Toy World caught up with Plus-Plus MD Phil Hooper and sales manager Claire Coekin to find out how the company has fared in its first few months’ trading.
If asked to name a toy company that manufactures a range of building, STEM and activity toys in Denmark, I suspect we’d all come up with the same name. But there is another toy company that fits that description – Plus-Plus, named after the shape of its building block (two plus symbols side-by-side).
Plus-Plus set up as a standalone business in the UK & Ireland at the turn of the year, and the company’s ‘one shape, endless possibilities’ mantra perfectly describes the versatility of the product range, which was originally developed in the 1980s.
The multi-coloured range comes in two main sizes – a larger size suitable for younger children 2-6, and a smaller size which is principally aimed at kids from 5-12, but also appeals to adults. Parents love it, as it is both engaging and achievable for kids: it is easy for them to make a wide range of 3D designs, while it has extensive educational benefits, helping to develop their fine motor skills, imagination and creativity – intuitive, open-ended play is a key attribute of the brand.
The pandemic proved to be something of a tipping point for Plus-Plus across the globe, as it delivered precisely what parents were looking for in a toy range. The company also realized that its biggest success stories came when it opened a dedicated subsidiary in a territory, so it’s no surprise that it felt the time was right to open a UK operation. Former Spin Master and Mattel stalwart Phil Hooper was chosen to spearhead the UK team, and he has brought on board former colleagues Claire Coekin and Jo Thompson to help him establish the UK business.
“Our goal is to create an evergreen brand with its own identity,” Phil told me, “It’s a surprisingly broad range, with so much potential – and as a Danish company, quality is in its DNA.”
To find out more about Plus-Plus, read the full interview, which appeared in the May edition of Toy World here.
