Richard Gottlieb

Willy Wonka Dreams

We are taking so much heat as an industry, that it is refreshing to find a toy company that has high ideals and powerful dreams. 

I received an email from a reader, Justin Driscoe of Sprig Toys. He is not a client but is a first time subscriber to a free email bulletin I send out to about 500 recipients once a month. I found his letter to be so refreshing in its optimism, idealism and love of the business that I thought I would share it with you. 

As you read it, note his joy and he uses terms like “Willy Wonka Dreams,” “soulful toy company” and “high road.” 

More importantly, pay attention to some of his key points:

He is looking for automated manufacturing in North America and is finding more willing partners in Canada than in the US. Why is that?

They want, in six or seven years, to have their “…factory floor a few steps away from the drawing board.” What a great concept for shortening the time it takes to go from product design and development to pushing the product out the door. Also, think about how much more control that would give them over the supply chain.

They are interested in reducing their “…carbon foot-print from factory to consumer.” It’s nice to see that this kind of outlook is spreading.

So take a moment and read his letter. It will make you feel good.

Hi Mr. Gottlieb,

This is the first newsletter I have received, but have enjoyed your articles in Playthings over the years. After 10-years as an in-house toy designer, I am a partner in a new manufacturing start up named Sprig Toys (www.sprigtoys.com). We are trying to take the high road with our products, with the materials and technologies we use to the places our toys will be made. It takes quite a bit more effort to go further, but it was our intention from the get-go to create a more soulful toy company.

In comment to some of your past writings: U.S. manufacturing and the Dallas Fall show, I have to say that you are right-on target.

We have been on the hunt for home-based manufacturing and have found automation the key piece to the puzzle. We have found more willing partners to the North, in Canada, than we have in the States, but the quest continues. Our Willy Wonka dream is to go back to having the factory floor a few steps away from the drawing board… a dream we see six or seven years away and will rely on the right vendors in the meantime. This is not rooted entirely in national pride, but a basic pride in the product we intend to produce for global consumers. We have found several European OEM toy makers with that pride and some cranking out toys for more than 60-years and matching our enthusiasm for the product, safety and quality. Lowering our carbon foot-print from factory to customer is growing concern… so much to consider!

We premiered our brand at the Hilton Anatole during the Dallas show, we found the buyers we invited to be wonderful and full of advice, ideas and new contacts. As toy designers, we were new to this side of business and we shown amazing guidance and encouragement by the groups we met with. We will surely have a “formal” space at the show in Dallas next year.

It would be great to hear of others in the toy business starting new ventures and the challenges they face. We know that we are not alone as a toy start up, and it might encourage others to follow their dream, while creating great toys and new jobs in our industry. I enjoy your articles and look forward to reading more soon.

Cheers,

Justin Discoe

Sprig, Inc.

Fort Collins, CO

Tel. 970.310.5610

justin@sprigtoys.com

www.sprigtoys.com

Posted by Richard Gottlieb on November 14, 2007 | Comments (0)