Horst Brandstätter, owner of the geobra Brandstätter Stiftung (Zirndorf / Germany; www.playmobil.de) and the successful “Playmobil” brand, on 3 June 2015 passed away at the age of 81. “His ideas revolutionised the toy market and put a smile on the face of children throughout the entire world,” the company said in a eulogy posted on its website. The group, which operates production sites in Germany, Malta, the Czech Republic and Spain, has a workforce of 4,170 and last posted sales of EUR 595m.

Brandstätter first joined the family business run by his two uncles in 1952, at the age of 19. He initially underwent training as a mould maker but quickly began contributing to the company’s economic success. Already in the 1950s, Brandstätter believed metal could no longer determine the future of toy manufacturing, favouring plastic and restructuring the company’s entire production chain accordingly. History would prove him right – one of the group’s first sales successes was the “Hula Hoop”.

Yet, the German company’s big breakthrough came with the now world-famous “Playmobil” toy figures. In the early 1970s, Brandstätter tasked his mould maker Hans Beck with developing a new system toy that could be successively expanded. The result was the 7.5 cm high toy figurines, more than 2.8 bn of which have been produced since 1974. “Their success saved us from bankruptcy,” Brandstätter later said. In 2000, he created a second brand – “Lechuza”, specialised in producing innovative plastic plant containers and later high-value garden furniture, too.

Brandstätter never wasted a thought on retiring and in April still made plans for the future of his company. “I have placed my company into a fund, that will succeed me as owner,” he said. “The charitable organisation will sponsor children. At the same time, a separate company fund will safeguard the future of the group and manage it according to my wishes.” The fund is headed by Judith Weingart and Steffen Höpfner.

Brandstätter was awarded the German order of merit for his achievements and social engagement in 1993. The Federal Association of German Management Consultants crowned him “Manager of the Year 1999”. He also enjoyed international renown, and in 2014 became the first German toy manufacturer to be included in the Hall of Fame of North America’s Toy Industry Association. Horst Brandstätter would have turned 82 years old on 27 June.