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Toy story: Hornby hopes for better year after Olympics disappointment
Hornby signalled progress in its attempts to recover from the woes caused by poor Olympics merchandise sales and supply chain problems.
TOY firm Hornby today signalled progress in its attempts to recover from the woes caused by poor Olympics merchandise sales and supply chain problems.
While conditions are expected to remain tough for its model railways and Scalextric arms this year, Hornby said sales of more affordable Corgi and Airfix brands have held up well and shown positive year on year growth.
It added that the Chinese supplier at the centre of supply chain disruption last year was now expected to contribute to less than 15% of total production this year, down from 35% last year and 75% at its peak.
Remaining Olympics merchandise has also been discounted and sold after disappointing demand for London 2012 goods, which included model taxis and buses, contributed to a £541,000 loss in the six months to September.
Hornby has taken steps to broaden its portfolio of products to include more lower average price points and has been encouraged by the response to new products showcased at the recent London Toy Fair.
They included the Hornby E-Link, which provides a way to link a model railway layout with a home computer, and the launch of a new range of collectible Corgi cars based on Formula 1 teams.
The company said it should meet market expectations for full-year results to the end of March and said net debt has been reduced by £5.5 million last year to £3 million.
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Saturday 25 May 2013
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