Berol

Berol is a British stationery brand with roots in the Eagle Pencil Company, a business founded in 1856 by Franconian immigrant Daniel Berolzheimer. Although its origins were in the United States, the company established a substantial British presence during the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries and eventually became closely associated with British pencil, pen, marker, and art-materials production. Its historical product range included graphite and coloured pencils, pens, markers, crayons, pastels, inks, acrylic products, adhesives, and other creative materials. The company opened an office, warehouse, and showrooms in London in 1894, followed by a pencil factory in Tottenham that began operating near the end of 1907. During the Second World War, the Tottenham operation stopped making pencils and was used to produce secret military equipment. Pencil production resumed in 1946. A purpose-built factory opened on the Hardwick Industrial Estate in King's Lynn, Norfolk, in 1967. Following post-war corporate changes and the diminishing suitability of the Eagle Pencil name, the company adopted the Berol name in 1969, derived from the shortened surname of its owner. Berol's British administrative and manufacturing base moved over time from Tottenham to Whetstone and then to King's Lynn in 1978. The company remained family-linked for several generations, but chairman Kenneth Berol announced in 1986 that the family intended to sell because there was no sixth-generation successor. Empire Pencil Corporation of Tennessee acquired the business in 1987. Berol later closed its Tottenham factory in 1992 and transferred some production to King's Lynn. Newell Company acquired Berol Corporation in 1995, after which Berol became part of Newell's Sanford division. Manufacturing in the United Kingdom declined during the following decade. The King's Lynn factory closed in 2003, resulting in 230 redundancies, and the final Berol factory closed in 2010. Since then, Berol has continued primarily as a brand of imported stationery and art products rather than as a substantial British manufacturer. The Lichfield location remains associated with the brand and serves as a United Kingdom address for the Newell group. Berol has also supplied institutional and promotional products. In the 1980s, it secured a contract to provide the BBC with standard writing instruments and produced promotional pens, highlighters, and permanent markers. In the 1990s, it marketed the American-made Yikes! range of brightly designed pencils, folders, erasers, and notebooks. By 2018, products were presented under the designation Berol by Paper Mate and included colouring pens, markers, colouring pencils, craft products, dry-wipe markers and pens, writing pens, and pencils. The modern brand therefore represents continuity in product identity and distribution rather than the continuation of its former domestic manufacturing network.

Berol traces its history to the Eagle Pencil Company, founded in 1856 by Daniel Berolzheimer, a Franconian immigrant from Fürth. The original business opened a pencil shop in New York City and a factory in Yonkers. Its international development brought the company to Britain, where it established a London office, warehouse, and showrooms in 1894. The British operation expanded into manufacturing with a factory in Tottenham that began operating near the end of 1907. The site produced pencils until the Second World War, when pencil manufacturing was suspended and the factory was used for secret military-equipment production. Pencil production resumed in 1946. In 1967, the company opened a purpose-built facility on the Hardwick Industrial Estate in King's Lynn, Norfolk, providing a larger base for British production. A succession of post-war corporate acquisitions made the Eagle Pencil name less representative of the business. In 1969, the company adopted the name Berol, based on the shortened surname of its owner. The head office initially remained at Tottenham, but pressure for additional production space led to a move to Whetstone, London, and then to King's Lynn in 1978. The business continued to produce writing instruments and art materials, building a broad range that included pencils, coloured pencils, pens, markers, crayons, pastels, inks, acrylic products, adhesives, and related media. Family ownership eventually approached a succession problem. In 1986, chairman Kenneth Berol announced the family's intention to sell because there was no sixth-generation family successor. Empire Pencil Corporation of Tennessee acquired the company in 1987. Berol subsequently rationalised its British production network, closing the Tottenham factory in February 1992 and moving some work to King's Lynn. Newell Company acquired Berol Corporation in 1995 and placed it within Sanford, its stationery division. The acquisition connected Berol with a larger international portfolio of writing and office-supply brands. During the 1990s, Berol also marketed the Yikes! line of United States-made pencils, folders, erasers, and notebooks, distinguished by bright and unconventional designs. The company supplied institutional and promotional products as well; during the 1980s it won a contract to provide the BBC with standard writing instruments and produced promotional pens, highlighters, and permanent markers. The later history of Berol was defined by the decline of domestic manufacturing. The King's Lynn factory closed in 2003, leading to 230 redundancies. The last factory closed in 2010, after which Berol products were imported. The Lichfield office remained the United Kingdom address associated with the Newell group and the brand. By 2018, the range was presented as Berol by Paper Mate and covered colouring pens, markers, colouring pencils, craft products, dry-wipe markers and pens, writing pens, and pencils. Berol therefore survives as a stationery and art-materials brand with a substantial British manufacturing heritage, but not as the vertically integrated British manufacturer described by much of its historical record.

1. 2018Berol by Paper Mate range listed

   The listed range covered colouring, writing, dry-wipe, marker, and craft products.

   Source
2. 2010Final Berol factory closes

   The last factory closed, leaving Berol as a brand of imported products.

   Source
3. 2003King's Lynn manufacturing ends

   The King's Lynn factory closed, with 230 redundancies.

   Source
4. 1995Newell acquisition

   Newell Company acquired Berol Corporation and made it part of the Sanford division.

   Source
5. 1987Empire Pencil acquires Berol

   Empire Pencil Corporation of Tennessee acquired the business after the Berol family announced its intention to sell.

   Source
6. 1978Head office moves to King's Lynn

   After intermediate moves to Whetstone, the head office moved to King's Lynn.

   Source
7. 1969Company renamed Berol

   Following post-war corporate changes, the Eagle Pencil name was replaced by Berol.

   Source
8. 1967King's Lynn factory opens

   A purpose-built factory opened on the Hardwick Industrial Estate in King's Lynn, Norfolk.

   Source
9. 1946Pencil production resumes

   Pencil manufacturing restarted at the Tottenham operation after the war.

   Source
10. 1939Wartime production changes

    The Tottenham factory paused pencil manufacturing and produced secret military equipment during the Second World War.

    Source
11. 1907Tottenham factory begins operating

    A British pencil factory in Tottenham began operating near the end of the year.

    Source
12. 1894British commercial presence established

    The company opened an office, warehouse, and showrooms in London.

    Source
13. 1856Eagle Pencil Company founded

    Daniel Berolzheimer founded the Eagle Pencil Company, opening a pencil shop in New York City and a factory in Yonkers.

    Source

A British heritage stationery and art-materials brand focused on dependable writing, colouring, classroom, office, and creative-use products. Historically positioned as a manufacturer of practical writing instruments and broad art-materials ranges; in its current form, it is primarily a branded range of imported products within the Newell Brands portfolio.

• Berol writing pencilsWriting instruments

  Graphite pencils formed one of Berol's foundational product categories. Historically produced in the company's British factories, they served general writing, school, office, and drawing needs. The modern range is associated with imported products rather than the former domestic manufacturing network.

• Berol coloured pencilsArt materials

  Berol coloured pencils are part of the brand's long-running creative and classroom portfolio. They are positioned for colouring and general art use and were included among the colouring products listed under the Berol by Paper Mate presentation.

• Berol pens and markersWriting instruments

  The writing-instrument portfolio has included ordinary writing pens, colouring pens, permanent markers, highlighters, and dry-wipe markers. Historically, Berol also supplied standard and promotional writing instruments to institutional customers, including the BBC.

• Berol art and craft materialsArt and craft supplies

  Berol's broader art-materials line included crayons, pastels, oil pastels, inks, acrylic products, adhesives, and other creative media. These products extended the brand beyond basic writing instruments into school, hobby, and studio-oriented applications.

• Yikes!Stationery1990

  Yikes! was a United States-made Berol stationery line marketed during the 1990s. Its range included pencils, folders, erasers, and notebooks, using bright and unconventional designs intended to give everyday school and stationery products a more playful appearance.

• 2010End factory manufacturingStrategy

  After the closure of earlier British facilities, the brand's manufacturing network had contracted to its final factory.

  What changed. The final Berol factory closed and the brand shifted to imported products.

  Aftermath. Berol survived as a brand within Newell's portfolio, while its historical role as a British manufacturer ended.

  Source
• 2003Close the King's Lynn factoryStrategy

  The company reduced its United Kingdom manufacturing operations after the earlier Tottenham closure.

  What changed. Berol closed the King's Lynn factory, resulting in 230 redundancies.

  Aftermath. The closure substantially reduced Berol's British manufacturing presence.

  Source
• 1995Acquisition by NewellM&A

  Berol Corporation was operating in the stationery sector when Newell Company expanded its branded portfolio.

  What changed. Newell acquired Berol and placed it in the Sanford division.

  Aftermath. Berol became a brand within the Newell stationery portfolio and later continued mainly through imported products.

  Source
• 1992Close the Tottenham factoryStrategy

  Berol reviewed its British manufacturing footprint after the company had been acquired by Empire Pencil.

  What changed. The Tottenham factory was closed and some production was moved to King's Lynn.

  Aftermath. British production became more concentrated at King's Lynn before that factory also closed in 2003.

  Source
• 1987Sale to Empire Pencil CorporationM&A

  The Berol family announced an intention to sell in 1986 because there was no sixth-generation family successor.

  What changed. Empire Pencil Corporation of Tennessee acquired Berol.

  Aftermath. The acquisition ended the company's previous family ownership structure and preceded further corporate consolidation.

  Source
• 1969Adopt the Berol nameStrategy

  Post-war corporate acquisitions made the Eagle Pencil name less suitable as the company's principal identity.

  What changed. The company changed its name to Berol, based on the shortened surname of its owner.

  Aftermath. Berol became the identity used for the company's British stationery and art-materials business.

  Source

• 2018Berol products listed under the Berol by Paper Mate name

  The brand's listed range included colouring pens, markers, colouring pencils, craft products, dry-wipe markers and pens, writing pens, and pencils under the Berol by Paper Mate designation.

  Product generation
  Source
• 2010Berol completes transition to imported products

  The last Berol factory closed, after which products carrying the brand name were imported rather than manufactured in the United Kingdom.

  Other
  Source
• 2003King's Lynn factory closes with 230 redundancies

  Berol closed its King's Lynn factory, resulting in 230 job losses and marking a major reduction in the brand's British manufacturing footprint.

  Other
  Source
• 1995Newell acquires Berol Corporation

  Newell Company acquired Berol Corporation and placed the business within its Sanford division.

  M&A
  Source
• 1992Berol closes its Tottenham factory

  Berol decided to close its Tottenham factory and move some production to the King's Lynn facility.

  Other
  Source

1. Berol