Playmates Toys

Playmates Holdings Limited
FormerlyPlaymates Industrial
Company typePublic
SEHK: 869
IndustryToy industry
Founded1966; 58 years ago (1966)
FounderSam Chan Tai-ho
Headquarters
Hong Kong
,
China
Key people
To Shu Sing (chairman)
Websiteplaymatestoys.com

Playmates Toys Limited is a Hong Kong toy company. The company was founded in Hong Kong in 1966 by Sam Chan Tai-ho as Playmates Industrial, manufacturing dolls for other companies.[1] In 1975, Playmates began marketing their own line of pre-school toys, and in 1977 opened an American subsidiary in Boston. Another subsidiary was founded in California in 1983; in 1984 the company went public.[2]

The company's first big success was in 1986, with the marketing of a tape-playing, electronic robot doll named Cricket.[2] In 1989, the company marketed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures which sold extremely well.[2] Success of the two led to a golden era from 1990 to early 1993.[3] In 1990, Sales reached US$4.13 billion and net profit HK$1.21 billion.[3] In 1995 the company suffered a loss of HK$97.59 million.[3]

  1. ^ "History". Playmates Toys.
  2. ^ a b c Ward, Arthur (2020). Action Figures: From Action Man to Zelda. Crowood. ISBN 9781785006883.
  3. ^ a b c Tsang, Denise (7 September 1996). "Battle ends in court for not-so-friendly Playmates". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 25 March 2023.