Have you heard of the Wagner Pencil Co.? Based in Bakewell, Tennessee, they are mentioned in the Chattanooga Times Free Press for achieving an industrial safety award.
The safety award is impressive, but for pencil talk readers, the story of this company is probably even more interesting. I admit to not having previously heard of them. They appear to make advertising rather than retail pencils, which is probably why they are not in the spotlight.
What is most impressive is that they make their own slats from Eastern White Pine, and produce 75,000 to 100,000 pencils a day with a plant staff of twenty-three. They appear to be remarkably self-sufficient.
If I can learn more about them, I will report back.
Very cool. Keep us posted. So one could even have some of their products and not even know it. Hope they continue to do well, for it is quite heartening to know that there still pencil manufacturers doing well in the USA.
Seems to be a shame that their pencils are not available through retail :(
They do not seem to have a website. It is a pity that there are still quality American pencil makers, like Wagner and Musgrave, who simply do not have visibility on the market.
South-west of Nashville, a little north of Chattanooga, ‘an jest a spit away from Possum Creek. Carpenters’ pencils I reckon.
Wagner Pencil is the pencil production unit of Aakron Rule Company. Their pencils are primarily ad specialty product range.
Very cool. Keep us posted. So one could even have some of their products and not even know it. Hope they continue to do well, for it is quite heartening to know that there still pencil manufacturers doing well in the USA.
How interesting! I see all kinds of flamboyant pencils in Aakron Line page.
Interestingly, the article refers to “six remaining pencil manufacturers in the United States.” So what does that leave us with? General Pencil, Musgrave, MegaBrands/Moon, Wagner…that’s four. I found Panda Pencil, seems to be a similar operation (novelty/promotional) so that’s five.
Perhaps they’re still counting whatever’s left of Sanford/PaperMate. Or perhaps they’re counting the awful Ticonderoga Renew, the only (?) Dixon product still made here. (Don’t try to put one in any sharpener you care about.)
All, thank you for the comments, and Woodchuck, thanks in particular for the reference.
BCS, I noticed that statement as well. Yet a photo cutline also states, “The pencil manufacturer is one of less than a half-dozen plants remaining in the United States that makes pencils.” Six manufacturers. Less than a half-dozen plants. Unless there is plant sharing arrangement (possible I suppose), the arithmetic doesn’t make sense.
I very much suspect this may be a question of definition. Is a company which takes a finished raw pencil and paints it with a logo a “manufacturer”?
I have worked at Wagner Pencil Company for the last 5 years, we still have a small crew and we are lucky enough to have a good christian man as a plant manager. If you are interested in any of the products that are offered by our sister company, including pencils, visit aakronrule.com
Correction that should be aakronline.com