If you have explained the world of budget ballpoint pens, there is a good chance that you’ve seen a pen from a company called Hauser or perhaps Hauser Germany. What’s the deal with this interesting company?
Hauser Basics
Hauser pens, as a brand, can be a bit confusing at first. The company clearly manufacturers its pens in India and is aimed at the Indian pen market, but a number signs point at it being a German brand.
Obviously the name is German in origin, with “Hauser” being a German surname. The word generally translates to “houses” though you’d likely see it spelled as “häuser.” The brand also prints its name as “Hauser Germany” in a number of cases, which would seem to imply it’s a Germany brand or, more pointedly, that the pens are made in Germany.
If you look at the company’s website you’ll see that the brand was founded in 1931 and while its history is German, the pens are now made in India and distributed in India, but the popular pen maker Flair Pens. To stay true to its German roots the company sometimes employs the tag line, “German Standard, Made In India.”
Hauser’s website can be found at http://hauserpen.in.
Hauser History
Hauser was founded in the early 1930s and is said to have been in the pen industry for over 50 years. The company’s literature does not state what it did before that time, but either way the company has a long history with writing instruments.
Hauser also doesn’t state in its literature or on its website how the company transitioned from Germany to India.
We do know that Flair Pens of Mumbai, India has manufactured and distributed Hauser pens since 2014.
Hauser Products
Hauser is known for its pens but makes other writing instruments as well. Some of their writing tools include:
- Hauser XO Ball Pen – This is an affordable ballpoint pen with a smooth flowing ink. It’s a close competitor to the Pentonic from Linc Pens.
- Hauser Divine – A metal body, twist retractable ballpoint pen at the higher end of Hauser’s line-up
- Hauser Half Metal – A retractable ballpoint pen with a metal top half and a plastic barrel. Similar in style to a Parker Jotter or Sheaffer Sentintal
- Tech 5 and Tech 7 – 0.5 mm and 0.7 mm liquid ink rollerball pens, similar to the Pilot Precise v5 and v7
- 2-in-1 – A twin tip ballpoint pen with one color on one side and another on the opposite
If you are looking past pens, Hauser also sells highlighters, permanent markers, correction pens (White-out pens), and white board markers (Dry Erase markers).
Hauser Technology
Hauser doesn’t tout its proprietary technologies as much as some other companies, particularly some Japanese pen brands, do on their websites.
Hauser does have the “Acu-Flow Writing System” which doesn’t seem to be particularly specific, but combines a low-viscosity ink and a toughen writing ball for maximum smoothness and durability. The use of a modern ballpoint ink is evident when writing with a pen like the Hauser XO as there is a smooth flow of ink and the pen glides across the paper, similar to the hybrid ballpoint found in a Uni-ball Jetstream.
Availability
While they are widely available in India, Hauser pens are difficult to find in the US and Europe. With some hunting they can be found on Amazon and, more often, Ebay, but it’s unlikely you’d see Hauser in a big box office supply store, stationery store, or supermarket.