About Uni Ball
Uni-Ball is a globally renowned writing instrument brand manufactured by Mitsubishi Pencil Company of Japan. The company's origins date back to 1887 when Niroku Masaki established Masaki Pencil Manufacturing in Tokyo after being inspired by a pencil he saw at the 1878 Paris World Fair. Masaki succeeded in producing Japan's first pencil, and in 1903 registered the "Mitsubishi" trademark (meaning three diamonds) to commemorate delivering three types of pencils to a government ministry. Notably, this trademark registration preceded the Mitsubishi industrial conglomerate by 10 years, and despite identical logos, the companies remain entirely unrelated. The Uni-Ball brand was launched in 1979 with the introduction of the first rollerball pen featuring water-based ink and a metallic tip, a revolutionary combination that offered smoother writing than traditional oil-based ballpoints. This innovation established Uni-Ball as a leader in writing technology. The company continued innovating with the 1994 launch of Uni-Ball Signo gel ink rollers, offering vibrant colours and smooth performance, followed by the 2006 Jetstream line using breakthrough low-viscosity oil-based ink that combines the smoothness of gel with quick-drying convenience. Beyond traditional pens, Mitsubishi Pencil created POSCA paint markers in 1983, which have become an industry standard for artists, crafters, and industrial applications. POSCA's water-based pigment paint writes on virtually any surface from paper to metal to fabric. The company also developed the innovative Kuru Toga mechanical pencil in 2008, which rotates graphite lead automatically for consistent line width. Today, Mitsubishi Pencil distributes over 3,000 products in more than 100 countries through subsidiaries including Mitsubishi Pencil Company UK. The Uni-Ball range available at UK supermarkets includes Eye rollerballs for everyday writing, Signo gel pens for vibrant colour work, Jetstream pens for quick-drying performance, POSCA markers for creative projects, PIN fineliners for precise drawing, EMOTT fine line pens, chalk markers for blackboard signage, and erasable gel pens. Whether for office, school, or creative use, Uni-Ball offers Japanese engineering quality at accessible prices through major retailers including Ocado, Tesco, and Asda.