Does Parker Pen Company exist now?

[maxS]

Or the Sanford's shareholders just liquidated the Company, retaining the brand only?

[WendyNC]

maxS, it's more complicated than that. US acquisitions and mergers may result in a dissolution of the original company by purchase of all the shares of the acquired company, a subordination of the acquired company as a subsidiary of the acquiring parent, a merger of the acquired subordinate company into one or more existing subordinate companies, or the creation of a new subordinate which acquires shares of the purchased company, just to mention the main choices. Since each of our fifty states issues corporate charters, merely having the same name does not mean it's the same company, and many, especially older, companies were originally incorporated in the State of Delaware although their base of operations was in some other state.

 

Parker also created subsidiaries in various countries, which takes one into the land of international acquisition and merger.

 

So, I think the answer to your question as to whether the Parker Pen Company (as originally incorporated) still exists is no, but there much more to it than just Sanford.

 

Then again, looking on the website of the Delaware Secretary of State, I find that The Parker Pen Company of Janesville, Wisconsin, exists in its records and a registered agent is named, but that doesn't mean the company is in any way freestanding. I can't learn more without paying a $10.00 fee.

 

Edited to note that, just to make things more complicated, Parker and Waterman are now part of the same "portfolio," which suggests a complex corporate ownership structure.

Edited February 28, 2009 by WendyNC

[maxS]

WendyNC, thanks a lot for the detailed answer.

[twdpens]

Edited to note that, just to make things more complicated, Parker and Waterman are now part of the same "portfolio," which suggests a complex corporate ownership structure.

 

Parker and Waterman have been sister companies for some time since Parker's acquisition by Gillette. They, along with rOtring, Papermate, Berol, Sanford, Sharpie and Reynolds were part of the Gillette Stationery Products division and operated under the "Sanford" name. For example, Sanford Europe was the holding company for all those brands in Europe with headquarters at the Parker factory in Newhaven.

 

Gillette sold the whole lot to Newell Rubbermaid in August 2000. Newell Rubbermaid has introduced rationalisation of their operations, for example dropping the rOtring brand for writing instruments (although the brand still exists for technical drawing and illustration products). The Newhaven operation has been down-sized and all servicing and nib exchanges now take place in France. Sanford Europe has ceased to exist and the companies operate under "Newell Rubbermaid Office Products".

 

So, to the OP: I don't know the direct answer to your question, but maybe the above info will give some background.

 

HTH,

 

Martin

[maxS]

The Parker Quink box bears an inscription "Parker Pen Compay":

 

http://www.elitepen.ru/forum/files/111_049_139.jpg