Early this month, the spotlight was on Fika, Adyar. Pen lovers from the city made a beeline to the Chennai Pen Show to take a glimpse at some unique products and delve into the stories of their making. One stall, of a homegrown brand, had people’s attention. “Our counter saw a footfall of 16,000 to 20,000 individuals just on the third day,” shares an elated MP Kandan.
The stall was that of Ranga Pens’. And Kandan, its second-generation owner.
Kandan’s father MS Pandurangan was working in a pen-manufacturing company in Thiruvallur in the mid-1950s.
Thiruvallur was a hub for cottage industries then. Pen manufacturing was the mainstay. This was a time when Sriperumbadur was not an industrial hub yet. People depended on local town jobs to eke out a living.
“It took him only a year, not only to learn, but master the skill of pen making,” shares Kandan. In the dim glow of a bustling workshop, the rhythmic clatter of a foot pedal-powered lathe machine filled the air. Pandurangan’s foot set the shaft and belt into motion, shaping pen barrels with precision — each corner exuding perfection.
This routine of an employee gradually shifted to the busy schedule of a factory owner. Kandan says, “He established his own feeder company, as a small cottage industry, at the age of 17-18. A feeder company is where the parts of the nib are manufactured.” Formed in 1970, Ranga Pens then widened its scope and started producing pens because “it was a time when people used and collected antique pens, especially the fountain pens,” points out Kandan.
Inking legacy
Soon, fountain pens became a common sight in everyone’s pockets and pouches. Pandurangan, with his company, Ranga Pens, hopped on the trend of making fountain pens using celluloid, a material made from nitrocellulose and camphor. “A variety of pens were made in attractive colours and it had loyal customers. The metal came from overseas and it required a lot of attention and concentration to make the pens. It was also partially because the craftsman had to work with the belt in one hand, pedal with his legs, and hold the material with the other hand; it required focus and energy. But in 1975, the usage of the material ceased,” explains Kandan.
Celluloid’s flammable property shrunk the pens over time, and hence, it was replaced with other materials. Pandurangan adapted to a material called Ebonite, known for its durability and ability to be crafted into various colours. “We source this vintage material from Mumbai. It is used in domestic markets only,” adds Kandan.
Fountain pens made out of Ebonite cannot be broken, need not be repurchased, and have a wooden look. “People call it ‘marakatta pena’ because it has a wooden texture. But, originally the pens were not made of wood. Ebonite is a modern form of rubber,” he notes. While fountain pens were becoming a norm, ball pens were introduced to challenge the trend. Kandan remarks “Once the ball pens came, everyone turned to them, and the pen industry was badly affected.”
A revolutionary appeal
Kandan says, “When the ball pen took over, fountain pens almost vanished, giving us a tough time. To keep up with the growing demands, we also moved to manufacturing ball pens. But we were not able to compete with the corporates.” The price war, fancy packing, wide distribution chain, meagre wages, were a few reasons that forced Ranga Pens to rethink their business strategies.
This was the second blow that Pandurangan and his team faced; but after every low, comes a high. And so it did for the Thiruvallur-based Ranga Pens. “We wanted to keep the love for fountain pens alive and remodelled our pens using a unique Japanese technique that utilises threads,” Kandan elucidates. Since then, Ranga Pens has a presence in 100 countries, also importing German-made nibs for easy and smooth writing.
Their authorised stall at Chennai Pen Show also had many come back for nibs.
Flaunt your flair
Along with the fountain pens made of ebonite, the pen company also sells acrylic pens — a very attractive and expensive material. Its base material is plastic, which is not moulded in a machine but by hand. Ultem is a lightweight material, yet stronger than other metals. It has high thermal and chemical resistance. Others include brass, aluminium, and copper pens. The price range for these pens starts from `3,500 to `30,000. “Our customers include many doctors, advocates, bureaucrats, diplomats, auditors, and architects,” shares Kandan, adding “New people are joining the pen community. People who use pens are those who excel in academics because they know how to appreciate the art, effort, and importance of a pen.” Youngsters via exhibitions such as the pen show get exposed to the world of pens, learn the evolution of writing tools, form a passion, and support the industry.
Ranga Pens is a family-run business. Kandan took over twenty-five years ago after brief employment as a software engineer. He says, “We really love this industry because it is somewhat related to writing, it is something used for knowledge. It is a holy business for us. We passionately run the industry and honestly, we don’t know anything other than this.”