in Schneider’s product range for many
years, and last year it added a new series
– the rollerball series One – designed
specifically to meet the changing habits
of digital natives.
“In times of digital revolution, people
mostly write quick, short and striking
notes rather than long texts. Features
like an immediate start, easy-flowing ink,
brilliant colours, wear-resistance and an
easy usable tip are therefore particularly
useful,” explained Groß.
The rollerball series One, described
by Schneider as a ‘next generation
rollerball’, includes the One Business,
available in five colours, and the One
Hybrid, available in four. The pens feature
an ink regulator that equalises pressure,
preventing leaks and ensuring consistent
ink flow to the last drop. The ink is
waterproof to ISO 14145-2 and the cap
can be left open for 2 to 3 days without
drying.
Super Ink
Another manufacturer to offer
permanent rollerball pens is the
Mitsubishi Pencil Company. Its uni-ball
brand has included permanent liquid ink
rollerballs since the late 1970s. Jacob
Lewis, marketing manager at uni-ball,
said: “The uni-ball Eye is the UK’s best
selling permanent liquid ink rollerball
and has been hugely popular for over 25
years, with nearly 8 million sold in the
UK last year. It offers a very high quality
writing experience, but one of the things
that makes this pen unique is its non-
fade, tamper-proof and water-resistant
uni Super Ink.”
Pigment ‘Super Ink’ is also used in
uni-ball’s new permanent rollerball,
the uni-ball Air, which according to
Lewis also offers a unique writing
experience. “Instead of a metal tip, it has
a composite tip that can move and flex
as you use it,” he said. “This reduces any
Made to last
Sitting somewhere between a
ballpoint and fountain pen is the
rollerball. Ideal for everyday use,
it combines the reliability and
convenience of a ballpoint pen with
the smooth ink flow and fluidity of a
fountain pen.
Among the wide choice of rollerballs
on the market are ones with permanent,
document-proof ink. These have obvious
benefits for business, as they reduce
the risk of fraud and ensure that ink on
important documents can’t be erased.
Pentel marketing manager Wendy
Vickery says permanent ink provides
useful protection against deliberate and
accidental alteration. “Identity fraud
doesn’t only manifest itself in the theft
of electronic data or printed details. Any
important written information, such
as signatures, address details, witness
statements or affidavits, can fade after
time, and not only when exposed to
strong sunlight. Often without knowing,
individuals can be vulnerable to the
misuse of their documents, with costly
results,” she warned.
In October last year, Pentel
announced a new addition to its popular
EnerGel range, boasting the quick drying,
non-smudging properties of its sister
products and an important new attribute
– permanent ink. Certified to DIN ISO
27668-2:2009, EnerGel Permanent ink
is light-fast, non-erasable and resistant
to ethanol, hydrochloric acid, bleach,
ammonia and water. This
makes it perfect for signing
cheques, contracts and legal
documents with the surety of
archival-quality ink.
Document-proof
Writing instruments manufacturer
Schneider has had permanent
rollerballs in its product range since
1974, selling them both to businesses
and to schools where they are used to
create more durable notices.
CEO Frank Groß says there are
certain standards that rollerball pens
must meet if they are to be used for
documentary purposes. “The document
proof ink has to comply with special
criteria to obtain the ISO 14145-2
norm. For example, the ink must dry
quickly (wiping resistance), so it doesn’t
smear. This also makes it suitable
for lefthanders. The ink should not
be erasable, ensuring that it can’t be
removed without a trace. The colour
must remain legible after a defined dose
of sunlight and should not fade (light
fastness). Furthermore, it should be
water-resistant and resistant to certain
chemicals,” he said.
Rollerballs have had a firm place
With so much focus on cyber-security, it’s easy to forget the
risks associated with written information.
Pen To Paper
looks
at why you should consider using a permanent rollerball and
what options are available.
Spring 2016
| P2P Magazine |
13
PENS
Continued...
Pentel EnerGel
Permanent Ink
uni-ball Eye – nearly 8 million
sold in the UK last year
uni-ball AIR
Identity fraud
doesn’t only
manifest
itself in the
theft of
electronic
data or
printed
details
