Do drop in!

Once a year something special happens in Nuremberg: the toy trade fair attracts some 80,000 buyers from 120 countries to the town. One of the most important local representatives is the Simba Dickie Group. The toymakers from Fürth play host to the world. This time the fair, which runs from February 5th to 10th, expects more visitors than ever, because it’s celebrating its sixtieth birthday.

Because the climax of the toy manufacturer’s year is always in February: the Nuremberg International Toy Fair. Not turn up the heat until the New Year? You gotta be joking. It isn’t just a case of preparing lots of new products to be ready in time. With its headquarters in the region, Simba Dickie sees itself as a host welcoming guests from all over the world. And we’re always striving to do even better than last year.

When Nuremburg turns into toy Mecca, specialist pilgrims flock to the 160,000 square meters of exhibition space: 80,000 of them, from more than 120 countries. 2,700 manufacturers from 60 countries are there to show off the latest novelties: for buyers and specialist dealers this is the most important source of information about market trends. It’s also a platform for communication and for orders. About a million toys, hobby and leisure articles await the visiting crowds. Thousands of novelties are gathered under the latest watchword, "Outdoor."

This time the fair, which runs from February 5th to 10th, expects more visitors than ever, because it’s celebrating its sixtieth birthday. The trade fair team is arranging lots of events in the exhibition center and in the heart of Nuremberg to thank its partners for their loyalty over many years. The opening ceremony will be attended by Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel. Musical accompaniment courtesy of the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra. And the highlight will be the 2009 Toy Awards, the novelty prizes awarded by the fair for the most innovative toy ideas.

On February 7th all the locals are invited to a festival downtown: an all-out street party complete with fireworks and live performances. The town will be in party mood throughout the fair: the "Enjoy Toy Fair City" campaign is inviting locals and visitors alike – in stores and on the streets.

Mit vielen Jubiläumsfeten im Messezentrum und in der Innenstadt Nürnbergs dankt das Team der Spielwarenmesse eG seinen Partnern für die lange Verbundenheit. Zur Eröffnungsfeier kommt Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel. Die Nürnberger Symphoniker begleiten den Festakt musikalisch. Highlight wird die Verleihung des „Toy
Awards 2009“, des Neuheitenpreises der Spielwarenmesse, der innovative Spielideen auszeichnet. Am 7. Februar sind alle Bürger zum Feier-Abend ins Stadtzentrum eingeladen. Eine großartige Innenstadt-Party soll es geben, ein Feuerwerk und Bühnenshows. Während der gesamten Messezeit ist die Stadt im Jubiläumsrausch. Die Aktion „Enjoy Toy Fair City!“ lädt alle Nürnberger und Messegäste zum Mitspielen ein, ob in den Geschäften oder auf der Straße.

SIMBA DICKIE GROUP IS A BIG PLAYER

With almost 2,500 square meters of exhibition space the Simba Dickie Group is one of the biggest toy merchants present at the fair. As the firm has expanded, its public face has changed. At one time it went in for understatement, but now this family firm is flexing its muscles and no longer hides its light under a bushel. It now has six stands bringing together eleven brands. Each stand is individually designed but firmly anchored in the toy industry’s ambience. And each offers visitors its own brand of catering. For example, the Simba Dickie Group central stand has a Mediterranean flair, welcoming guests with canapés and scampi finger food. If you prefer something more exotic, try sushi. As far as Dickie-Tamiya/Carson is concerned, that’s really a taste of home.

FAMILY GROWS TOGETHER

Two important events are scheduled in the toy world this February. First, Smoby Toys, France’s number one toy manufacturer, which Simba Dickie brought back from the brink in early 2007, will be welcomed into the family. Smoby products will take their place near the Simba Dickie communal stand – the place where BIG products used to be exhibited, but they’ve found room elsewhere on the central stand. The second exciting new development is that Shuco model cars now have a stand all to themselves.

But the living heart of the exhibit beats most strongly in the evenings, at headquarters. A shuttle bus will bring visitors to the casino in the Werkstrasse, where more than 1,000 meals will be served each evening before the stream of international visitors flows into the 3,000-meter-square showroom, to gaze and marvel, do deals, establish contacts. Southerners from Mediterranean climes will do the same things but in reverse order, since we know they prefer to eat late and finish work first. After a short stop in our "Dickie-Bar", our guests will be chauffeured back to their hotels. As for their hosts, they probably won’t get back home till dawn. In charge of the entire catering operation is Gisela Sieber, wife of CEO Michael Sieber, aided and abetted by her grown-up daughter. That’s how things are managed in a family firm. Even if it has long since established itself as a global player.