News

We are pleased to announce that our promotional pencil production is back up and running again! For any promotional pencil orders or enquiries you have, please contact us on 01206 272020 or sales@pencilsdirect.co.uk... More

We now offer a service where you can have as many, or as few, promotional products as you want.  It’s called ‘No Minimum’ and means just that – if you just want to buy one pen with your logo on, you can!  It’s a fully automated service, so you do everything online including uploading, positioning and approving artwork.  All of the products are printed digitally, so you can have as many print colours as you want for no extra cost. The lead time for ... More

As stocks of hand gel run short in the UK, we’re pleased to say that we are still able to source bottles of hand sanitiser, personalised with your company design. The WHO (World Health Organisation) have advised that hand sanitiser needs to have an alcohol content of at least 60% in order to be effective against the Covid-19 virus.  Our sanitiser is 69% alcohol making it effective against not only Covid-19 but other common types of bacteria too. The sanitisers also contain vitamin e... More

As the UK confirms its first cases of the new coronavirus on the back of a World Health Organisation declaration of a global emergency, we are taking the time to consider the currently available published safety information.It has been revealed that the virus is spreading more easily than previously thought and there’s evidence to suggest that, like other respiratory illnesses, it can be spread simply by touching a contaminated surface such as door handles or railings etc. It’s curre... More

Our new promotional catalogue is now available! It’s packed with promotional ideas from a wide range of product areas, each offering a cost effective way to promote your company. Each of the products can be personalised with your logo.  We use a variety of marking processes such as printing, embroidery, blocking and laser engraving.  We are happy to guide you with regards which marking process works best on which product. The range of promotional merchandise available is vast ... More

There’s still time to order your Christmas giveaways – but only just! To meet the pre-Christmas deadline, we would need to use one of our express printing services – there are three to choose from: 2 day despatch service – place an order by 11.00am on day 1 and your order will be despatched 2 working days later (eg place an order with us on Monday and the order will be despatched on the Wednesday for delivery on Thursday). Next day despatch – place an order by 11... More

There’s still time to order your Christmas giveaways – but time is getting short! Many of our printed products can still be ordered and delivered in time for you to give them out to your customers.  But for a few of our products, eg our bespoke pencil range which is made to order, we may not be able to meet the delivery date you’d like. So if your order is needed pre-Christmas, before placing your order online please contact us to check that the delivery date you need is... More

There is still time to order your chocolate advent calendars for pre-Christmas delivery. Available in desktop or wall versions, the advent calendars come in a selection of sizes including A3.  Each contains 24 milk chocolates in a shrink wrapped tray. A full colour, full coverage print is included which allows you to fully personalise the whole of the calendar box. Orders need to be placed before 11th October and delivery will be before the end of November - thereby allowing you to get t... More

Prices for many of our ‘Really Quick Pens’ express printing range have now come down. The service allows us to fulfil last minute orders for promotional pens.  There are three options available, the customer just needs to choose the one that meets their deadline. 5 Day Despatch – for orders needed this time next week 2 Day Despatch – for orders needed the day after tomorrow Same Day Despatch – for orders needed for tomorrow There is a wide range of pen... More

There are several different processes that we can use to print our range of mugs and chinaware (please click here to visit our dedicated mug website).  Which process we use will depend on the quantity being ordered and the print design. Below is a quick guide to each of the processes.  If you’re not quite sure which you’d need for your order please get in touch and we’ll be happy to advise you. Direct screen printing: This method is used to apply solid (spot) colou... More

It is estimated that 87% of global consumers believe businesses should place equal weight on both societal and business issues. Suffice to say, then, the better a brand brings its societal purpose to life in everyday operations, the more successful both its business and social impact will be. These days, marketing is moving away from functionality and price, benefits and product features. More and more, brands have identified that social, environmental and ethical principles are important in bu... More

Carpenters pencils made from recycled pallet wood are now available to the promotional market. We try to offer environmentally friendly products wherever possible and the majority of our carpenters pencils are made from either PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) or FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) approved timber.  The recycled pallet pencil is a perfect addition to our carpenter pencil range. With a large print area on both sides (120mm x 8mm) and the option of m... More

We have now added hexagonal pencils to our range of pencils available with coloured leads.  Made from PEFC certified timber the pencils can come with a choice of thirteen different lead colours including red, orange, blue, green and even white. The barrels of the pencils can match the leads if you wish, but they don’t have to - the pencils can be tailored to your design.  This means you can specify the colour of the barrel.  If you choose the version with the eraser, then y... More

Both our Classic and hexagonal ranges of promotional pencils are now made from PEFC certified timber. Our Classic round and hexagonal pencils are manufactured to order in the UK which gives us the opportunity to offer you completely bespoke pencils.  We offer a colour matching service where we can match the colour of the pencil to the colour of your choice, we can also mix and match the pencil components to achieve the look you’re after. In addition to a choice of wood colour, eithe... More

The average round wooden HB pencil will draw a line 35 miles long - which is enough to write approx. 45,000-50,000 words! The average ballpen writes approx 900m - 2,000m (depending on the brand). Bic say that their ballpens will write for between 2-3km (1.2-1.8 miles) - or six Eiffel Towers!... More

New to 2019, a selection of pastel colours has been added to the popular Contour range of promotional pens. In addition to the wide range of colours and finishes already available, the Contour now comes in a choice of six pastel colours. With its popular curved shape and chrome trim the Contour is one of our best selling pens.  The Contour range is available on a 5 day despatch service as standard with a 3 day service also available for rush orders. For more details of the Contour range,... More

Our Rulex metal triangular scale rulers are now available in Mini and Micro lengths. The Mini is 150mm long, the Micro just 100mm.  Made from aluminium, both are available in a choice of black and silver.  Their handy size makes them ideal for keeping in a pencil case, pocket or briefcase. They feature six different scale sets: Scales: 1:1, 1:5, 1:20, 1:10, 1:50, 1:100 Supplied in re-usable plastic sleeves, the rulers are available to buy through our webshop - please click here for... More

We have now expanded the range of promotional products available on a last minute express basis. Called The Priority Service, it offers some of the best selling products from a range of product areas including pens, keyrings, power banks and bags. There are three different services to choose from: 2 Day despatch, Next Day despatch and Same Day despatch - simply choose the one that will get the products to you for when you need them. All the details you need to know, including unit price, colo... More

In the run up to summer, now is the ideal time to order your promotional sunglasses. They offer protection of up to UV400 from both from UVA and UVB.  They can be printed on one arm or both and full colour printing is available, which means there are no restrictions on the number of print colours you can have in your design. There is a choice of ten frame colours and the minimum quantity for printed orders is just 25 units. For more information about our promotional sunglasses, or any ot... More

To complement our Rulex range of rulers, we have recently introduced a special edition Rulex/Verulam scale ruler. Both brands are manufactured in the UK and are known for their quality and accuracy.  Available in 150mm and 300mm lengths, the flat oval rulers feature the RIBA approved no.3 architects set of scales.  Side 1 - 1:1, 1:100 & 1:20, 1:200 Side 2 - 1:5, 1:50 & 1:1250, 1:2500 The rulers are available to buy through our webshop www.scalerulers.com alternatively pleas... More

We've now added the Linex range of scale rulers to our online webshop www.scalerulers.com The Danish brand is well known for the quality and accuracy of its ruler range and is a natural complement to the Rulex and Verulam ranges that are already available on the site. The Linex range includes both metal and plastic triangular rulers (300mm) along with a 300mm flat oval plastic ruler.   For further details please visit www.scalerulers.com or click here. If you have any questions, please ... More

Our range of recycled plastic pencils have come down in price and are now available from an all inclusive price of just 8p per unit (excl. VAT). We have also added new colours to the range which means you can now choose between light blue, red, green, purple, black, white or yellow.  Each comes with a silver ferrule and white eraser. The standard lead time is 1-2 weeks, but please let us know if you need them sooner - we'll be happy to help if we can. New colour options have also been ad... More

Promotional scale rulers are now available in recycled plastic. Available in both 150mm and 300mm lengths, the flat oval rulers can be printed with your custom artwork.  There is a large print area on both sides (150mm/300mm x 15mm) which can be printed digitally in full colour, so you can have as many colours in your design as you want - we can even reproduce photographs! As standard, they come with either the No.3 set of architects scales or No.2 engineering scales.  We can also cu... More

Our new webshop dedicated to scale rulers has now gone live - www.scalerulers.com Featuring rulers from both the Rulex and RIBA approved Verulam ranges, there's a huge choice of scales to choose from.  Scales as diverse as the no.405 imperial ruler for architects to OO gauge for model railway enthusiasts are featured.  Click below to view see the scales available to order: Flat oval scale rulers - scale selector Triangular scale rulers - scale selector 150mm and 300mm rulers are av... More

With our Same Day express service we can print your logo onto one of our range of promotional pens and then despatch them the very same day! Orders need to be received, along with suitable artwork, before 9.15am.  The pens will then be printed and despatched using an overnight courier for delivery the following working day. There's a wide range of colours and finishes available, including frosted and polished, so you’re sure to find a pen that's right for you. We also offer a 2 Day... More

We are now able to offer trade prices on our range of digitally printed promotional oval/flat scale rulers. For further details either e-mail us at sales@scalerulers.co.uk or call us on 01206 272020.... More

With winter approaching, now’s the time to order your promotional umbrellas. We offer the full range of umbrellas, from children’s, through to golfing, vented, walking and telescopic umbrellas – we even offer parasols for outdoor events. Each can be personalised with your chosen artwork, either using solid colour printing or full colour digital printing.  Full panel printing is also available, so you can have your design going over the whole of the canopy. Many of the u... More

We now offer a Fast Track express print service on our promotional mugs. There are four different services to choose from: 24 hour, 48 hour, 3 day and 5 day – simply choose the one that will get the mugs to you when you need them. A wide range of mug styles is available on all of the Fast Track services including the best selling Cambridge/Durham, Sparta and Marrow mug shapes. The mugs can be printed using either direct screen printing, in one or two pantone matched colours, or full col... More

There have been big changes in the world over the past few years - we are now able to communicate faster, buy things at the click of a button and manage or lives online. The promotional product industry has also seen big changes, for example digital printing has resulted in price reductions and smaller minimum quantities.  We’ve also seen, in response to customer demand, big reductions in lead times for many of our products. We already have a website that’s dedicated to last m... More

Our scale cards are an ideal promotional product for companies targeting construction professionals.  The cards can be completely customised so you can either pick from our standard architects, engineering or OS map scales - or specify your own, metric or imperial.  Alternatively, don’t use it as a scale card at all!  The cards start off plain white (essentially a blank canvas), so you can print whatever you want on them – perhaps use them as a business card, or a ha... More

If you’re looking for something a little different, our Two Tone mugs offer an interesting twist on the ever popular promotional mug. They come as standard with a coloured handle and interior and there are 12 different colours to choose from. They are printed using a full colour process and you can print from the top lip to the bottom edge – which basically means you can print whatever you want over nearly the whole of the outside of the mug! The print is a durable full colour pho... More

We now offer a full selection of promotional scale rulers in black. Choose from our flat oval plastic scale rulers available in both 150mm and 300mm lengths or our black metal triangular scale ruler which is 300mm long and comes in its own rigid plastic case. Each of the rulers come with a standard set of architectural scales, but as they are made to order, if you’d prefer a custom set of scales then we can do that too! The flat oval rulers are printed using a full colour digital proces... More

During August 2018 we are offering free second side printing on all promotional orders for our digitally printed flat/oval scale rulers. This means that you can have your custom design printed on both sides of the ruler, but pay for printing on just the one side! The offer applies to both 150mm and 300mm lengths (in white) in our promotional and Rulex ranges - each available with either standard architects or engineers scales.  For more details please phone us on 01206 272020 or e-mail us... More

A black version of our metal 300mm triangular scale ruler has now been added to the Rulex range of scale rulers. Along with the silver aluminium version, the ruler comes with the best selling Metric A choice of scales: Side 1 – 1:1, 1:10 & 1:2, 1:20   Side 2 – 1:5, 1:50 & 1:100, 1:200   Side 3 – 1:500, 1:1000 & 1:1250, 1:2500 The rulers are supplied in individual plastic cases and are available to buy online through our Rulex webshop and www.s... More

There has been a lot of discussion recently about the effect that plastic, particularly single use plastic, is having on the environment. People sometimes think that our promotional balloons are made from plastic, whereas in fact they are made from Natural Rubber Latex (NRL) which is fully biodegradable. Natural Rubber Latex (NRL) is collected from the Hevea Brasiliensis Pará rubber tree.  They are grown in certain areas of the tropics and are fully sustainable. A latex ballo... More

The Oro promotional pencil can now be printed with a full colour full wrap design. This means that you can personalise the whole of the pencil barrel – from one end to the other and around the whole of the circumference!  Full colour printing means you can have as many colours as you want for the same price. The Oro pencil comes with a gold ferrule (the bit that holds the eraser) and a white eraser as standard.  They are supplied sharpened as standard, but are available unsharp... More

We have now added more colours to our Idaho travel mug range. The Idaho is one of our most popular promotional thermal mug ranges.  Made from durable plastic they measure 170mm x 87mm and have a capacity of 400ml. Their double wall construction means they keep your drink warm, or cold, for hours and their generous print area (170mm x 45mm) gives you a large space to make a big impact with your customers. There are now fourteen different colours to choose from, from black or white to pink... More

We have recently added our retail range of clear acrylic drawing rulers to our promotional range. Supplied as standard with 1:1 metric and imperial scales the rulers are made from rigid transparent acrylic.  The 300mm (12”) version is shown on our website, but we are also able to supply other lengths, please contact us for details. The rulers can be fully customised, so you can specify the scales that are featured along either edge.  Again, please contact us for details. The r... More

The Hattrix range of promotional pens has now been added to our Same Day express print service. Available in a wide range of bright and vibrant colours the Hattrix range comes with a choice of solid or transparent barrels and a comfortable rubber grip. Our Same Day service gives you the chance to order pens today and get them tomorrow!  Orders need to be signed off by 9.15am on Day 1 and are delivered on the following working day. The Hattrix range is also available on our 2 Day Despatch... More

In line with the GDPR regulations coming into effect on 25th May 2018, we have updated our Privacy Policy. Full details about how we collect and process your personal data can be found by clicking here.  If you’d like to speak to someone about any aspect of the data we hold, or how we use it please contact us at admin@buildinglink.co.uk or call us on 01206 272020.... More

If you're looking to make an impact with your promotional pencils, one of our Bright & Shiny range might be just the thing you're looking for! There’s a selection of eye catching colours and designs, from the fluorescent pink pencil to the black wood pencil with a holographic purple print running along its length. Each of the pencils is supplied with an eraser and can be branded with your personalised design. For more details about the Bright & Shiny range, or any other promotio... More

We now offer a service where you can have as many, or as few, promotional products as you want.  It’s called ‘No Minimum’ and means just that – if you just want to buy one pen with your logo on, you can!  It’s a fully automated service, so you do everything online including uploading, positioning and approving artwork.  All of the products are printed digitally, so you can have as many print colours as you want for no extra cost. The lead time for ... More

We have recently added holographic black wood pencils to our promotional pencil range Made from black wood, the pencil is black throughout – even when sharpened. The outside of the barrel is decorated with a full wrap foil, with a holographic design, which extends the entire length of the pencil.  A black square has been left in the design in order for the pencils to be personalised with company logos or designs. The holographic designs come in five different colour options: pink, ... More

Accuracy is one of the most important factors to consider when using tape measures as a part of your promotional activity.  In the UK, tape accuracy is determined by EU standards which will classify them as accurate to EC Class I, Class II or Class III.  If they don’t meet Class III standards then they’re described as unclassified. Class I tape measures are the most accurate with a tolerance of +/- 1.1mm over a 10m length.  On promotionaltapemeasures.co.uk our tape me... More

A metal 300mm triangular metal scale ruler has been added to the Rulex range of scale rulers. Available in silver aluminium, the ruler comes with the standard Metric A choice of scales: Side 1 – 1:1, 1:10 & 1:2, 1:20  Side 2 – 1:5, 1:50 & 1:100, 1:200  Side 3 – 1:500, 1:1000 & 1:1250, 1:2500 The rulers are supplied in individual plastic cases and are available to buy online through our Rulex webshop and scale rulers webshop The rulers are also availabl... More

Our promotional scale rulers can now be supplied with a black or other coloured background. The rulers are made to order, so you can specify exactly what colour you want them to be.  The base starts off as white, it is then flood printed with your choice of colour.  We can’t print over the ends of the rulers which means that the ends of the rulers will remain white. You can choose from the standard set of architectural or engineering sets of scales, or if you prefer you can spe... More

We have recently added square pencils to our range of promotional pencils. Comfortable to hold, the square pencils come with a choice of leads, either standard HB or softer 2B, 4B or 6B – and being square they don’t roll away!  Each of the four sides can be branded with a logo or design or a mix of both.  Both screen printing and foil blocking is available. A range of 17 standard colours is available to choose from and our colour matching service, which allows you to mat... More

Promotional torch keyrings are an excellent way to get your name into the hands of your customers – and keep it there. Attached to a set of house or car keys, your customer will see your logo each time they use their keys.  LED technology means that the torch beams are both bright and useful.  There is a wide range of styles to choose from with many of them available in a choice of colour finishes.  Batteries are included. Depending on the base material (some are plastic ... More

We now offer pencils with coloured leads for the promotional market.  There are thirteen different lead colours to choose from including red, orange, green and even white. The pencils can be fully customised which means you can specify what colour you want the barrel to be.  If you choose the version with the eraser, then you can also specify the colours of the ferrule and eraser. As a promotional product, the colouring pencils can be branded with your logo or custom design.  Th... More

During the winter months, ice scrapers are an ideal way to keep your name in front of your customers. There are many styles and designs available.  The ones shown in the image above are available in 10 different colours and they have a large print area to personalise with your logo.  The lead time for many of our promotional ice scrapers is just 5 days, so you’d be able to have them before the current cold snap passes. For more information about personalised ice scrapers, or a... More

Verulam scale rulers are now available with your personalised design overprinted on them. Verulam's distinctive yellow bands are an instantly recognisable mark of quality.  Valued by design professionals throughout the world, Verulam’s architectural scales are approved by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). We are now able to offer Verulam rulers to the promotional market giving you the chance to overprint them with your own corporate design. We also sell the Verualm ... More

The Rulex Map Scale Card is a handy miniature scale ruler specially designed for Ordnance Survey maps. When out walking, having located your position on an OS map, rather than judging that the path you want is ‘just down there on the left’ - and then walking right past it – the Map Scale Card will give you the distance to within 25m (at a scale of 1:25000). Made from durable flexible plastic, the handy credit card size makes it easy to carry in your pack, pocket or wallet.&nb... More

We now offer a custom laser engraving service for our coloured FSC wood carpenters pencils. Your logo is engraved into the actual wood of the pencil with the resulting design showing through as the natural colour of the wood. The available engraving area stretches almost along the entire length of the pencil, giving you plenty of space for your design.  Laser engraving is permanent and won’t rub or scratch off over time. To see a sample of laser engraving, or for more information, ... More

The Rulex range now includes scale rulers aimed at engineers.  Available in 150mm and 300mm versions the rulers feature the following scales (No.2 engineering scales): Side 1 – 1:5, 1:50 & 1:10, 1:100 Side 2 – 1:20, 1:200 & 1:500, 1:1000 A new triangular ruler featuring imperial scales has also been added.  Supplied in its own individual rigid plastic case, the ruler includes the following scales: Side 1 - 3/8”, 3/4” x 11/2”, 3” = 1 ft Sid... More

We are now able to supply travel mugs, printed with your company logo, on an express service.  The quickest is a Same Day shipping service – so order today and you’ll have the mugs tomorrow! There are three express print options to choose from: 2 Day Despatch - the mugs are printed on the second working day for delivery on the third working day (eg place the order on Monday, the mugs are despatched on the Wednesday for delivery on the Thursday). Next Day Despatch - the mugs a... More

Two new products have been introduced to the Rulex range. Our conversion rulers are designed to allow the user to convert readings from a drawing that’s been created in imperial units to metric – and vice versa.Metric readings from an imperial drawing – our ref 0811.44 will convert measurements from an imperial scale drawing to metric units.Imperial readings from a metric  drawing – our ref 0811.45 will convert measurements from a metric scale drawing to imperial un... More

150 million plastic water bottles are sold each day Worldwide, but only 25% are ever recycled.  It is estimated that 10% of the rest will end up in the sea, with the remainder ending up in landfill. Not surprisingly there is growing pressure from environmental groups for retailers to charge extra on these bottles with the ultimate aim of an eventual ban.  Some outlets such as London Zoo have already banned the sale of single use water bottles. A way to encourage environmentally frien... More

We have now added a concrete volume slide chart to the Rulex range. The slide chart is designed to calculate the volume of readymix concrete required to fill a hole.  All you need to do is line up the dimensions of the hole and the calculator will work out the volume of concrete needed to fill it. The calculator is a convenient 200mm x 50mm pocket size and is made from durable plastic which means it can be used in all weathers. Our Rulex concrete calculators can be bought individually th... More

Our range of promotional slide charts and data discs can now be printed using full colour digital printing.  Basically that means that we can print your full logo, regardless of how many colours or tints and graduations it has. All of our data charts are made in the UK from durable plastic.  Manufacturing them from plastic makes them hard wearing, weather proof and suitable for medical applications. We have a large range of standard designs including concrete volume calculators, metr... More

Oval flat scale rulers: Our digital printing service allows you to customise the scales shown on our oval flat range of scale rulers for no extra charge (150mm and 300mm).  This basically means you can select which scale goes on which edge.  This is only available on orders that are digitally printed (which means they're printed in full colour) and it includes the Rulex range. The most popular scales are Architectural: Side 1 - 1:1, 1:100 & 1:20, 1:200. Side 2 - 1:5, 1:50 & ... More

Lots of new pen colours have been added to our Really Quick Express pen range. A wide range of bright and vibrant colours have been added to many of the pen ranges along with new finishes including clear and frosted variations. Our express services allow you to have promotional pens, printed with your logo, delivered to you really quickly.  There are three main express print services - just use the one that gets the pens printed and delivered to you when you need them: Needed tomorrow N... More

There is now no minimum quantity for promotional umbrella orders – so if you just want one brolly, printed with your company logo, we can do it! There are many other personalised products that can be supplied in low quantities, please just call us on 01206 272020 or e-mail us at sales@buildinglink.co.uk ... More

The average round HB pencil will draw a line 35 miles long - which is enough to write approx. 45,000-50,000 words!   In comparison, the average ballpen writes approx 900m - 2,000m (depending on the brand). Bic say that their ballpens will write for between 2-3km (1.2-1.8 miles) - or six Eiffel Towers laid end to end! So for a giveaway with long lasting impact, a personalised pencil is perfect.  There are many shapes and styles to choose from including hexagonal pencils, triangul... More

Recent trends in the popularity of outdoor activities have resulted in a surge in demand for promotional travel mugs. Travel mugs, or thermal mugs, printed with your logo are an ideal giveaway that people will use both in their business and their personal lives.  They are an all year product - ideal for keeping hot drinks hot during the winter and cold drinks cold during the summer. There is a huge choice of styles and colours available, so we’ve launched a website that’s dedi... More

Golfers are only allowed to tee the ball up on their first shot on each hole and from within the designated teeing area. Traditionally golf club heads were much smaller than they are today, but modern technology and new man made materials have enabled manufacturers to create larger golf club heads without increasing the overall weight of the club. The new larger club heads are more “forgiving” and easier to use which helps golfers to play better. Today, golf’s ruling body (T... More

Our promotional carpenters pencils can now be colour matched to your chosen choice of colour.  Simply give us a reference (ideally a pantone reference) for the colour you’re trying to match and we’ll then coat the pencils with your chosen colour.  The pencils are then personalised with your logo or other design in the usual way. Exact pantone matches can’t be guaranteed, but we’ll get them as close as possible. The minimum quantity for the colour matching ser... More

‘Buff’ style neck tubes have long since been a ‘must have’ for outdoor enthusiasts. Colourful, fashionable and practical, neck tubes are ideal for all outdoor activities from walking in the park to snowboarding down a mountain. Made from breathable, machine washable, elastic microfibre material, they are now available to the promotional market. They can be custom printed with your bespoke design, either in vibrant single solid colours or as a full colour ‘photogr... More

We now offer a laser engraving service for our natural wood carpenters pencils. Using a laser, we engrave your logo into the actual wood of the pencil.  The resulting design shows through as the natural colour of the wood - no extra colour is added.  This produces a subtle look with a high quality feel . Laser engraving is also available on many other promotional products including metal pens where it offers a permanent alternative to printing. For more information about laser engra... More

The word ‘umbrella’ has evolved from Latin ; the derivation is either ‘umbella’ which is a similarly shaped flower or ‘umbra’ meaning shaded. Either way, most ancient cultures claim to have invented the umbrella (or ‘parasol’ derived from the latin ‘para’ meaning shade and ‘sol’ meaning sun) and references are plentiful in many cultures around the world. The first references from Ancient Greece date back to the 5th Century B... More

An all black version of the TT7.5m (25ft) tape measure is now available. The professional quality tape measure comes with a rugged ergonomic rubber casing and features both metric and imperial measurements on a 25mm metal blade. Your customised design can be printed in full colour on a label protected by an epoxy dome.  For more details please click here or contact us on sales@promotionaltapemeasures.co.uk... More

Many years have passed since a mystery black substance, which we now know as graphite, was discovered in Borrowdale in Cumbria.  The metallurgists of the time thought it to be a form of ‘black lead’ and the name stuck. It was quickly discovered that black substance could be cut into strips and used to mark things.  The drawback with it was that it was very soft and broke easily, so people started to wrap it in various materials including string and hollowed out pieces of w... More

We have now added a 300mm metal scale ruler (rotarule) to the Rulex range.  Made from aluminium, it features a 1:1 scale along a fixed edge and six different scales (see below) on a rotating metal tumbler.  Scales: 1:2.5, 1:20, 1:5, 1:50, 1:10, 1:100 We also offer the rotarule, in both 150mm and 300mm lengths, for the promotional market – for more information please click here, call us or e-mail sales@rulex.co.uk... More

Our new promotional mug website is now available to view – please click here. In addition to a wide range of mugs and cups, the site also features glassware and tableware (including cereal bowls, plates and even egg cups). All of the products can be branded with your custom design.  Many of the cups and mugs can be branded in several positions including inside the rim, on the handle and even on the bottom inside the mug. We now also have a website dedicated to personalised travel m... More

The 2017 ‘Printed Bag Guide’ is now available for you to order free of charge. The Guide features a wide range of promotional bags in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours.  All of the bags can be personalised with your company logo, many in full colour. The 80 page guide also contains details of some of our best selling notepads and conference folders. To order your free copy, please e-mail us at sales@promobagsdirect.co.uk or call us on 01206 272020.... More

Pencils are graded using the ‘Graphite Scale’ which measures the softness/hardness of the lead. A pencil lead is made from graphite mixed with clay.  Graphite is a naturally soft substance and clay is mixed with it to make it harder.  This means a lead with a high graphite content is known as a soft lead and pencils with a soft lead will make a dark mark when used. Conversely, a lead with less graphite and a higher clay content is known as a hard lead and will make a ligh... More

The Rulex scale ruler range is now available to the promotional market. As a retail range, it’s been available online through E-Bay, Amazon, www.scalerulers.com and directly from www.rulex.co.uk.  It’s now being offered to the promotional market which means that companies, universities, modelling clubs and other organistions will be able to have Rulex rulers overprinted with their own details. Rulex scale rulers are completely customisable – you effectively start with a ... More

A recent market survey about promotional bags in the US found that: Over 50% of the people surveyed own a promotional bag, of which the split is 53% female and 47% male. Promotional bags have an above average promotional lifespan, with most used for a minimum of 7 months. Over 40% of consumers look more favourably at products with ‘environmental credentials’ – so many types of promotional bag, eg cotton, jute, non-woven polypropylene are an ideal choice. For more details ab... More

Our British Model Railway Scale Rulers have always been a popular product with modellers both within and outside the UK. They feature the four most popular model railway scales (OO, HO, N & O gauges) and come in both 150mm (6”) and 300mm (12”) sizes. We have recently launched a new version of the ruler.  It still features the four favourite scales , but we’ve adapted the design so the scales go right to the edge of the ruler.  This means that it’s now easy... More

Redshift describes how light from objects in space (such as stars or galaxies) changes as they move away from an observer.  As they travel further away, the wavelength of their light increases ‘shifting’ it towards the red end of the spectrum. The further away a galaxy is, the more the light from it is red-shifted.  Scientists have used this to suggest that the whole universe is expanding and everything is moving away from everything else. We were asked by the Royal Astro... More

With today’s result for Brexit, does that mean we’ll be able to use imperial measurements again? While many people of a certain age still like to think about some measurements in imperial terms (myself included – tell me someone is 1.83m high and I’ll smile politely, albeit in a slightly puzzled way, tell me they’re 6 ft and I’ll know exactly what you mean), the younger generation appear to be quite happy with metric. So who knows what will happen now? ... More

We recently had an enquiry from the Association of 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers, who were looking for scale rulers to send to their members around the world. They needed the rulers to show specific scales that they use for modelling (1:19, 1:13.7 & 1:20.3) and the scales had to start at the very end of the ruler so that they could measure ‘from the ground up’. We were able to help by using our bespoke design service, which allows customers to have whatever scales they like print... More

Although they are unquestionably useful and a ‘must have’ for many professions, scale rulers have traditionally been somewhat functional and sensible in terms of their own design.  Given that many scale rulers are actively used in the creative design process, this has always struck us as slightly ironic. Of course in the past, printing technology wasn’t able to reliably print anything other than solid colours.  However, the introduction of modern digital printing tec... More

Bimbrix® is a range of model bricks that has been designed to replicate the size and features of a standard building brick and can be laid using all the traditional brickwork bonds.  Both horizontal and vertical joints are formed which allows the bricks to be used either ‘dry’ or ‘wet’ with an imitation mortar. It is a precision-engineered education and training product for the construction, engineering and architectural industries.  Engineered in a 1:5 sca... More

The University of Nottingham contacted us to help them develop a marketing tool based on a traditional scale ruler, but with a bespoke design tailored entirely to their unique requirements... "The School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Nottingham is always looking for new ways to engage the public with science, and excite the next generation about the possibility of studying for a degree in the subject. We came up with the idea of producing a ruler that shows both a normal c... More