Thien Long Group aims to become billion-dollar ballpoint pen manufacturer

Blue, black and red ballpoint pens with white stripes are common in school bags across the country, an icon when referring to ‘schoolhood’. Photo by Thien Long

After 40 years of effort to become the “national brand” of multiple generations of Vietnamese customers, Thien Long has aimed to be a billion-dollar enterprise with corporate comprehensive digitalization.

Made-in-Vietnam ballpoints

Talking about the history of the much-sought-after "national ballpoint pen", Co Gia Tho, founder and chairman of Thien Long Group, recalls that over 40 years ago, most ballpoint pens in Vietnam were imported from Thailand. Ballpoint pens were so scarce that many people refilled pens with ink for reuse. It was high time for a pen vendor like Tho to pursue his dream of producing a made-in-Vietnam ballpoint pen at a small factory in District 6 of Ho Chi Minh City in 1981.

Years later, despite the brand gaining popularity, not all shops in HCMC sold Vietnamese products. They much preferred to sell imported items. As such, Tho and his partners took their made-in-Vietnam ballpoint pens across the country for marketing. It was not until 1997 that the Thien Long brand dominated the ballpoint pen market thanks to its affordable prices, high quality and eye-catching designs.

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