graduates of Cal Poly at San Luis Obispo. Mr. Roche, who has worked as an executive in high technology start-ups, invented the pen from a single spark of an idea generated during Saturday detention and a lunchtime escape to a nearby flea market while still at Palo Alto High School. Years of soldering plastics into contoured designs and sleepless nights envisioning the pen induced him to team up with his former business partner and college buddy. Mr. Ronsse is a Mechanical Engineer with an esteemed high technology company in Silicon Valley and is in the process of earning his Masters at Santa Clara University.

The partners, with a little help from family and friends, have funded the company to date. A small dip in the economy has freed up some wonderfully talented people; more than twenty-five are working with the company to develop its infrastructure and help bring the product to market.

About the Company: PACIFIC WRITING INSTRUMENTS produces fine writing instruments that are ergonomically designed to deliver a superior script with reduced hand fatigue and greater comfort. The PenAgain™ line of fine pens relies on the natural downward pressure of the finger to produce a controlled line, while offering increased hand support and reduced gripping. This privately held entrepreneurial company based in Pacifica, California has patents pending. The PenAgain™ is available for sale through better retailers and at the company's website. www.penagain.com