According to Sky News, Mattel has requested financial information about Mayborn Group, the owner of Tommee Tippee, ahead of a bid deadline. 

To round off an eventful week for Mattel, the company has emerged as a potential suitor for Tommee Tippee, one of Britain’s most prominent manufacturers of baby products.

The Mayborn Group has been put up for sale by the private equity group 3i.

Mattel has previously considered bidding for the company, banking sources said on Friday. Mayborn is expected to be valued at close to £300m by bidders, a price tag which would represent a successful outcome for 3i.

A sale to a trade buyer such as Mattel would aid Mayborn’s efforts to grow the Tommee Tippee brand in the US. Mayborn has seen its profits more than double under 3i’s ownership and nearly two-thirds of revenues now come from overseas.

The company is chaired by Paul Mason, a retail veteran who also chairs Cath Kidston and who previously worked at Asda, Somerfield and Levi-Strauss.