The toy firm IMC Toys is on its way to achieving worldwide fame thanks to its popular Cry Babies dolls. After seven years distributing in stores and warehouses around the world, this year IMC has sealed an agreement with Netflix for the broadcast of a series of its own creation starring its dolls.
“We created the content in 2018 and we started broadcasting it through YouTube and our own channel. It was at the beginning of this year that we closed the license agreement with Netflix. During the next three years, the series can be viewed internationally”, says the financial director, Carolina González, who clarifies that the agreement is not exclusive and that the company will continue to broadcast it on its own.
The company, born in 1981 in Terrassa, is witness to the changes in the toy industry and children's entertainment. Founded by 15 toy entrepreneurs –Antoni Bellido, Jacob Levy, Tomàs Barberà, Josep Moñux and Josep Porta, among others– IMC began in the market with the distribution of toys under the Nikko and Meccano brands. In the early 2000s, he decided to expand his catalog with his own design of movie-inspired dolls and later, of his own creation (including the Cry Babies). In addition, it also entered the category of board games and stuffed animals, currently exceeding 400 references.
The business model has always been based on local design and outsourced production in Asia, mainly in factories in China but also in India and Vietnam. The vast majority of its clients – 80% – are abroad, mainly in the United States, where it opened a delegation in 2017, and another 60 countries, among which Italy and France stand out. In 2021, the company invoiced 150 million euros and obtained an Ebitda (gross profit) of 9 million euros. “This year we want to reach 180 million thanks to the pull of sales in the United States. It is a very large market and we work for companies like Amazon, Walmart or Target,” says González.
Despite the irruption in the online audiovisual sector, the company's core business continues to be the creation and sale of traditional toys, mainly of its own design. A team of 375 people – which will reach 400 by the end of the year – is dedicated to keeping the gear running.
Ownership remains in the hands of the founding partners and other directors, including CEO Albert Ventura, who remains true to the model that has brought IMC to the top of world entertainment.
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