Reliance Industries: Reliance Brands Limited Inks A JV With Plastic Legno SPA To Strengthen Toy Manufacturing Ecosystem In India

RELIANCE BRANDS LIMITED (RBL) and Plastic Legno SPA
have signed a joint venture arrangement through which RBL will acquire a 40% stake in
Plastic Legno SPA’s toy manufacturing business in India. This investment by RBL serves
a dual purpose, bringing in vertical integration for RBL’s toy business and helping diversify
the supply chain with a long-term strategic interest in building toy manufacturing in India.
Plastic Legno SPA is owned by the Sunino group that boasts of more than 25 years of
toy production experience in Europe. The group started it’s India business in 2009 out of
a need to develop a strong production hub that would cater to global markets, but more
importantly to the fast evolving and growing Indian market.
“Keeping with our honourable Prime Minister’s vision of Atmanirbhar India, this
collaboration with Plastic Legno’s deep experience in world-class toy manufacturing
coupled with our strong footing in the global toy retail industry 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.” said the spokesperson of Reliance
Brands Limited.
RBL has a strong play in the Toy industry with its portfolio of Hamleys, the British toy
retailer and homegrown toy brand – Rowan, making RBL one of the leading toy
distributors. Hamleys currently has a global footprint across 15 countries with 213 doors
and is India’s largest chain of toy stores.
“We are very privileged to have RBL as a partner in this Joint Venture. We are confident
that Plastic Legno’s experience in Toys production and Hamley’s commercial outreach,
will complement one another to enable the JV Company to achieve greater heights and
successes. 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.” said Paolo Sunino, Co-owner, Sunino
Group.