1. Service from the Beginning

He has turned 22 years only when Horst Fengler founded a repair shop for pens in 1949 at Diepholz / Lower Saxony (Germany) Horst Fengler owned a robust Triumph motor bike and he was glad that he could use it. For that young man had discovered a good job: No matter how the weather was like he collected defectuous writing utensils, preferably pens. He himself repaired them in his own repair shop then - a top service by a "one man show". All the know how about repairing and maintenance of the writing utensils Horst Fengler got from an uncle. That uncle owned a production company of pens, so he showed the young man all secrets of construction and technique of these elegant writing utensils. So finally young Fengler got "in touch" with another interesting writing utensil, a new innovation of these times - the ball point pen and/ or the so-called biro.

Starting with the interest of the functioning of especially the ballpoint pen refill things went on. In the early fifties Horst Fengler founded his own ballpoint pen production and short time later he complemented it by a production of ballpoint pen refills. The company grew quickly and soon more than 40 employees worked for him. So the old repair shop he had equipped on this own long time ago was nostalgic production only now. The company now managed under the name of Horst Fengler KG expanded and moved to Bad Salzuflen under the VELA trade mark owing two production plants beginning in the sixties.

At these times especially the specialist trade and retail trade was delivered. Dealing with advertising items had only started at that time. The delivery range focussed on sales assistants such as high quality presentations and blister packs. Especially successful was the VELAMATIC display stand presenting different items in an attractive way. At that time "self-service" was something really special. The VELAMATIC display was an excellent sales assistant for the retail trade and specialist trade. "A large offer of the sales range presented on a small but optimally used sales surface and ordering a new without problems will lead to quick sales" - promised a leaflet for the VELAMATIC display. That was not just a promise and as a consequence there was success: In the early seventies when the production of ballpoint pen refills has already boomed since the sixties, the company employed 120 people. Beside the growing production of refills, items for the specialist trade and the office were produced. Writing sets for desks in banks were developed and other accessories to be placed on the desk were added to the range. The "Kopenhagen" writing set became popular at that time: an absolutely successful item having been copied many times with regard to any detail yet has not been achieved. So people have decided to take the original true one which you may see in many banks: "Kopenhagen" is found in the bank!

4. Revolution in the office

Another highlight for the desk was the very first set system to be placed on the desk called "Carat". This set system made in Bad Salzuflen was a revolution in the form of the desk arrangement in European offices "Carat", still patenteed until today was absolutely trendy, yet futuristic at that time: the integration of heterogeious elements to functional and esthetic harmony made modern plastic items popular for instance. Variability and the ability of extension and completion showed the trend. In the middle of the seventies the company had to experience severe problems due to the trouble and legal proceedings concerning the Biro patentees, as Biro pretended to have invented the ballpoint pen.

5. Time Management at one sight

In 1975 a new company was found called Vela Schreibgeräte GmbH & Co. KG continuing the development of the company. While in the early seventies the classical / elegant writing system etui as well as the first slighty coloured ball point pens were dominating, now the range of writing utensils was extended as well as the offer of writing set items. Offering a novelty of the world the company determined its profile in 1985: the "3-Months-Data Mini", the first plastic cassette calendar system for 2 years set new standards. Not having been completely accepted at first, it represents one of the most important items of the company. In the year of its introduction Horst Fengler analysed the market situation during an interview with the German magazine "Werbeartikel Nachrichten (called Insider at that time) : "The German advertising standard is exceptionally good. Here most important is the utility value of an advertising item." An analysis being still valid until today . Fengler's son Thomas who continued managing the company after Horst Fengler's sudden death in 1989 hold to that analysis.

6. Innovation plus Service

By means of a new younger management new developments could be made. The business abroad was intensified as well as the range of products and service.That last point of view, namely the perfect global service became so important that it was integrated into the company's name in 1995: Vela Werbeartikel Produktion und Service GmbH + Co. KG. Especially in times when technique and digitalised data processing determine more and more our daily life, Vela does not only hold to the technical progress. The innovative product range is completed by a complex service offer for the advertising trade. Complex services are directed to a partnership-based co-operation with the customers, demanding an optimum performance not only from the products but from the employees of the company too. At the first of March 1998 both company secretaries Uwe Ellermann and Peter Schlinkheider bought the company and have managed it together with a young dynamic team since that time. From May 2006 concentration on essential parts of the program. Continuation with main focus on sales and marketing. New owner and new company name: Vela Promotion GmbH & Co. KG.