Hoy! Berol! Leave them pens alone

Dear Berol, where have the pens gone?

I learnt with astonishment today that Berol, the pen people, have discontinued the Best Flipchart Marker Ever. It's this one...

...The Berol Colour Marker Wedge Tip in Black, and it's quite simply the best flipchart marker I have ever used. As you can see from the evidence of my Comic Art Masterclasses on my website I use quite a lot.



I have had to resort to buying up the remaining stock on eBay and Amazon, but after those have gone, what will I do? Permanent markers soak through the paper and aren't a good idea to let loose in a classroom of kids, bullet-tips don't give the variety of line, and dry-wipe markers are useless on flipcharts.

If anyone knows where I can get hold of Berol Colour Markers after eBay and Amazon have dried up, do let me know. And if anyone can explain why they've stopped making these excellent pens - it's as if I'm the only person left who uses a flipchart anymo... oh God, I'm the only person left on the planet who uses a flipchart anymore, aren't I?



UPDATE 3/1/11: Berol have replied:

Good Morning

Thanks for your email.

Apologies but the only replacement I can suggest is purchasing the Berol Colour Marker assorted pack which does also include a black.

Kind Regards,

Emma Clowes
Customer Services Office Products UK & Ireland


To which I have replied:

Hi Emma,

Thanks for the reply. Since the black still exists, in the colour assorted pack, but I don't need any of the colours (and who, let's face it, ever needs the yellow?) is there any way I can get the blacks individually?

I'd then, gladly, buy them individually. In orders of 12 at a time.

(Let's see how we progress)