Character World agrees new Disney deal

LICENSING business Character World has signed a new deal with Disney.

The Cheadle-based company first secured a Disney license in 2006 and has now signed a three-year deal to produce bedroom products, from furniture to duvets, for the entire range of Disney and Disney Pixar franchises.

Character World has seen rapid growth in recent years and now employs 53 staff. The latest deal comes as it expects turnover to rise from £19.7m to £22m this year.

Joint managing director Danny Schweiger said: “This is strategically a very important partnership for Character World. We’ve become the major player in the UK Disney home licensed merchandise category and the new three-year deal is a commitment on both sides to continue a very successful relationship with a formula that works exceptionally well.

“Our Disney partnership is something we are tremendously proud of as a business. Thanks to every single Character World employee, we’ve met and exceeded sales targets and have ambitious plans to continue doing so. There are some exciting franchises coming out over the next twelve months and our design team is working hard to create some fun, fresh designs that reflect everything the Disney brand stands for.”

Character World also designs and manufactures interior and outdoor products for other popular children’s brands including The Simpsons, Peppa Pig, and Dora the Explorer, as well as licensed sports goods for clubs including Manchester United and Chelsea.