Hornby Regulatory News (HRN)

21 Jul 2009 07:00



HORNBY WINS LICENCE AGREEMENT

WITH LONDON 2012

Hornby Plc ("Hornby") the models and collectibles group has won the licence to develop and market a range of products associated with the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Hornby has been granted a licence by LOCOG to produce an extensive range of official London 2012 merchandise across its Corgi, Hornby, Scalextric and Airfix brands. These will include Corgi die cast model vehicles including London taxis and London buses and collectible die cast figurines, Hornby model trains based on trains that will be an integral part of the Olympic Park transport network, Airfix kits of the main venues including the Olympic Stadium and Scalextric velodrome sets. All the products will be in the official London 2012 livery and branding. Hornby will be launching the first ranges of London 2012 merchandise later this year. The licence will run for the next three years in the run up to the 2012 games and beyond.

This is the first of several exciting toys and souvenirs licences to be awarded by LOCOG. 

LOCOG CEO Paul Deighton commented, "One of the most exciting things about our commercial programme is the possibilities it offers in the licensing and merchandise arena. We are proud to be working with a truly iconic British company, which can offer us a great range of products across its brands that will celebrate the Games in 2012 and live on for generations after as collector's items. We welcome Hornby - and Corgi, Scalextric and Airfix - to the London 2012 family." 

Frank Martin, Hornby Chief Executive commented: 

"This is a great honour for Hornby and an important development for the group. We are delighted to have been granted such a broadly based licence to develop a range of products linked to the 2012 London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games - the world's largest sporting events. We have an excellent portfolio of iconic brands and products that are a superb fit with London 2012. We have some very exciting plans that we are developing with LOCOG to create official merchandise that will demonstrate the very best of London and the Games. 

"This demonstrates the strength of our strategy to assemble a portfolio of iconic brands. We can offer major partners significant licensing opportunities across our brands. LOCOG were attracted by our ability to match our product development skills with our existing retail distribution network to sell official merchandise linked to the Games. This license represents a major opportunity for Hornby to grow our sales and to extend the appeal of our products with new consumers. 

"We look forward to launching the London 2012 ranges, which we are confident will be very popular, both to collectors in the UK and with overseas visitors. The first products will be on sale before Christmas this year."

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Date: 21st July 2009

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