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SHEAFFER PEN COMPANY - July 24, 2002 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR FOUNTAIN PEN ACCESSORY LINE Sheaffer Inks, Bottles and Cartridges Sheaffer,
known for the highest quality and performance standards in fine writing
instruments for nearly a century, has made some changes to the ink and
accessory offerings.
We
appreciate the inquiries and comments from our loyal Sheaffer customers regarding
recent changes in our accessory line – particularly fountain pen inks, bottles and
cartridges. In response, please find
attached common questions and answers. Are
the new Sheaffer Skrip® Inks the same Quality as the Old Sheaffer Inks? Our
new inks were put through rigorous quality and performance tests to ensure we
deliver the great writing quality Sheaffer is known for, but now with improved performance.
Our new inks deliver significantly improved writing on several important
measures, including less strike-through (bleed) on standard writing paper and less
“feathering” around alpha and numeric characters. The new ink formulation, coupled with our design expertise in
pens, delivers a better performing writing system for fountain pen users. In
addition, the new Sheaffer Skrip® inks have been certified by the Writing
Instrument Manufacturers Association (WIMA) Certification Program, recognized
worldwide by major writing instrument companies. Do
the new Sheaffer Skrip® Inks still have preservatives to prevent mold and
bacterial growth? Yes,
our new inks still have the special preservatives that do protect our inks from
mold and bacteria growth. Are
the ink colors the same? While
the ink formulation has changed to bring improved performance, we have worked
very hard to deliver a color match on the inks. We have made some colors brighter and
have eliminated some less popular ones. We
will continue to challenge ourselves and our partner, to meet the highest
standards of quality. We are currently working with our supplier to re-evaluate
the visual appearance of our Jet Black ink color. A
detailed list of our color offerings is attached in the Fact Sheet. Why
did the bottle design change? We
have redesigned the Sheaffer Skrip® ink bottle to deliver some functional
improvements and modernize the look. The ink well feature on our old bottles
required them
to be capped very tightly to prevent leakage. As a result, many of our consumers
told us they could not open the bottles! In addition, the inkwell feature did
not accommodate the varied designs of today’s fountain pens. The
new ink bottle cap is easy to remove, but still maintains a secure seal to
prevent leakage. To ensure this
critical feature, the new caps were subjected to rigorous
reliability testing, including turning the bottles upside down and shaking them
on a special transportation and vibration machine. We have also implemented new labeling on the bottles so that the
ink color can be more easily identified. Will
there be boxes for the Individual Ink Bottles? The
new bottled inks are available in 6-pack trays. Based on customer feedback and the important need to maximize
shelf space, we are taking immediate steps to provide an outer box for
individual bottles for easier stacking and shipment. This is a priority for our
marketing
and manufacturing teams and we are working today to make these boxes available
as soon possible this summer. Why
did the Cartridges change? Our
ink cartridges were redesigned to better identify the color of the inks
inside. Our old cartridges had the ink
color name printed on them, which wasn’t always legible. Now our cartridges are
the same color as the ink, making it easier to identify the color of ink in the
cartridge. We are currently working to
make the new cartridges more transparent so it is easier to identify ink level.
For Blue-Black, Blue and Jet-Black we have launched a clear cartridge, but have
added a corresponding color “end-cap” so again, the color of ink inside
the cartridge is easier to identify. Also,
the new Sheaffer Skrip® Ink cartridges are now more transportable with less
chance of leakage. The cartridges can only be pierced on one end so consumers can
easily store an un-pierced cartridge in the fountain pen chamber (by putting it
in the pen upside down). This
“portability” feature is especially great for air travel as the un-pierced
cartridge reduces the potential of leakage due to changes in pressure – a common
concern among fountain pen aficionados. At
Sheaffer, we continue to bring you products with a heritage of quality and
exceptional value and will keep you updated via our website and other
communications. We always welcome your feedback and comments. |