Simba Dickie Group says that the merger will offer great synergy potential for the Schuco and Spark brands.

Oliver Naumann (Managing Director of Dickie), Hugues Ripert (Managing Director of Spark), Florian Sieber (CEO of the Simba Dickie Group)

The Simba Dickie Group has acquired a stake in the successful model car manufacturer Minimax. The acquisition took effect from July 1st 2021, and both companies say they see high potential in this cooperation for the development, production and marketing of their product ranges.

Founded by French car enthusiast Hugues Ripert in 2000, Minimax has been present in all major markets for years. Its models are mainly produced under the brand Spark and are focused on the racing sector. The Schuco brand will be integrated into the joint model car group in order to benefit from important synergies in the coming years. In particular, the potential for Schuco models to be produced again in the company’s own factories will ensure the quality and future of the brand. The management will be taken over by Hugues Ripert, who also holds a majority stake in the joint venture. M&A advisor Bernard Farkas accompanied the transaction.

Florian Sieber, CEO of the Simba Dickie Group, said: “We are joining forces with Minimax and plan to concentrate our model car business there in the long term. At the same time, we are bringing the Schuco brand into the newly created model car group and will do everything to give the brand new shine thanks to the great synergy potential.”

Oliver Naumann, managing director of Dickie, welcomed the new partnership and added: “The new structure will give us the opportunity to manage the development and production of Schuco models in the future, independent of suppliers. It will be easier to ensure the production and quality of our model cars.”

Hugues Ripert, who was inspired as a boy by the 24 Hour Le Mans race, is both a manufacturer and a collector. As managing partner of Spark, he foresees new opportunities for expanding the range: “We have been very successful with model racing cars for years. Thanks to Schuco, we can now complement the Spark range with classic road cars, agricultural vehicles and more. We are gradually combining our production and sales activities to allow both companies to focus development on their core segments. We look forward to delighting both old and new customers with the variety and quality of our product range.”