Derwent Cumberland Pencil Company
English art materials brand
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Derwent Cumberland Pencil Company, trading as Derwent, is an English brand of pencils and other art materials. The business began in 1832 in Cumberland under the name Banks, Son & Co.. Pencil manufacture in the Keswick area developed in the nineteenth century using local Borrowdale graphite.[1][2] The company later became the Derwent Cumberland Pencil Company. In 1980, it was acquired by the US corporation ACCO Brands, then known as Rexel, and became one of its brands.[3][4]
Derwent Cumberland Pencil Co.
 | |
| Formerly | Banks, Son & Co. Derwent Cumberland Pencil Co. |
|---|---|
Company type | Private (1832–1980) |
| Industry | Art materials |
| Founded | 1832 |
| Fate | Acquired by ACCO Brands in 1980, becoming a brand |
| Headquarters | , England |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Pencils, paints, art blocks, pastels, pens, art accessories |
| Owner | ACCO Brands |
| Website | derwentart.com |
History
Products
Derwent produces a range of art materials including coloured pencils, graphite pencils, water soluble pencils, pens, paints, pastels, and accessories. Its product lines have included Artist, Studio, Watercolour, Pastel, Coloursoft, Inktense, Lightfast, and Procolour.[6]
Awards
Derwent received a Queen's Award for Enterprise. In 2002, The Cumberland Pencil Co., then described as a division of Acco UK Ltd, received the award in the Sustainable Development category for its solvent free paint application systems.[7] In 2014, Derwent received the Environmental & Energy Awareness Award at the CN Business Awards.[8]
Pencil Museum
.jpg)
Derwent is historically associated with the Derwent Pencil Museum in Keswick, which covers the history of pencil manufacturing in the Lake District.
