The "coalition" is the creation of a ball-point pen manufacturer, whose not-so-hidden agenda is to promote them.

In 1949, the company became famous as a pen manufacturer after they manufactured the world's first ball point pen with chrome ball.

Within ten years, the company had joined the top rank of American pen manufacturers, and was advertising nationally.

Last year Mont Blanc, the West German pen manufacturer, became a sponsor, and has contributed $100,000 toward this year's event.

Lamy is also one of the few pen manufacturers to produce a cartridge rollerball, the Balloon.

Richard Esterbrook was the largest pen manufacturer in United States, having reached a record of producing 216,000,000 pens a year.

Designer ballpoints are also produced for the high-end market by pen manufacturers, and prized by collectors.

Most American companies from pen manufacturers to auto companies had a major presence.

Delta is an Italian pen manufacturer.

Noted pen manufacturer Lamy has its headquarters and factory in Heidelberg-Wieblingen.