Company sharpens up for digital age

NUREMBERG, Germany - If the digital revolution is going to consign anything to the dustbin of history, you might think the humble pencil would be a leading contender.

However, with such pastimes as doodling and coloring being touted as stressbusters to escape the daily grind and the relentless lure of smartphones, German pencil-maker Faber-Castell is thriving 256 years after it was founded.

"We see that people with all the digital devices around go back to a more manual way of expressing themselves," said Daniel Rogger, chief executive of the family owned firm.