Toy manufacturer Smoby Toys (Lavans les Saint Clause / France; www.smoby.fr) is building a new 4,000 - 5,000 m² production facility in Arinthod / France and purchasing new injecting moulding machinery all to the tune of EUR 7m. In so doing, Thomas le Paul, managing director of the Simba Dickie group (Fürth / Germany; www.simbatoys.com) subsidiary, is implementing the plans announced when the Smoby brand Monneret was acquired – see Plasteurope.com of 24.06.2008.

A spokesperson for the company told Plasteurope.com that the small Monneret operation in Lons-le-Saunier / France is being relocated to Arinthod, where both injection and blow moulding will be concentrated, but that no jobs will be lost in Lons. At the same time, the site in Groissiat will be converted into a logistics centre, while the assembly plant in Moirans-en-Montagne will be strengthened. All measures are expected to be completed by mid-2011.