Toy makers using US manufacturing facilities are being criticised by orders as the industry screams to negotiate strict tariffs from the Trump administration, the Post learned.
MGA Entertainment, which manufactures Bratz and Lol Surpress Dolls, also owns the 56-year-old Little Tikes brand, which makes large indoor and outdoor toys at its Hudson, Ohio factory. According to MGA CEO Isaac Larian, the facility will employ more workers.
“We've received a lot of inquiries and are capable,” Larian told the Post.
The 20% obligation on goods made in China and 25% tariff on products made in Mexico and Canada, usually directing demand on small groups of US toy manufacturers, including so-called 3D printing farms that can make products domestically for businesses manufactured overseas.
Paul Young, owner of Pye Games, runs 560 3D printers that can produce seven toys, but came to the toy fair this week at Javits Center in New York City and hung a banner called “Made in the Usa.” There are no customs duties. ”
Recent clients include Texas-based Heybuddy Heypal. It was packed into eggs and shipped to China, relying on Pigames to produce 20,000 miniature dragons before being shipped to the US as part of the egg decoration device kit. 20,000 dragons were produced within 10 days.
Curtis McGill, founder of Hey Buddy Hey Pal, said that despite the dragon being produced domestically, he must pay customs duties on the Eggmazing kit sent back to the US from China. Still, he hopes that in the future it will pay off when Pye Games may be able to handle more production.
“It's experimenting to see if 3D printing works for us. As technology improves, it's about building relationships with people doing this in the US,” McGill said. “We hope to go from 20,000 units to 60,000 next year.”
Simplay3 – which manufactures outdoor equipment, including sandboxes, slides and playhouses at its factory in Streetsboro, Ohio — should hire more workers and move to operation 24/7, said Brian McDonald, vice president of sales and marketing.
McDonald said Simplay3 recently signed a contract to make educational toys for companies manufactured overseas, refusing to identify the business.
“I think we have more business [the tariff issue] McDonald said.
Simplay3 is also partnering with Canada-based Kailani. This creates a foldable premium dog crate that will be sold between $350 and $650 in the US later this year, depending on the model.
This month it will be exhibited for the first time in the US at the Global Pet Expo in Orlando.
“In the US, you can save 4-5 weeks. It's water. You don't need to pay a 30% deposit upfront for shipment,” founder and CEO Shawn Alexander told the Post.
The trade-off is that the cost of Kailani increases as labor is more expensive in the US.
Simpleay3's starting wage in Ohio is $17, McDonald said. In China, 3 or 4 dollars per hour.
Alexander estimates that in the US he costs between $70 and $90 per copy.
“It's not completely cleaning,” he said. “We may need to increase the retail price by about $15.”
Still, Alexander said that Kailani will continue to use Chinese factories to make wooden dog boxes for Canadian customers as Kailani enforced a 25% retaliation tariff on goods made in the US and shipped to Canada this week.
