Montegrappa launches new exclusive pen

JAKARTA (JP): Italian pen-maker Montegrappa launched yesterday an exclusive pen called Aphrodite, with prices of up to Rp 28 million (US$10,000) each.

Company chief executive officer Leopoldo Aquila said production of the exclusive pen was limited, comprising only 1,912 silver fountain pens and 188 gold fountain pens.

The two models are priced at Rp 6.5 million and Rp 28 million each.

"The pens will be available at major malls across the country starting October," said Aquila.

Cosmas Soenario, president director of PT Ina Era Pena, the sole distributor of Montegrappa's products in Indonesia, refused to reveal the sales target and the actual sales of the Montegrappa products in Indonesia last year.

Aquila said the Indonesian sales of Dragon, an exclusive pen issued in 1995, accounted for 8 percent to 10 percent of the company's total worldwide sales. A Dragon gold pen sells for $9,000 and the silver pen for $2,200.

Montegrappa also launched its new products called Cosmopolitan and Symphony with prices ranging between Rp 600,000 and Rp 9.8 million.

At the launching of the new pens yesterday, Montegrappa announced a US$10,000 donation to the experimental elementary school for poor children in Mangunan, Yogyakarta as part of the company's program to promote childrens' education in developing countries.

Aquila said Indonesia was the second country after Brazil to accept donations for childrens' education from Italy's oldest pen maker.

"We chose Indonesia because it has a lot of potential and children of today will shape this country's future," said Aquila.

Montegrappa said the donation was expected to help the elementary school, but it had not yet decided if it would continue to donate to the school in the future or donate to other schools.

The Mangunan experimental school was founded by Catholic priest and novelist Mangunwijaya four years ago to educate poor children.

Aside from the state curriculum, the school also teaches English, debating and others.

Aquila said the company learned about the school from the Indonesian press and found the school's mission matched with Montegrappa's vision. (jsk)