About Faber-Castell
Faber-Castell is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality products for writing, colouring and creative design. The international group of companies was originally founded over 250 years ago (in 1761) as a pencil factory in Stein near Nuremberg, Germany. It is thus one of the oldest industrial companies in the world; in its 8th generation now, the company is headed by Count Anton Wolfgang von Faber-Castell. Today, the Faber-Castell group produces over 2 billion black-lead and colour pencils every year, making it the world’s largest pencil manufacturer. Faber-Castell employs approximately 6,500 people in 15 production sites and 25 sales organizations around the world. Through the 250 years of existence, while continuing to expand its own horizons, the group has earned its global presence through its unyielding commitment towards quality and innovation.
A Great brand name comes about
Baron lothar von faber, the fourth generation of the family to head the business, was raised to hereditary peerage in 1881, in recognition of his service in economic and social matters ; ten year later he was appoited hereditary counsellor to the Bavarian crown. His grand daughter and heir Baroness Ottile von Faber married Count Alexander zu Castell-Rudenhausen, a scion of one of Germany’s oldest aristocratic families. The Castell line was first mentioned in a document dated 1057 ; the family still owns the oldest provate bank in Bavaria and one of the oldest German vineyards.
Ottilie and Alexander were married in 1898. Baron Lothar von Faber’s will had stipulated that the company should retain the name Faber for all time. And so, with the assent of the Bavarian Prince Regent Luitpold, the line of counts “von Faber-Castell” came about. The name Faber-Castell was later applied to the brand as well.