Family Games, one of many leading vendors at 2012 Canadian Toy & Hobby Fair.
When Canada’s premier trade event kicks off on January 29, there will be several recent award-winning companies among the more than 60 exhibitors lining the aisles at the Toronto International Centre. For example, Stortz & Associates, International Playthings, Playwell Enterprises and PlaSmart Inc. — all winners of Gold Star Awards from Neighbourhood Toy Stores of Canada (NETS) in 2011 — are back this year with more amazing products.
Of course, the roster also includes many companies, such as Family Games America, Hape International, Borgfeldt (Canada), Brands in Balance, Filosofia, Ilot 307 Inc., Spin Master, Scleich NA, and Mega Brands, which all boast long histories of previous awards from a variety of prestigious organizations.
This year, along with those well-known and recognized companies, Canada’s Toy Fair is featuring over a dozen new exhibitors, who’ll be bringing innovative product that visitors won’t find elsewhere. Not surprisingly, there are award winners among the newcomers, too. Bug in A Rug Canada, distributor of the fabulous Sophie the Giraffe, Quebec’s Zatnick Distribution, creator of the Captain Sharkey game, and Easy Daysies, a B.C. company whose line of magnetic day-schedules for kids was named a winner by Creative Child Magazine.
However, it’s perhaps Ottawa’s PlaSmart Inc. — a current and previous multi-award winner here at home — who may put Canada on the proverbial map in the eyes of consumers and toy industries around the world. The distributor of the best-selling Perplexus brain-teaser line is in the running for a 2012 Educational TOTY award (Perplexus Original) with the potential to take home the ultimate TOTY. Along with the TOTY contender, the Rookie and Epic models, President Tim Kimber and staff will be introducing a brand new edition featuring mind-boggling challenges. Who knows? It may be a future award winner!
For more details about the 2012 Canadian Toy & Hobby Fair, visit the Canadian Toy Association.
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