Sprig Toys acquired by WHAM-O

Sprig Toys acquired by WHAM-O
Partnership exposes local company's eco-friendly specialty to wider audience

News Article
BY DAVID YOUNG • DavidYoung@coloradoan.com • February 10, 2010

Fort Collins-based Sprig Toys Inc. has been acquired by WHAM-O Inc.., the California company that created the Frisbee.

The partnership exposes Sprig's eco-friendly specialty line to a wider audience and gives WHAM-O access to Sprig's proprietary Sprigwood material, a durable, child-safe, bio-composite made from reclaimed wood and recycled plastic.

The two private companies announced the acquisition Tuesday but declined to disclose terms of the deal.

With the acquisition, the companies will be unveiling a new line of battery-free, kid-powered preschool products under the WHAM-O Jr. brand.

Justin Discoe, co-founder of Sprig, said the deal provides the company the opportunity to get back to the basics of designing toys.

"We can go back to what we are best at, which is designing toys," Discoe said. "We are growing leaps and bounds from where we were, and we have their ability to use their advertising and manufacturing horsepower."

Discoe said Sprig and its nine employees will remain in Fort Collins and operate as a brand of WHAM-O's preschool line of toys.

WHAM-O, founded in 1948, has created toys for more than 60 years including the WHAM-O Slingshot, Frisbee and hacky sack. Now the company will manufacture Sprig's line of eco-friendly children's toys and distribute them around the globe.

With WHAM-O handling sales, manufacturing and operations for the Sprig brand, the toys will be sold to a wider audience for nearly half the original price, Discoe said.

"At WHAM-O, we are very excited to partner with Sprig," WHAM-O Chief Executive Officer Kyle Aguilar said in a prepared statement.

“Their unique material and valuable vision pave the way for many opportunities in the industry for WHAM-O and Sprig. We plan to implement the ‘Sprigwood’ material in many of our products.”

In addition to Sprig’s products such as the Eco-Trucks Dump Truck and the Dino Adventure Rig, the WHAM-O Jr. line will include WHAM-O’s inflatable toys and outdoor play products.

Some lines of Sprigs toys will go to China and Mexico, while some Eco Blocks will be produced in California. The line of toys will be on display Sunday through Feb. 17at this year’s American International Toy Fair in New York City.

Discoe said their toy’s Sprigwood material and the company’s innovative employees were the big selling points for WHAM-O. The local company that grew out of the Rocky Mountain Innovation Initiative, or RMI2, program was founded in 2007 and sold its first toy in 2008.

“The takeaway for us is (the acquisition) validates our place in the market,” Discoe said. “This acquisition for us really validates our business model.”