With tech tools replacing traditional forms of written communication, and today's children glued to mobiles and other digital devices, how does a company that has coloured our imagination with its pencils, crayons and pens aim to retain and expand its legacy?

At the Faber-Castell factory in Corlim, Goa, where the sweet smell of wax wafts in the air as paraffin and pigments get moulded into crayons, you get some answers. This factory started out as a small operation in 1998, catering to wax crayons and erasers. The very next year it launched export operations by exporting fibre-tip pens to Germany. Over the years it has upped production to include marker pens, fabric paints and text liners, as well as introduced the triangular pencils concept in the Indian market, and now exports its products to over 40 countries.

The India operations were also designated as the Competence Centre (2005) for crayons and oil pastels within the German-headquartered Faber-Castell Group. That was 14 years ago.

Today, as Faber-Castell’s CEO Daniel Rogger tours the Goa factory, on his first India visit, he urges the staff to recreate the same magic. As he points out, few objects can delight as much as the little sticks of paraffin and pigment, externalising a child’s imagination onto paper. “It is a child’s first solid attempt at putting thoughts on paper,” he says.

Faber-Castell’s roots date to 1761, making it one of the oldest brands associated with writing implements, their crayons non-toxic and versatile. “We don’t have a problem as yet, which is good,” says Rogger, grinning. "Digitalisation happened 20 years ago. Despite that, there’s still a very good market for stationery.”

Dream sticks vs digital pads

Rogger believes strongly in the future of the business. “Though consumers are on digital devices the whole day, many want to disconnect. Mankind is looking to counterbalance their life, and getting more involved in art. In their spare time, many are using the pencil again.” A box of crayons provides a more expressive medium for kids than computerised paint programmes, he says.

Hans-Kurt von Werder, Member of the Executive Board and Chief Technical Officer (CTO), says children have fine motor skills that need to be developed. What better way to do it than to give them a pencil or crayon. Brushing aside talk that today’s children inhabit a digital world, he says it is not the first time the company has faced “something like this. Each and every time we have come out better than before.” The CTO illustrates, “Years ago, one of the strongest pillars for Faber-Castell in Germany was the slide rules, used in technical drawing and to calculate, and the fountain pen that technicians used to draw with. These are more or less gone. All that is in use now is CAD (computer aided design) which has taken over manual drafting.”

Intent on giving its products renewed relevance in the digital age, the company has blended a bit of the creative world into the digital one, engaging consumers with an app. “We are trying to hone our competence and have moved to the digital realm. We have developed a parent-teacher app, wherein 5-6 year-olds in art class can take pictures of their work and upload it into the app. This is basically a new way to connect with the consumer, create a benefit to the consumer and also to create business,” says the CEO. As of now the app is only available at the Faber-Castell Academy in Stein near Nuremberg, Germany, and in Brazil, where the company is testing the idea. It could soon debut in India. Partha Chakrabarti, Managing Director, AW Faber-Castell (India), says the vision at the company is crystal clear — to unleash one’s creative potential, be it that of a child or an adult.“That sort of defines our space and is not limited to just writing implements. The market is huge. In India, we have 445 million people in the 4-18 age group, and 260 million registered students. We have 1.5 million schools and half a million colleges, and they are all growing exponentially,” says the India MD. A similar picture presents itself in other countries. Faber-Castell is looking at new areas of interest in an attempt to understand where new business models lie.

According to CEO Rogger: “One of the top trends for us is education and we remain focussed on it.” The company is also keen to cultivate India as one of its manufacturing hubs to supply products to other markets.

Premium experience

Faber-Castell believes even in a price sensitive market like India, customers are ready to pay more for brand value and superior quality. And is investing in crafting unforgettable brand experiences. CTO Werder says the company has witnessed the best growth for its most expensive products in India. Artist products produced in Germany have had the strongest growth spurt here, he adds.

The India MD maintains it is the quality that adds a distinct flavour. “In a country where colour pencils retail at ₹10, people opt to buy Faber-Castell colour pencils at ₹150. No one likes the colour fading three months later, and colour steadfastness is what we provide.”

“We would not have managed to sell our Faber-Castell Polychromos colour pencils, and the Albrecht Durer artists’ watercolour pencil, which enables fatigue-free painting and drawing, to such a price conscious market if they didn’t perceive and understand quality.”

The CEO asserts the company is not catering to a commodity market. “We are looking at customers who want a brand with highest quality standards and the best products. In India, there are several such customers. And that is who we are talking to."

The writer visited Faber-Castell’s Goa factory at the invitation of the company

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