Project example: 500 engraved pens for a company anniversary

This autumn we completed an order for 500 metal pens with engraving for the 30th anniversary event of a manufacturing company in Riga. The total cost came to around 1.45 EUR per piece excl. VAT (including laser engraving in one position), with a production time of 7 business days from artwork approval. The client agreed that we could publish the project, but without the company name or logo images, so here we describe the process and the figures.

The task and initial brief

The client approached us in early September with a fairly broad request: a gift was needed for 500 event guests — employees, business partners and local council representatives — on a budget of up to 1000 EUR excl. VAT. There were three requirements:

• a gift people would actually use, not leave in a drawer;
• printing/engraving that wouldn't wear off after a month of use;
• everything ready by the event, which was in three weeks.

With this kind of budget (2 EUR per person), realistic options are pens, notebooks or tote bags. We chose a metal pen with laser engraving, as it fits the price range while still looking like an anniversary gift rather than a conference handout.

Why engraving, not pad printing

For plastic pens, the standard solution is pad printing — cheap and allows a colour logo. For a metal body, laser engraving works better: the laser removes the surface layer, so the logo lasts forever and can't be scratched off or washed away. Engraving has no colour — the result is a light contrast (on coated metal) or a matte silver contrast (on aluminium).

In this case the logo was a single silhouette shape with text and the number "30", so colour wasn't needed — engraving was the logical choice.

Choosing the pen from the catalogue

We shortlisted three options from our catalogue and sent samples to the client:

1. Aluminium pen with a matte body — lightweight, engraving comes out light silver, cheapest option.
2. Metal pen with twist mechanism and chrome details — heavier, 22 g, engraving on the body or the clip.
3. Metal pen with gift box — the best-looking option, but about 1.2 EUR more expensive per piece.

The client chose the second option in dark blue, with engraving on a 45 × 7 mm area of the body. The gift box was dropped, since the pens were going into event folders that were already prepared. You can browse the full range in the pens section, and other branded gifts in promotional products.

Artwork: what we need from the client

Engraving requires vector artwork — .ai, .eps or .pdf, with text converted to curves. The client's logo was available in vector format, but with a gradient and two colours, so we converted it into a single-colour silhouette and checked that the thinnest line wasn't below 0.3 mm.

Requirements we typically set for an engraving file:

• vector artwork, no raster elements or shadows;
• single colour, no gradients or transparency;
• text at least 5 pt in the final engraving size;
• proportions matching the engraving area (in this case 45 × 7 mm).

Before running the full batch, we prepared one test pen and sent a photo for approval. This is a step we never skip — a logo looks different on screen than on a curved metal surface.

Costs: indicative prices

Below are indicative prices per piece excl. VAT, including printing/engraving in one position. The exact price depends on quantity, model and printing method.

For this project: 500 pcs × 1.45 EUR = 725 EUR excl. VAT. The client used the budget saved on the pens for 200 notebooks for workshops at the event — these were produced in parallel.

Turnaround times

In total, from the first enquiry to delivery — 9 business days; from artwork approval — 7 business days. In urgent cases, we can produce laser-engraved metal pens for a batch of 500 in 5 business days, if the item is in stock.

Our recommendations for planning a similar order

• Order 3–5% more than you need. Out of 500 pens, some will go to samples, and some will disappear on the day of the event. 20 spare pieces cost around 29 EUR.
• Keep stock availability in mind. A specific colour of a model may be out of stock — so it's best to start the order at least 3 weeks before the event.
• Don't cram the logo. A 45 × 7 mm area won't fit a slogan with three sentences. If there's a lot of text, choose a model with a wider body, or engrave in two positions (extra charge around 0.25 EUR/pc).
• Combine with other materials. If you're also preparing posters, cards or business cards at the same time, everything is produced in one go and colour tones stay consistent.