Did you ever ask yourself just how many and what type of little secrets are behind – and are actually inside – a seemingly ordinary object like a pen?
The complexity of machines is amazing. The competencies of the technicians and engineers are a valuable asset that finds its expression behind the scenes: Humans provide the souls of the machine that allow the daily introduction of their expertise into the product for the manufacture of high-quality writing instruments.
Millions of perfect nose cones. Smooth surfaces which give way to patterns that generate enthusiasm. The condensed and viscous ink, the increasingly intensive blue. Polished, sandblasted and chrome-finish metallic foils. Slow, then speedier and then again slowed up movements accompany the repetitive work processes. Flowing, harmonious and smooth. The hands of experts which are capable of operating very special machines. Innovative, courageous projects that are able to transform tried and tested mechanisms into future-oriented devices, and thereby simplify the manufacture and assembly of the components.
What are the major advantages of plastic? Its ductility: Thanks to this characteristic, it has changed the lifestyle of an entire era. The manufacture of plastic products means focusing on and understanding the advantages and disadvantages of this material: The use of lightness, solidity, transparency and adaptability. It’s about uniting opacity and transparency, entering into a dialogue between industrial production and design. Yet it is also about dealing with, on a daily basis, a material which is not biodegradable. This challenge has inspired Prodir to invest in research to create products which, in relation to their ecological sustainability, can also remain competitive. To this effect, the time-factor plays an important role in a number of ways: For an environmentally friendly approach that focuses on a careful utilization of the materials even before recycling we decided to invest in the quality of the plastic in order that your pens remain durable for many years to come. In addition, personalisation is a factor that should not to be underestimated: If an object is well made and has a strong identity, it will be more difficult for its owner to simply discard it.
Writing completely changed the world. And pens embody the ancient democratic instruments which has accompanied this process for thousands of years. They are the protagonists behind which complex, fascinating processes are concealed. And we consider it today more important than ever to bear this in mind in a world that is changing so rapidly.
2018 will be a special year for Prodir. Over the coming months, we will be whisking you off on a journey through the microcosm of our production processes so that you can experience directly for yourself our world and its formative elements. Then our pens will no longer have any secrets, but rather only a large array of aspects that tell stories.
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Photos by Mattia Balsamini www.mattiabalsamini.com