Office, School & Art Supplies Manufacturing
Companies in this industry manufacture office, school, and art supplies, excluding paper products. Major companies include ACCO Brands, AT Cross, Crayola, Dixon Ticonderoga, Pentel, and Sargent Art (all based in the US), as well as Bic (France), PILOT (Japan), and Montblanc International, STAEDTLER Mars, and Faber-Castell (all based in Germany).
The global writing and marking instruments market is projected to reach over $9 billion during 2022 until 2027, according to Technavio. Areas where populations and literacy rates are rising and office workforces are expanding, such as the Asia/Pacific region, are expected to drive growth. Greater demand for multi-functional pens and eco-friendly products is expected to drive growth in the industry.
The US office, school, and art manufacturing industry includes about 450 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $3 billion.
Competitive Landscape
Demand is driven by white-collar employment and educational enrollment levels, as well as the growth of small businesses and home offices. The profitability of individual companies depends on efficient operations and effective marketing. Larger manufacturers may benefit from strong relationships with larger retailers and better brand recognition. Smaller operators tend to compete through specialized products and superior craftsmanship. The US industry is highly concentrated: the 50 largest firms generate about 90% of sales.
Competition from mass merchandisers and online retailers impacting office supply retailers is putting downward pressure on prices paid to manufacturers of office, school, and art supplies. Retailers' private-label brands, often sourced directly from foreign suppliers, compete with manufacturers' branded goods. Also, consolidation among major office supply retailers, including the merger of OfficeMax and Office Depot, is hurting manufacturers' sales through lost placement and inventory reduction.
Products, Operations & Technology
Major products include pens, mechanical pencils, and markets, as well as inked ribbons which both for about 30% of the industry's revenue. Other products
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