Advantia Business Solutions Blog

Let’s face it, we all love stationery. Being handed a new and fancy-looking stapler can lift my mood as much as the next person, but there are a few things we did not know about the beloved items we have on our desks (unless you’re a stationery geek). So, let’s lay out the facts (with the assistance of some lovely imagery): There you go, you learn something new every day. Happy World Stationery Day! 

You might’ve heard that it’s National Stationery Week this week (24 th April – 30 th April 2017). And yes, it’s a big deal. In such a technology-dominant era, using pens and pencils might seem pointless ( I’ll save my broken pencil joke for later ) But I can assure you, hand-writing is just as important as that mobile device you have sitting next to you. Why, you ask? Let me explain: 1.        There’s a feeling of joy writing by hand What do you do when you get given a new pen from a colleague or supplier? Well, some of you might just place it in your drawer for when it is needed. However, if you’re anything like me you’ll drop everything you’re doing and write anything you can to give the pen a ‘test run’. For some reason this gives us joy, especially seeing your text so perfectly written on the fresh piece of notebook paper. Don’t get me wrong, writing text messages and note-taking on your mobile device can be quick and easy, but choosi...

From encouraging budding learners to the immediacy of picking up and using a pen at work, there are multiple factors keeping the writing instruments market strong. Here are five: 1. Learning power The pen is still mighty in education for a number of reasons, but a key one is learning power. It’s been shown that when children write a letter by hand, they exhibit increased activity in areas of the brain that are also activated in adults when they read and write. Learning to use cursive, or joined handwriting is an important element of the National Curriculum from Years 1 to 6. Things to bear in mind in this market are the robustness of instruments to withstand pressure from heavy handed learners, rapid drying ink that can prevent smudges and stains and a comfortable grip that will encourage children to write for longer. Komfigrip Handwriting Pens have a triangular grip for correct posture, pressure resistant nibs and a superwashable ink formula to prevent stains ...

As National Stationery Week continues on for the last couple of days, we thought it would be nice to know some interesting facts about the subject of celebration. From breadcrumbs being used as erasers to the world’s most expensive pen – these stationery facts are worth the read: 1. The average office worker handles around 10,000 sheets of paper every year It has been calculated that the average tree is capable of producing around 80,000 sheets of paper, which is enough to sustain around 8 office workers every year. 2. The post-it note wasn’t invented, it was created by accident In 1968, Spencer Silver, who was an employee of 3M at the time, was trying to create a super-strong adhesive. Yet despite his best efforts, all he could come up with was a very weak adhesive that could be removed without leaving behind any residue. This accidental discovery was then used to create the world’s first post-it note. 3. The ballpoint pen first gained popularity becau...

National Stationery Week has arrived (25 April – 1 May 2016) and it is a good reminder that we all love having a good selection of stationery in our house or on our desk at work. In this digital age, some people might opt to use their laptops for writing notes or letters, leaving handwriting to seem invaluable. However, the benefits of picking up a pen go much further, with gains for our brainpower and wellbeing when writing by hand. So whilst the nation are celebrating their love for stationery, we’ve taken a look at why handwriting is the best tool for capturing information and inspiring creativity on paper: The public agree! It appears the British public would agree that writing matters. In a YouGov poll for National Stationery Week, 92% of people agreed that handwriting is very or fairly important, while 97% agreed that it’s important to teach handwriting to school children. Calming Increased calmness has been proved to be among the advantages of writin...

As you all may already know, on the 28th and 29th of April, London is hosting its fifth Stationery Show. With visitor numbers having reached a higher statistic than last year, the event is set to be even bigger than it has before. Chris Leonard-Morgan, the show’s Director, has said “We are delighted with the show’s pre-registration data so far. Numbers are up on the same period last year, and we’re particularly pleased by the eclectic mix and range of companies and types of retailers who are indicating they will take the time to visit – they reflect perfectly the broad appeal of stationery as a category, whether as a mainstream or complementary offer.” Representatives from the UK’s leading stationers are set to make an appearance, and these include the likes of Paperchase, WHSmith, Ryman and Scribbler. Even department stores, supermarkets, visitor attractions and gift shops from around the country are attending. Online specialists such as Amazon & ASOS and sector speciali...

I'm sure you're already pretty amazed by stationery, but to make things even better...here's a fact for you. Prepare to be astounded by even more awesome facts over the weeks, so keep yourself updated on this blog!  Enjoy your weekend! Advantia's Blogger.

Organised by the London Stationery Show, National Stationery Week will run from April 27th to May 3rd. So make sure you use that incredible stationery of yours and note the dates down so you can honour such an awesome week! In the meantime, it has come to our attention that stationery giant ‘Nuco International’ will be sponsoring the event.  For all of you that don’t know, National Stationery Week is a celebration of the written word with the aim of getting the nation to put pen to paper. Last year’s event put the buzz back into writing, reaching 20 million consumers, with the message that modern technology will never replace the pleasure of writing by hand. And organiser Chris Leonard has vowed that this year’s celebrations will be even bigger and better. And, with that in mind, there’s no better company to throw its weight behind the campaign than Nuco International.  Louise Spencer-Stevens, Nuco international marketing manager, said:  “Nuco is thrilled...