COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 339932

Game, Toy, and Children's Vehicle Manufacturing

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

35companies1876–1998founding years35still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedStrombecker Corporation
1876
FoundedMärklin Holding GmbH
1888
FoundedRavensburger AG
1893
FoundedTA Triumph-Adler AG
1896
FoundedNewell Rubbermaid Inc.
1902
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedRose Art Industries
1923
FoundedDuncan Toys Company
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedThe Ohio Art Company
1930
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedPoof-Slinky, Inc.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedMattel, Inc.
1948
FoundedBandai Co., Ltd.
1950
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedSanrio Company, Ltd.
1960
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedLittle Tikes Company
1970
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedInfogrames Entertainment S.A.
1983
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
FoundedK'Nex Industries, Inc.
1992
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
FoundedCenturi CorporationFoundedSpin Master, Ltd.
1994
FoundedLeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Racing Champions Corporation →
Active
Racing Champions Corporation is one of the largest die-cast collectible companies in North America, a position it…
Strombecker Corporation →
Active · founded 1876 · www.tootsietoy.com
The late 1990s saw Strombecker's bubble toy market share drop below 50 percent, but this climbed back to 54 percent…
Märklin Holding GmbH →
Active · founded 1888 · Germany
Märklin Holding GmbH is the management company of Germany's number one model train manufacturer.
Nintendo Company, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1889 · Japan
Nintendo Company, Ltd.
Ravensburger AG →
Active · founded 1893 · Germany
Ravensburger AG is a publisher based in Ravensburg, Germany, that educates and entertains the whole family with its…
United States Playing Card Company →
Active · founded 1894
The United States Playing Card Company (USPC) is the largest manufacturer of playing cards in the world and sells more…
TA Triumph-Adler AG →
Active · founded 1896 · Germany
TA Triumph-Adler AG is Germany's leading supplier of distribution services for printing, copying and presentation…
EXX Inc. →
Active · founded 1899
EXX Inc.
Newell Rubbermaid Inc. →
Active · founded 1902
c.
Radio Flyer Inc. →
Active · founded 1923
Radio Flyer Inc.
Rose Art Industries →
Active · founded 1923
Considered the fastest-growing crayon producer in the world, Rose Art Industries is a family-owned and operated private…
Smoby International SA →
Active · founded 1924 · France
Smoby International SA is France's leading toy manufacturer and number three in Europe.
Duncan Toys Company →
Active · founded 1929
Duncan Toys Company is the number one manufacturer of yo-yos in the world.
Fisher-Price Inc. →
Active · founded 1930
Fisher-Price Inc.
The Ohio Art Company →
Active · founded 1930
Headquartered in a small northwest Ohio town, The Ohio Art Company is best known for its classic drawing toy, the Etch…
Aristocrat Leisure Limited →
Active · founded 1933 · Australia
Aristocrat Leisure Limited, based in Australia, is the world's second largest manufacturer of casino gaming systems,…
Poof-Slinky, Inc. →
Active · founded 1945
Poof-Slinky, Inc.
Pressman Toy Corporation →
Active · founded 1947
Family owned and operated, Pressman Toy Corporation is America's third largest games manufacturer.
Mattel, Inc. →
Active · founded 1948
The world's largest toy company, Mattel, Inc.
Bandai Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1950 · Japan
Bandai Co., Ltd.
Tomy Company Ltd. →
Active · founded 1953 · Japan
Tomy Company Ltd.
Sanrio Company, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1960 · Japan
Japan's Sanrio Company, Ltd.
Mega Bloks, Inc. →
Active · founded 1967 · Canada
Mega Bloks, Inc.
Little Tikes Company →
Active · founded 1970
The distinctive, brightly colored plastic toys produced by the Little Tikes Company are a staple for kids around the…
Zindart Ltd. →
Active · founded 1978 · China
After being acquired by Zindart, Corgi introduced Premier Models, which incorporated details not found in most die-cast…
Infogrames Entertainment S.A. →
Active · founded 1983 · France
France's Infogrames Entertainment S.A.
Toymax International, Inc. →
Active · founded 1990
Toymax International, Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiaries and divisions, makes children's toys, leisure…
K'Nex Industries, Inc. →
Active · founded 1992
K'Nex Industries, Inc.
Paul-Son Gaming Corporation →
Active · founded 1993
Paul-Son Gaming Corporation is a Las Vegas-based company that manufactures a wide variety of casino table game…
Centuri Corporation →
Active · founded 1994
Centuri Corporation is known for Estes model rockets and Cox model aircraft.
Speedway Motorsports, Inc. →
Active · founded 1994
Speedway Motorsports, Inc.
Spin Master, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1994 · Canada
Spin Master, Ltd.
JAKKS Pacific, Inc. →
Active · founded 1995
JAKKS Pacific, Inc.
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. →
Active · founded 1995
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.
Cranium, Inc. →
Active · founded 1998
Three-time winner of the Toy Industry Association's game of the year award, Cranium, Inc.
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