FORKS TWP., Pa. – Crayola is expanding into India for the first time with a new partnership.
The Forks Township-based maker of crayons, markers, and a slew of other products meant to inspire creativity has announced it’s teaming up with Luxor Writing Instruments.
Luxor is a maker of pens, markers, notebook and other stationary supplies based in India.
Under the partnership, Luxor will manufacture and distribute Crayola products, making them accessible to India’s 436 million children. The products will be co-branded Crayola by Luxor, a news release said.
“At Crayola, we’ve always believed creativity helps children build confidence, curiosity, and innovative thinking, which are essential skills for the future,” says Pete Ruggiero, Crayola’s President and Chief Executive Officer, in the release.
“India’s education landscape is going through an important transformation. With the National Education Policy 2020, there is a clear shift toward experiential learning and problem-solving. When you combine that shift with the scale of India’s education system, 260 million students across more than 1.5 million schools, the opportunity to nurture creativity becomes incredibly powerful.”
The move marks Crayola’s first entry into the Indian market. The company does the majority of its manufacturing in the Lehigh Valley, with additional operations in Mexico and Vietnam. The company also makes colored pencils in Brazil.
In addition to its headquarters outside Easton, Crayola also has offices in Canada, Australia, Asia, Italy, Mexico, and the UK.
According to India’s Economic Times, the Crayola and Luxor deal will be an $8 billion to $10 billion investment over five years.