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INDUSTRY FORUM 37 The road ahead
There’s no question that 2011 was a tough year for the industry, with costs of every aspect of the design, development and manufacturing process increasing, while the retail environment took something of a battering. But what can we expect in 2012? Samantha Loveday asks some of the top execs from the business for their views on the year ahead…
How healthy do you think the toy market is at the moment? Is it well placed going into 2012? Phil Ratcliffe: “I think the industry is bearing up reasonably well, although there is a palpable lack of confidence across the market.”
Geoff Walker: “The market is looking like it might be slightly up; however we do expect to see a swing in unit sales verses value sales. The industry is well placed going into 2012, but both retailers and manufacturers are acutely aware of the economic climate and the pressure that there is on families.”
Jon Thorpe: “The toy industry is, like most, difficult at the moment. Going into 2012 it’s as well placed as it can be; many companies are not faring too well in the current climate and planning is essential to enter the next quarter with a strong portfolio.”
Nat Southworth: “I would say the market is well placed going into 2012; there is lots of innovation coming through our industry and that doesn’t happen overnight.”
Claire McCool: “As far as the games sector is concerned, I believe that, irrespective of the economic climate, it continues to be extremely well placed regarding choice of product and really innovative design, emanating from a substantial number of the leading and upcoming companies.”
Chris Spalding: “Against the background of the current economic climate, the toy market is not faring too badly. Consumers will, however, make more cognisant choices, meaning brands will have to work harder to be noticed and differentiate themselves. But I believe good value will always win through.”
GEOFF WALKER, Managing Director, Mattel UK
CHRIS SPALDING, Managing Director EMEA, LeapFrog
NAT SOUTHWORTH, Sales and Marketing Director, Hornby Hobbies
NEIL BANDTOCK, Managing Director, Vivid Imaginations
Gary Wyatt: “It is undoubtedly tough, however consumers are still spending, albeit selectively. 2012 is going to be tough again, but tough is okay if you have the right attitude (and team, products and a bit of luck).”
Neil Bandtock: “The toy market is doing much better than many other non-food sectors, but there is no question that manufacturers and retailers are struggling to make
PHIL RATCLIFFE,
Sales and Marketing Director, MV Sports
money out of the current chaos. However, Lego, Mattel, Vivid, Hasbro and LeapFrog have all done well, so clearly there have been some UK success stories.”
What challenges do you think the industry will face in 2012? Christine Nicholls: “We have seen very difficult trading conditions in 2011 and there is no doubt that these challenging times will continue into
CHRISTINE NICHOLLS, Product and Marketing Director, Golden Bear
2012. We face ever increasing manufacturing costs and toy legislation, which means the competitive edge is even more important to maintain. It is important to innovate and adapt to keep ahead of the game.”
Southworth: “It is difficult to plan for what we don’t know and cannot see, so we have to be prepared and adapt to the changing environment.
FEBRUARY 2012
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