International News

French toy giant Smoby-Majorette entered receivership in October after a French court removed the cloak of bankruptcy protection the company had been operating under since March as it struggles to survive in the face of 276 million euros in debt. In May, MGA Entertainment purchased a majority stake in the company from Smoby’s controlling families and, according to recent published reports, subsequently offered 12 million to keep the company going through the holiday season. The court rejected MGA’s plan on the grounds that its terms—a one-year loan with 9 percent interest—did not do enough to guarantee the toymaker’s survival. With Smoby-Majorette now in receivership, bids for ownership of the company have been thrown open to all interested parties. A follow-up hearing is scheduled for this month … This year’s Shanghai Toy Expo attracted 25,300 buyers, up from 18,800 in 2006, according to its organizers. Traffic was drawn to the show, in part, by a new licensing pavilion that debuted through the support of the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association, and by a 12 percent jump in exhibitors. Next year’s show takes place at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre in Pudong from October 13 to 15 … P&L Global Network has been tapped by Cop Corp. to manage licensing efforts for the (not so) Scary Monsters in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and the Andean region … Toronto’s The Licensing Shop will serve as Sesame Workshop’s licensing and merchandising representative in Canada starting next month ... In a deal between British-based licensors, Chorion acquired The Copyrights Group. The companies will represent a portfolio of brands ranging from British children’s classics such as Beatrix Potter, Paddington Bear and Spot; to lifestyle brands such as Marie Claire, Rough Guides and The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady. A major focus will be the expansion of Copyrights’ brands internationally, including in North America and Japan.