SMOBY MAJORETTE
Acquisition of the French Berchet toy group / Now the European market´s number 2 player
Smoby Majorette (F-39170 Lavans les Saint Claude; www.smoby.fr), France´s number one toy manufacturer, plans to take overe its main domestic competitor, Groupe Berchet (F-01102 Oyonnax; www.groupe-berchet.com), with around 670 employees and annual sales of EUR 135m. The contracts have already been drafted, but the selling price has not been disclosed. According to Smoby, this acquisition will lift it into second place in the European toy industry rankings behind Lego. The aim of the family-owned company, which is listed on the Paris stock exchange, is to attain the necessary critical mass of EUR 500m in sales needed to remain competitive and build up a globally significant market position behind Hasbro and Mattel.
In the 2003/2004 financial year (31 March), Smoby Majorette posted worldwide toy sales (outdoor, mini cars, pre- school and role playing) of EUR 250m, up from EUR 205m in 2003. The French domestic market accounted for the lion´s share, EUR 108m. The company´s industrial division, which manufactures predominantly plastic packaging (vials and jerrycans) reported EUR 23m in turnover, flat over the past three years. The operating result has risen consistently since 2001, reaching EUR 17.2m (up 26%) in 2003/2004. Smoby has not yet reported sales for the financial year just ended. According to French sources, however, group sales rose by a further 6.8% to EUR 291m.
The figures indicate that the company is in healthy and extremely profitable condition, unlike many of its European competitors. In a market characterised by quick-changing fashion trends, the toy specialist attributes its success primarily to the broad diversification of its product range. The various Smoby Majorette brands account for 75% of all the toys on the European market. Half are produced in France – at four sites with a total workforce of 2,150. The company has two more toy factories in Spain and one in Thailand, and also has a sales office in China. Among other things, it processes some 25,000 t of plastics a year.
• e-Service:
Smoby Majorette annual report 2003/2004 as PDF document (608 KB)
In the 2003/2004 financial year (31 March), Smoby Majorette posted worldwide toy sales (outdoor, mini cars, pre- school and role playing) of EUR 250m, up from EUR 205m in 2003. The French domestic market accounted for the lion´s share, EUR 108m. The company´s industrial division, which manufactures predominantly plastic packaging (vials and jerrycans) reported EUR 23m in turnover, flat over the past three years. The operating result has risen consistently since 2001, reaching EUR 17.2m (up 26%) in 2003/2004. Smoby has not yet reported sales for the financial year just ended. According to French sources, however, group sales rose by a further 6.8% to EUR 291m.
The figures indicate that the company is in healthy and extremely profitable condition, unlike many of its European competitors. In a market characterised by quick-changing fashion trends, the toy specialist attributes its success primarily to the broad diversification of its product range. The various Smoby Majorette brands account for 75% of all the toys on the European market. Half are produced in France – at four sites with a total workforce of 2,150. The company has two more toy factories in Spain and one in Thailand, and also has a sales office in China. Among other things, it processes some 25,000 t of plastics a year.
• e-Service:
Smoby Majorette annual report 2003/2004 as PDF document (608 KB)
16.06.2005 Plasteurope.com [202871]
Published on 16.06.2005
German version of this article...