Dr. Grip Center of Gravity Pen Proven to Offer Superior Writing Comfort for Those With and Without Arthritis

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In a three-month study conducted by the Georgia Tech Research Institute, Dr. Grip Center of Gravity (COG) surpassed key competitors in overall comfort ratings for users both with and without arthritis.  Dr. Grip COG was proven to be almost two times more comfortable than key competitor brands.

The entire Dr. Grip line of pens has earned the Ease-of-Use Commendation from the Arthritis Foundation, and is produced by Pilot Corporation of America (Pilot Pen).  The Dr. Grip line includes the Center of Gravity, the Limited and the newly introduced Full Black and Pure White.  Dr. Grip offers unsurpassed comfort and meets specific design requirements that impact usability by individuals with and without arthritis. There is a growing interest for identifying "arthritis friendly" consumer products, as arthritis is the nation's leading cause of disability affecting people of all ages.

"Pilot is proud to be commended by the Arthritis Foundation for its arthritis-friendly Dr. Grip products," said Ariann Langsam, Director of Consumer Marketing and Marketing Research for Pilot Pen. "Pilot stands for self-expression and creativity, always striving to serve consumers' unmet writing needs with high quality writing instruments that offer smooth, comfortable writing."

Featuring an ergonomic cushion grip for ultimate comfort, the Dr. Grip line alleviates writing fatigue and eliminates joint stress. The smooth ink formula, combined with the Dr. Grip COG design, allows for an exceptional writing experience for every individual. As the No. 1-selling ergonomic pen in the United States, Dr. Grip is available in ballpoint, gel and mechanical pencil and can be found at retailers nationwide.

The Arthritis Foundation determines commendations for products after a careful evaluation process based on consumer use and formal analysis.  The study cited in this release was performed to evaluate the ergonomic superiority of Dr. Grip COG versus key non-ergonomic, top selling ball point competitors. Product performance was evaluated across key measures, including "Using this product does not make me need to rest" and "I can use this product without uncomfortable hand positions."

About Pilot Pen Corporation of America

Pilot Pen offers superlative writing instruments renowned for quality, performance, cutting-edge technology and consumer satisfaction. Widely acknowledged as innovators, Pilot was first to introduce Americans to fine-point writing and currently maintains the top share position in the gel and rolling ball pen categories. Pilot's line also includes the acclaimed Dr. Grip family of products, featuring an ergonomic, wide comfort grip that reduces writing fatigue, as well as the notable Precise V5 and G2 lines. Pilot Pen manufactures and distributes from its state-of-the-art, 305,000-square-foot-facility in Jacksonville, Fla.; its parent company is the oldest and largest manufacturer of writing instruments in Japan. For more visit www.pilotpen.us.

About the Arthritis Foundation

Striking one in every five adults and 300,000 children, arthritis is the nation's leading cause of disability.  The Arthritis Foundation (www.arthritis.org) is committed to raising awareness and reducing the unacceptable impact of this serious and painful disease, which can severely damage joints and rob people of living life to its fullest.  The Foundation funds life-changing research that has restored mobility in patients for more than six decades; fights for health care policies that improve the lives of the millions who live with arthritis; and partners with families to provide empowering programs and information.

SOURCE Pilot Pen