M&G (Chinese: 晨光文具, Chéngguāng Wénjù, literally “Morning Light Stationery”) is a prominent Chinese stationery and cultural-products brand owned by Shanghai M&G Stationery Inc. (上海晨光文具股份有限公司). While best known for pens, pencils, notebooks, school supplies, and office stationery, the company has evolved from a domestic writing-instrument business into a large integrated stationery and creative-lifestyle enterprise.1

Corporate history distinguishes between 1989, when the founder began business operations, and 1997, when the M&G trademark was officially launched.2

Although primarily recognized as a stationery brand, M&G operates beyond simple pen manufacturing. Its product portfolio encompasses ballpoint pens, gel pens, fountain pens, mechanical pencils, wooden pencils, markers, highlighters, erasers, sharpeners, notebooks, paper products, student and office stationery, art supplies, school bags, and creative lifestyle items.

The company describes itself as an integrated stationery supplier that combines product design, research and development, manufacturing, supply-chain management, distribution, and retail.3 This integrated model is considered a primary factor in its significant market presence within China.

1989: Founding

The origins of M&G date to 1989, when founder Chen Huxiong started his business in two small houses in Hengshan Village, Gurao Town, Shantou, Guangdong. Chen, who initially worked as a salesman, identified stationery as a viable sector due to the recurring demand for school and office supplies and their relative ease of storage.4

1997: Brand Launch

The M&G trademark was officially launched in 1997, marking a transition from trading and manufacturing to developing a recognizable consumer brand. During this period, M&G began building relationships with distributors across China and establishing a nationwide sales network.5

1999: Manufacturing Integration

By 1999, M&G had relocated to Liuli, Pudong, Shanghai. With over 100 employees, the company established its own mold workshops, injection-molding operations, printing facilities, and assembly lines. This marked the beginning of the vertically integrated manufacturing system that became a key competitive advantage.6

2002: The K35 Gel Pen

A historically significant product was the K35 gel pen, introduced in 2002. Development reportedly involved 180 days of process debugging and 17 rounds of optimization. The K35 became one of the company’s classic products and helped establish M&G’s reputation in the gel pen and writing instrument categories.7

2005: Boao Forum

In 2005, M&G became a designated stationery supplier for the Boao Forum for Asia, a role it has maintained for many years. The company subsequently supplied stationery for other high-profile conferences, including APEC-related events and the Global CEO Conference.8

2013: Shanghai Industrial Park

M&G completed its Shanghai industrial park in 2013. The facility, which includes a large automated warehouse, became a critical component of its manufacturing and logistics infrastructure.9

2015: Public Listing

A major corporate milestone occurred in January 2015, when Shanghai M&G Stationery was listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange under stock code 603899.10

2017 Onward: Strategic Transformation

From 2017, M&G expanded its concept from traditional stationery toward a broader cultural and creative lifestyle business. The company described a strategic transformation making the brand the core and moving “from stationery to cultural and creative life,” while also expanding retail and office-service divisions.11

The M&G logo is designed to communicate both Chinese origin and international ambition. According to the company, the letter M is rendered in Chinese red to symbolize its domestic roots, while the letter G appears in international black to represent its global presence. The overall concept evokes the morning sun, signifying hope, vitality, and courage.12

M&G’s stated mission is “Make study and work more joyful and efficient,” with a vision “To build a world-class enterprise.” Its corporate values include consumer orientation, openness and inclusiveness, sincerity, focus, and win-win cooperation. The company positions stationery not merely as functional equipment but as a means to improve the experience of studying, working, and creating.

Distribution Network

M&G has built an extensive offline distribution network. Products are available through nearly 70,000 retail points in China, alongside more than 900 larger retail stores, including M&G LIFE and related formats.13 This reach is particularly relevant given that stationery is a high-frequency, relatively low-price consumer category where students and professionals make repeated purchases throughout the year.

Manufacturing Capabilities

Unlike marketing-led companies that outsource production, M&G maintains substantial capabilities spanning design, R&D, molds, materials, manufacturing, quality control, logistics, distribution, and retail. The company combines proprietary manufacturing with OEM outsourcing where appropriate, maintaining independent systems across these areas.14 This integration provides significant control over cost, product development, and speed to market.

Product Variety

A key advantage is SKU breadth. Rather than relying on a single flagship product, M&G offers a comprehensive stationery ecosystem. Consumers can purchase gel pens, mechanical pencils, leads, erasers, rulers, highlighters, notebooks, correction tape, and pencil cases from the same brand, creating considerable cross-selling potential.

M&G increasingly emphasizes design over pure manufacturing cost competition. The company invests more than RMB 100 million annually in R&D and product design and holds more than 1,400 patents.15 Products have received major international design awards, including the iF Design Award and Red Dot Award (Germany), G-Mark (Japan), and IDEA (United States). Domestic recognition includes the Red Star and Golden Pin/Golden Dot-related awards.16 This reflects a shift in positioning from “cheap Chinese stationery” toward “designed Chinese stationery.”

Beyond conventional stationery shops, M&G has developed new retail concepts. M&G LIFE / 晨光生活馆 focuses on stationery and lifestyle products, while Jiumu Sundries Store (九木杂物社) targets cultural, creative, and lifestyle merchandise. This strategy integrates stationery into a broader lifestyle and creative ecosystem, catering to younger consumers who view stationery as a form of personal expression, collecting, hobby, decoration, and lifestyle consumption.

Although strongly associated with China, M&G has pursued international growth. Products are exported to more than 100 countries and regions through global partners.17 Expansion strategies include international distribution, overseas offices, design cooperation, acquisitions, partnerships with foreign brands, and participation in trade exhibitions. Notably, M&G acquired Axus Stationery in 2019 and collaborates with international design and stationery brands.18 This approach integrates international design resources rather than simply exporting domestic products.

M&G operates as a corporate group with diverse business units:

• M&G Colipu: An office-supply and procurement platform positioned as a one-stop service, extending M&G’s reach from physical stationery into corporate procurement and office services.19
• M&G LIFE: A retail concept focused on stationery and lifestyle products.
• Jiumu Sundries Store: A retail chain specializing in cultural, creative, and lifestyle merchandise.
• M&G Technologies: A division handling internet and e-commerce capabilities within the group structure.20
• More-Than-Fun: Established in 2020 as an independent trendy cultural and creative brand focusing on hobbies, trends, IP, creators, and lifestyle products.21

These subsidiaries illustrate the group’s evolution from stationery to cultural creativity, lifestyle, and intellectual property.

Sustainability has become increasingly central to M&G’s operations. In 2022, the company released its 2021 ESG report, described as the first ESG report published by a listed company in China’s stationery industry.22 In 2023, M&G collaborated with Meituan’s “Lush Mountain Plan” to create a carbon-neutral stationery series using recycled takeaway boxes.23 These initiatives address environmental concerns related to plastic consumption, packaging, materials, manufacturing emissions, and recycling.

M&G has grown into a large publicly listed consumer and manufacturing company. According to its corporate profile, 2025 revenue was approximately RMB 25.064 billion. The company functions simultaneously as a consumer brand, manufacturer, distributor, retailer, office-service provider, and cultural-creative enterprise.

M&G competes in the Chinese stationery market alongside brands such as Deli (得力), True Color (真彩), Hero (英雄), and Snowhite (白雪). Its historical strengths lie in writing instruments, student stationery, brand-building, design, and distribution. Gel pens remain central to its identity.

Note: Ratings are qualitative assessments rather than official measurements.

M&G’s trajectory reflects broader trends in modern Chinese consumer manufacturing. The company evolved through distinct stages: from a small stationery business to a manufacturer, national brand, major writing-instrument company, listed corporation, integrated stationery firm, cultural and creative enterprise, and finally an international consumer brand. This progression represents a shift from low-cost manufacturing toward owning brands, designs, distribution channels, and consumer relationships.

As of 2026, M&G describes itself as one of the world’s largest stationery manufacturers. Current corporate data reports nearly 70,000 retail points in China, more than 900 large-format retail stores, exports to 100+ countries and regions, over 1,400 patents, and 2025 revenue of approximately RMB 25.1 billion. The company’s strategic direction extends beyond selling pens to building an ecosystem around study, work, creativity, and lifestyle, while developing international markets and Chinese-origin creative brands.

M&G (晨光文具) is a Shanghai-based Chinese stationery group that grew from a small writing-instrument business into one of the world’s largest integrated stationery companies, combining mass-market pens and school supplies with design, manufacturing, retail, office services, cultural-creative products, and international expansion.

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12. ข้อมูล ห้างหุ้นส่วนจำกัด เอ็ม แอนด์ จี เครื่องเขียน 2019
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22. M&G STATIONERY | LinkedIn
23. Shanghai M&G Stationery | World Economic Forum