Post by jaipie on Aug 15, 2007 0:58:17 GMT -5
Mattel recalls more Chinese-made toys
By Matthew Garrahan in Los Angeles
Mattel suffered another blow on Tuesday when it ordered the global recall of more than 18m Chinese-made toys on concerns about lead paint and magnets that could harm children. The recall includes 2m toys in the UK.
The latest recall from the world's biggest toymaker prompted a 6 per cent fall in its shares in morning trading. They closed down 2.4 per cent at $23.
The scare comes two weeks after the company recalled 1.5m Fisher Price toys that might have been made with lead paint. Mattel makes Barbie, Fisher Price and Hot Wheels toys. Tuesday's withdrawal covered some of its most popular lines, such as Polly Pocket dolls, Doggie Day Care play sets and Barbie play sets.
The group is also recalling 436,000 die-cast cars featuring the Sarge character from the Walt Disney film Cars. The toy was produced by Early Light Industrial, one of Mattel's contract manufacturing plants in China, which had subcontracted the painting of parts of the toy to another company.
The crisis in China's toy industry began in June, when New York-based RC2 recalled 1.5m Thomas the Tank Engine products made in Guangdong because they contained lead paint.
Chinese authorities have banned the factories behind the RC2 and the earlier Mattel recalls from exporting toys. The owner of the manufacturer involved in the Mattel recall, Lee Der Industrial, was reported to have committed suicide.
Mattel said yesterday it was working with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission and other regulators and retailing partners to identify and remove affected products from the shelves.
The USCPSC wants to tighten import standards. It said it was having "ongoing and rather aggressive conversations" with US toymakers about creating a programme to test toys before they were imported.
Mattel said it had improved procedures for testing the safety of its products.
"We have immediately implemented a strengthened three-point check system," said Jim Walter, Mattel's senior vice-president of worldwide quality assurance. "We've met with vendors to ensure they understand our tightened procedures and our absolute requirement of strict adherence to them."
Robert Eckert, Mattel's chairman and chief executive, said the company had "rigorous procedures". He added that Mattel would be "vigilant and unforgiving in enforcing quality and safety".
The bulk of the toys recalled – about 9.5m – were sold in the US and come amid a flurry of scares relating to the safety of other products made in China.
Tainted pet food and toothpaste have been exported to the US, prompting Chinese authorities to tighten manufacturing procedures and promise better standards.
List of recalled items here
By Matthew Garrahan in Los Angeles
Mattel suffered another blow on Tuesday when it ordered the global recall of more than 18m Chinese-made toys on concerns about lead paint and magnets that could harm children. The recall includes 2m toys in the UK.
The latest recall from the world's biggest toymaker prompted a 6 per cent fall in its shares in morning trading. They closed down 2.4 per cent at $23.
The scare comes two weeks after the company recalled 1.5m Fisher Price toys that might have been made with lead paint. Mattel makes Barbie, Fisher Price and Hot Wheels toys. Tuesday's withdrawal covered some of its most popular lines, such as Polly Pocket dolls, Doggie Day Care play sets and Barbie play sets.
The group is also recalling 436,000 die-cast cars featuring the Sarge character from the Walt Disney film Cars. The toy was produced by Early Light Industrial, one of Mattel's contract manufacturing plants in China, which had subcontracted the painting of parts of the toy to another company.
The crisis in China's toy industry began in June, when New York-based RC2 recalled 1.5m Thomas the Tank Engine products made in Guangdong because they contained lead paint.
Chinese authorities have banned the factories behind the RC2 and the earlier Mattel recalls from exporting toys. The owner of the manufacturer involved in the Mattel recall, Lee Der Industrial, was reported to have committed suicide.
Mattel said yesterday it was working with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission and other regulators and retailing partners to identify and remove affected products from the shelves.
The USCPSC wants to tighten import standards. It said it was having "ongoing and rather aggressive conversations" with US toymakers about creating a programme to test toys before they were imported.
Mattel said it had improved procedures for testing the safety of its products.
"We have immediately implemented a strengthened three-point check system," said Jim Walter, Mattel's senior vice-president of worldwide quality assurance. "We've met with vendors to ensure they understand our tightened procedures and our absolute requirement of strict adherence to them."
Robert Eckert, Mattel's chairman and chief executive, said the company had "rigorous procedures". He added that Mattel would be "vigilant and unforgiving in enforcing quality and safety".
The bulk of the toys recalled – about 9.5m – were sold in the US and come amid a flurry of scares relating to the safety of other products made in China.
Tainted pet food and toothpaste have been exported to the US, prompting Chinese authorities to tighten manufacturing procedures and promise better standards.
List of recalled items here
