• Brand Name: Uni
• Company: Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.
• Founded (Company): 1887
• Country: Japan
• Headquarters: Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan
• Industry: Stationery and Writing Instruments
• Products: Pens, pencils, mechanical pencils, markers, drawing tools, art supplies, and office stationery
• Availability: Sold in more than 100 countries worldwide

Mitsubishi Pencil traces its origins to 1887, when Niroku Masaki established the company in Tokyo. The firm initially specialised in manufacturing wooden pencils.

A significant milestone occurred in 1958 with the introduction of the Uni pencil, a premium graphite pencil designed to compete with the finest pencils in the world. The product achieved considerable success due to its superior graphite quality, smooth writing experience, and elegant design, laying the foundation for the Uni brand’s worldwide reputation.

Over subsequent decades, Uni expanded beyond pencils into innovative pens, markers, and mechanical pencils, becoming one of Japan’s leading stationery manufacturers.

The name “Uni” is derived from the word “Unique”. The brand represents Mitsubishi Pencil’s philosophy of creating products that are original, innovative, and designed to enhance the writing experience. Today, “uni” serves as the company’s global corporate brand rather than being limited to pencils alone.

Uni emphasises the following principles:

• Innovation through research and engineering
• Exceptional writing comfort
• High product reliability
• Safety and environmental responsibility
• Precision manufacturing
• Long-lasting product performance

The company invests heavily in research and development to improve ink technologies, graphite formulations, and ergonomic product design.

Writing Instruments

Uni manufactures a wide range of pens, including:

• Ballpoint pens
• Gel pens
• Rollerball pens
• Fountain pen accessories
• Fineliners

Mechanical Pencils

The company is considered one of the world’s leaders in mechanical pencil technology, producing products for students, professionals, engineers, and artists.

Wooden Pencils

Uni continues to manufacture premium graphite pencils, coloured pencils, and artist-grade drawing pencils.

Markers

Its marker lineup includes products for:

• Illustration
• Design
• Whiteboards
• Permanent marking
• Industrial applications

Art Supplies

Uni also produces:

• Brush pens
• Technical drawing pens
• Coloured pencils
• Professional illustration tools

Uni Super Ink

One of Uni’s best-known innovations is Super Ink, a pigment-based ink formulated to be:

• Water-resistant
• Fade-resistant
• Fraud-resistant
• Long-lasting for archival documents

This ink is widely used in Uni’s gel and rollerball pen lines.

Jetstream Ink

Jetstream combines the smoothness of gel ink with the quick-drying properties of oil-based ballpoint ink. It is known for:

• Low writing resistance
• Fast drying
• Reduced smearing
• Smooth writing experience

Kuru Toga Engine

The Kuru Toga mechanical pencil automatically rotates the lead slightly each time it is lifted from the paper, helping maintain a sharp point and produce more consistent lines. This technology has become one of Uni’s most recognisable innovations.

Some of Uni’s most prominent product families include:

• Jetstream – Hybrid ink ballpoint pens
• Kuru Toga – Auto-rotating mechanical pencils
• Signo – Gel pens
• Uni-ball One – Rich pigment gel pens
• Vision / Eye – Rollerball pens
• Power Tank – Pressurised ballpoint pens
• POSCA – Water-based paint markers
• PIN – Technical drawing pens
• Hi-Uni – Premium artist-grade graphite pencils
• Uni Pencil – Classic premium wooden pencils

Uni products are distributed across Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and Oceania through subsidiaries and authorised distributors. The company has established a strong presence in education, design, engineering, architecture, and the art community.

Uni is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading stationery brands due to:

• Consistent product quality
• Reliable ink performance
• Durable construction
• Innovative writing technologies
• Professional-grade precision

Its products are commonly recommended for students, artists, architects, engineers, designers, and everyday writers.

• Mitsubishi Pencil was founded in 1887, making it one of Japan’s oldest stationery manufacturers.
• The Uni brand debuted in 1958 with a premium graphite pencil.
• The company pioneered the world’s first rollerball pen using water-based ink.
• Kuru Toga transformed the mechanical pencil market with its rotating-lead mechanism.
• Despite the shared name and logo, Mitsubishi Pencil is not affiliated with the Mitsubishi Group.1

1. About us | UNI PHILIPPINES