2003 Statistical Information
The table below summarizes our best estimates of how the writing instruments market broke out by product category in 2003.
| Category | Units Shipped | Proportion of Total Industry |
| ------------------------------ Pens ------------------------------ | ||
| Ball Point Pens | 4,095,000,000 | 41% |
| Retractable | 2,697,000,000 | 27% |
| Stick | 1,398,000,000 | 14% |
| Gel Ink | 276,000,000 | 3% |
| Roller Ball | 245,000,000 | 3% |
| Porous Point | 48,700,000 | < 1% |
| Fountain | 16,800,000 | < 1% |
| Total Pens | 4,680,000,000 | 47% |
| ------------------------------ Markers ------------------------------ | ||
| Highlighters | 112,900,000 | 1% |
| Permanent | 299,000,000 | 3% |
| All Others | 317,000,000 | 3% |
| Total Markers | 729,000,000 | 7% |
| ------------------------------ Pencils ------------------------------ | ||
| Mechanical | 549,000,000 | 6% |
| Cased/Wood | 3,395,000,000 | 34% |
| Colored | 649,000,000 | 7% |
| Total Pencils | 4,593,000,000 | 46% |
| Total | 10,000,000,000 | 100% |