Pencils are a much needed tool as we get through our work day, and today we’re going to bring you an inside look into a pencil manufacturer that has been around for over 250 (262) years!

Bingo if you’ve guessed Faber Castell. Founded all the way back in 1761, Faber- Castell is one of the oldest industrial companies in the world, and has been owned by the same family for – get this – nine generations!

The firm is headquartered in the German state of Bavaria. It is currently present in over 120 countries with its own production sites in ten countries, and sales companies in 22 countries. 

More notably, Faber Castell sells over two billion pencils and coloured pencils each year even in face of digitalisation – so what is its secret sauce in achieving that sales volume?

Meanwhile, the firm has moved beyond stationery into decorative cosmetic products as well. But what was the rationale behind the move to diversify, and what does this mean for Faber Castell’s stationery business? 

On Under the Radar, Drive Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian sat down with Andrew Woon, Managing Director,  Faber-Castell Malaysia, Indochina and East Asia for more.