Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Sustainable Plastics
  • Rubber News
Subscribe
  • Sign Up Free
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Processor News
    • Suppliers
    • More News
    • Digital Edition
    • End Markets
    • Special Reports
    • Newsletters
    • Resin pricing news
    • Videos
    • Injection Molding
    • Blow Molding
    • Film & Sheet
    • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
    • Rotomolding
    • Thermoforming
    • Recycling
    • Machinery
    • Materials
    • Molds/Tooling
    • Product news
    • Design
    • K Show
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Sustainability
    • Public Policy
    • Material Insights Videos
    • Numbers that Matter
    • Automotive
    • Packaging
    • Medical
    • Consumer Products
    • Construction
    • Processor of the Year
    • Best Places to Work
    • Women Breaking the Mold
    • Rising Stars
    • Diversity
    • Most Interesting Social Media Accounts in Plastics
  • Opinion
    • The Plastics Blog
    • Kickstart
    • One Good Resin
    • Pellets and Politics
    • All Things Data
    • Viewpoint
    • From Pillar to Post
    • Perspective
    • Mailbag
    • Fake Plastic Trees
  • Shop Floor
    • Blending
    • Compounding
    • Drying
    • Injection Molding
    • Purging
    • Robotics
    • Size Reduction
    • Structural Foam
    • Tooling
    • Training
  • Events
    • K Show Livestream
    • Plastics News Events
    • Industry Events
    • Injection Molding & Design Expo
    • Livestreams/Webinars
    • Editorial Livestreams
    • Ask the Expert
    • Plastics News Events Library
    • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Plastics News Executive Forum
    • Injection Molding & Design Expo
    • Plastics News Caps & Closures
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
    • Plastics in Automotive
    • PN Live: Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Polymer Points Live
    • Numbers that Matter Live
    • Plastics in Politics Live
    • Sustainable Plastics Live
    • Plastics Caps & Closures Library
    • Plastics in Healthcare Library
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
  • Rankings & Data
    • Injection Molders
    • Blow Molders
    • Film Sheet
    • Thermoformers
    • Pipe Profile Tubing
    • Rotomolders
    • Mold/Toolmakers
    • LSR Processors
    • Recyclers
    • Compounders - List
    • Association - List
    • Plastic Lumber - List
    • All
  • Directory
  • Resin Prices
    • Commodity TPs
    • High Temp TPs
    • ETPs
    • Thermosets
    • Recycled Plastics
    • Historic Commodity Thermoplastics
    • Historic High Temp Thermoplastics
    • Historic Engineering Thermoplastics
    • Historic Thermosets
    • Historic Recycled Plastics
  • Custom
    • Sponsored Content
    • LS Mtron Sponsored Content
    • Conair Sponsored Content
    • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
    • ENGEL Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
    • Classifieds
    • Place an Ad
    • Sign up for Early Classified
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
July 02, 2019 08:32 AM

50 years of Cozy Coupes

Bill Bregar
Senior Staff Reporter
Plastics News Staff
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Reprints Print
    Bill Bregar
    Workers at Little Tikes Co. make L.O.L. Surprise toy cases, a new product line for the toymaker marking its 50th anniversary.

    Hudson, Ohio — Little Tikes Co.'s 50th anniversary celebration brought together two major U.S. toy executives: Tom Murdough, who built Little Tikes from a small rotational molding company in a barn into a powerhouse brand, and Isaac Larian, the founder of MGA Entertainment Inc., Little Tikes' current owner.

    Both men praised employees at the public event on June 21 and an alumni party the next day for about 175 former Little Tikes workers and managers. Visitors toured a new Little Tikes museum showing many of the company's iconic toys. Employees signed their names on commemorative Cozy Coupes and grabbed drinks kept on ice in a vintage Turtle Sandbox.

    "I get a thrill from out of seeing Little Tikes continue and move forward. And thank you — all of you — for making it happen," Murdough said. "Nice going!"

    Larian announced he has nominated Murdough for the Toy Industry Hall of Fame. He said Murdough founded Little Tikes "with great vision, conviction, passion and focus."

    Murdough got into rotational molding working in sales at Wonder Products Co., known for spring-mounted rocking horses. At a Toy Fair, he met Jack Hill, who had just started a rotomolding company in a barn in Aurora, Ohio, called Rotadyne Inc. Murdough joined to build a line of children's products. In 1970, Hill sold his share of the company to Murdough — and the rest is toy industry history.

    Bill Bregar
    From left, Isaac Larian and Tom Murdough at the Little Tikes Co.’s 50th anniversary celebration.

    Murdough sold Little Tikes to Rubbermaid Inc. in 1984, then left after five years after disagreements with management. After his noncompete ran out, he started Step2, which eventually moved into a new plant in Streetsboro, Ohio, just a few miles from Little Tikes in Hudson. He sold Step2 to a private equity firm in 2006 and retired, only to return to start yet another rotomolder of toys and garden equipment, Simplay3, in Streetsboro.

    Little Tikes, Step2 and Simplay3 employ more than 1,000 people, making Northeast Ohio a center of U.S.-made toys.

    "There are few people like Tom in the left in the toy industry. A lot of people in the toy industry no longer have the passion, the creativity, the love that Tom has for this industry. There's not many of them left," Larian said. "A lot of toy companies unfortunately are run by private equity and public companies, so it is really incredible what Tom has built."

    Larian made his own mark at California-based MGA Entertainment, rolling out the sassy-faced Bratz dolls that challenged Barbie — and sparked a huge legal battle. And now the hot-selling L.O.L. Surprise! dolls are built around the "unwrapping" craze, since children don't know which doll and accessories they get until they open the package. MGA uses social media and apps to promote the dolls.

    The dolls are made in China, but in a reshoring move, Larian has moved production of the pink cases they come packaged in to Hudson, where employees assemble the injection molded cases and lids and insert four dolls in each case. "We're literally manufacturing everything here except the doll; he said.

    In February, L.O.L. Surprise! dolls won Toy of the Year from the Toy Association. Now MGA is expanding L.O.L. Surprise! into other products, including a pink playhouse injection molded at Little Tikes.

    Bill Bregar
    A range of Little Tikes Cozy Coupes made over the decades, displayed at the company's museum.

    Larian said MGA has invested in injection molding and blow molding machines at the Hudson factory. A few weeks before MGA bought Little Tikes in 2006, then-owner Newell Rubbermaid Inc. auctioned off injection presses and molders. Larian said that was a bad move, and he has brought those technologies back. He plans to add more equipment.

    At the anniversary event, Larian kept the focus on Murdough and the "built-to-last and virtually indestructible" toys built by the 550 employees in Hudson.

    "Little Tikes is virtually in every corner of the planet," he said. "Little Tikes has brought smiles and imagination to children around the world for the past 50 years. And will continue to do so for another 50 years."

    Hudson Mayor David Basil noted that Murdough is from Hudson. "There's nothing better than a person starting a business in his hometown and seeing that business thrive. And Tom, you have remain involved in your community," he said.

    Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose lives in Hudson. His wife was a college intern at Little Tikes, and she still talks proudly about how she worked on the Race Car Bed, LaRose said. His father-in-law had a sales position with the toymaker. LaRose called Tikes "a great success story, an American success story."

    "Passion" and "family" were themes for the anniversary event, cited by speakers. The extended families of Larian and Murdough sat at long tables and were introduced. Employees brought their children. Larian's young grandson ran around during the speeches, prompting chuckles.

    In his brief comments, Murdough turned to Larian and said, "I applaud you for your insight in this company. And I'm glad it is in good hands."

    Related Article
    Larian creates a toy powerhouse with MGA, Little Tikes
    Rotomolders recover after the sudden loss of a major retailer
    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    Arcitell's composite Qora Cladding goes to market
    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Do you have an opinion about this story? Do you have some thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? Plastics News would love to hear from you. Email your letter to Editor at [email protected]

    Most Popular
    1
    Cuts at KraussMaffei to spare US, assembly jobs
    2
    Recyclers face increasing number of challenges
    3
    Danone North America to expand bottle making in Florida
    4
    EPA proposes first PFAS drinking water regulations
    5
    Illinois, Utah see chemical recycling battles
    SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Plastics News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe today

    Subscribe to Plastics News

    Subscribe now
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram

    Plastics News covers the business of the global plastics industry. We report news, gather data and deliver timely information that provides our readers with a competitive advantage.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit MI 48207-2997

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1723

    Resources
    • About
    • Staff
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Media Kit
    • Data Store
    • Digital Edition
    • Custom Content
    • People
    • Contact
    • Careers
    • Sitemap
    Related Crain Publications
    • Sustainable Plastics
    • Rubber News
    • Tire Business
    • Urethanes Technology
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 1996-2023. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Processor News
        • Injection Molding
        • Blow Molding
        • Film & Sheet
        • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
        • Rotomolding
        • Thermoforming
        • Recycling
      • Suppliers
        • Machinery
        • Materials
        • Molds/Tooling
        • Product news
        • Design
      • More News
        • K Show
        • Mergers & Acquisitions
        • Sustainability
        • Public Policy
        • Material Insights Videos
        • Numbers that Matter
      • Digital Edition
      • End Markets
        • Automotive
        • Packaging
        • Medical
        • Consumer Products
        • Construction
      • Special Reports
        • Processor of the Year
        • Best Places to Work
        • Women Breaking the Mold
        • Rising Stars
        • Diversity
        • Most Interesting Social Media Accounts in Plastics
      • Newsletters
      • Resin pricing news
      • Videos
    • Opinion
      • The Plastics Blog
      • Kickstart
      • One Good Resin
      • Pellets and Politics
      • All Things Data
      • Viewpoint
      • From Pillar to Post
      • Perspective
      • Mailbag
      • Fake Plastic Trees
    • Shop Floor
      • Blending
      • Compounding
      • Drying
      • Injection Molding
      • Purging
      • Robotics
      • Size Reduction
      • Structural Foam
      • Tooling
      • Training
    • Events
      • K Show Livestream
      • Plastics News Events
        • Plastics News Executive Forum
        • Injection Molding & Design Expo
        • Plastics News Caps & Closures
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
        • Plastics in Automotive
      • Industry Events
      • Injection Molding & Design Expo
      • Livestreams/Webinars
        • PN Live: Mergers and Acquisitions
      • Editorial Livestreams
        • Polymer Points Live
        • Numbers that Matter Live
        • Plastics in Politics Live
        • Sustainable Plastics Live
      • Ask the Expert
      • Plastics News Events Library
        • Plastics Caps & Closures Library
        • Plastics in Healthcare Library
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
      • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Rankings & Data
      • Injection Molders
      • Blow Molders
      • Film Sheet
      • Thermoformers
      • Pipe Profile Tubing
      • Rotomolders
      • Mold/Toolmakers
      • LSR Processors
      • Recyclers
      • Compounders - List
      • Association - List
      • Plastic Lumber - List
      • All
    • Directory
    • Resin Prices
      • Commodity TPs
        • Historic Commodity Thermoplastics
      • High Temp TPs
        • Historic High Temp Thermoplastics
      • ETPs
        • Historic Engineering Thermoplastics
      • Thermosets
        • Historic Thermosets
      • Recycled Plastics
        • Historic Recycled Plastics
    • Custom
      • Sponsored Content
      • LS Mtron Sponsored Content
      • Conair Sponsored Content
      • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
      • ENGEL Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
      • Classifieds
        • Place an Ad
        • Sign up for Early Classified