Reliance Brands, Plastic Legno enter JV to boost India’s toy manufacturing sector

Reliance acquires 40% stake in Plastic Legno’s toy manufacturing arm.

Reliance Brands Limited (RBL) has signed a joint venture agreement with Plastic Legno SPA wherein it will acquire a 40% stake in Plastic Legno’s toy manufacturing business in India.

In a statement, RBL said the move will serve a dual purpose which is to bring in vertical integration for its toy business and help diversify the supply chain in the country “with a long-term strategic interest in building toy manufacturing in India.”

An RBL spokesperson said the collaboration with Plastic Legon “would open new doors and unparalleled opportunities for toys manufactured in India.”

“It is imperative for RBL to build design to shelf capability for a strategic advantage over the competition and to be an accelerator in building a robust toy manufacturing ecosystem in India not only for domestic consumption but also for global markets,” it said.

For his part, Sunino Group Co-owner Paolo Sunino said: “We have important development plans to implement, always in the spirit of creating a cultural background in this specific sector in India. We are ready for the challenges of the future, but when there is a group like RBL alongside, we are sure that together we can do a great development.”

Plastic Legno is owned by Sunino Group which has been engaged in toy production in Europe for over 25 years. It started its business in India in 2009.

RBL, meanwhile, has Hamleys, a British toy retailer, and Rowan, a homegrown brand in its portfolio, making it one of the leading toy distributors.