A Tree Grows in Taiwan

Cypress may be a young pen brand, but its competitive pricing and ability to maneuver supply chains promise years of continual growth.

- NICKY PESSAROFF

For three decades, Apo Liang has led his Taiwanese technology company to great success, but his avocational interests always remained rooted in the past literally. Through enthusiasm. His side businesses focus on wooden lines of furniture, collectible logs, and statues.

In 2018, Liang embarked on an ambitious project to create a proprietary fountain pen brand focusing on fine writing instruments made from precious woods, ebonite, and metal with finishes in urushi, raden, and fine carving. Mr. Cypress fountain pens quickly expanded from Asian markets and into Europe and North America. As the brand prepares for its fifth anniversary in 2023, it has changed its name to "Cypress" and expanded its finely-made fountain pens even more.

U.S. customers have responded positively to Cypress's hand-made fountain pens at reasonable price points-most Cypress fountain pens are priced below $1,000, remarkably affordable for artisan-made writing instruments featuring precious woods, natural urushi, and hand-applied abalone and conch shell inlay. And ironically, it is largely Liang's experience in the logistics and supply chains of technocracy that has led to this success.

Cypress's General Manager Albert Lee notes, "Supply chain is one of the key operating models in the technologies industries, and a similar approach has been adopted for Cypress's day-to-day operation where artists, designers, production bases, and warehouses may be located in different areas and consolidated by effective logistics."

Cypress is headquartered in Taiwan, a center of technical supply as well as a hub for international shipping. It sources its urushi and raden supplies from throughout Asia and maintains strong supply chains that allow it to produce and distribute its products in an extremely efficient manner.