The country’s leading toys company Funskool India Ltd has partnered with the German entity The Brandstätter Group to offer the latter’s Playmobil brand toys through a distribution agreement.

Through this exclusive agreement, Funskool will serve as the sole distributor for the Playmobil line of toys in India.

Since 1974, Playmobil toys, created by Hans Beck, have become a classic throughout children’s playrooms, with play themes ranging from a pirate ship to a children‘s hospital, according to Jens Mohrle, Senior Director, International Business Development, Playmobil.

He said approximately 3 billion of these play figures with the iconic smile have been produced since then, and marketed globally. Around 30 different play themes are distributed in over 100 countries worldwide. The company operates with two manufacturing plants that serve its global business.

The Brandstätter Group based in Franconia (Germany) generates a global turnover of €679 million.

Third plant

Part of the diversified MRF Group entity, Funskool, which has two manufacturing units in India, is looking at commissioning its third manufacturing base by August this year with an investment of about ₹40 crore.

The company, which owns brands like Giggles for infants and pre-school toys), Handycrafts, Fundough, Play ‘N’ Learn educational puzzles and several games of its own, also manufactures games under license from companies like Disney, Warner Brothers, Ravensburger, Jumbo, etc.

“Funskool, which expects to close this fiscal with revenues of ₹240 crore, is looking at a growth of over 20 per cent next year. While about 20 per cent of the business is generated from exports, we expect this also to grow significantly,” K John Baby, Chief Executive Officer of Funskool told BusinessLine .

Funskool is also engaged with brands like Takara Tomy, Ravensburger, Schleich, Siku, Leapfrog, Crayola, Engino, New Bright, Asmodee, Rubik’s, Rummikub and many others.

The Indian organised toy market is estimated to be about ₹3,000 crore at retail currently which makes it only around 0.5 per cent of the world toy market. It has huge potential to grow, Baby said.

Over the last few years, Funskool has successfully built its own chain of retail stores, located across the county and is looking to increase its retail network to over 30 stores over the next two years.

The company also hinted at tie up with two more reputed international toy brands.

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