Foreign expansion helps Lancs toymaker thrive

LANCASHIRE toymaker Halsall Toys International (HTI) saw sales grow 17.5% to £66.2m in the year to March.

In a statement the privately-owned company which designs and makes toy ranges under license from brands such as Hello Kitty and Peppa Pig said the UK’s resilient retail sector and its own expansion overseas were behind the growth.

The Fleetwood-based firm said more than 20% of revenues came from its customers in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australasia and the Americas.

HTI, which was founded 58 years ago, supplies several specialist areas of the UK’s £2.2bn toy industry, including outdoor toys and dolls’ prams and pushchairs.

As well as developing brands under license from the likes of Silver Cross, Postman Pat and Toy Story, around 15% of sales are private label products for major retailers.
 
Managing director John Hutt said: “This is a fast-moving and competitive market, but significant investment in research and development, global manufacturing, international sales infrastructure and some of the industry’s leading licenses – plus our own brands – means we can bring innovative product to the market quickly and at highly competitive prices.”