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Hasbro Exiting Manufacturing Operations to Further Focus on Global
Brand Building
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Cartamundi Expands Manufacturing Capabilities to Become the
Preeminent Manufacturer of Playing Cards, Game Cards and Board Games
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Facilities to Benefit from Additional Volume from Cartamundi's
Growing Global Business
PAWTUCKET, R.I. & TURNHOUT, Belgium--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Hasbro,
Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) and Cartamundi Group announced today the
signing of a letter of intent to sell Hasbro's manufacturing locations
in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts and Waterford, Ireland to the
Cartamundi Group. Cartamundi is a worldwide leader in the production and
sales of playing cards and cards for games. Under the terms of the
agreement, Cartamundi will continue to employ all regular manufacturing
and distribution employees located in East Longmeadow and Waterford on
comparable terms.
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The divestiture is in line with Hasbro's mission of Creating the
World's Best Play Experiences and building larger more global
brands. Hasbro will continue to invest resources in areas that will
maximize the value of the company's brands globally, including in
design, development, storytelling, sales and marketing. The sale of
these facilities will have no impact to Hasbro's commitment to the Games
category and the company will continue to invest in gaming.
"We will continue to focus on global brand building, driven by great
storytelling and innovation," said Duncan Billing, Executive Vice
President, Chief Global Operations and Business Development Officer.
"Cartamundi not only has a deep legacy in manufacturing but shares
similar values with Hasbro. They have a strong commitment to the
community and its people and it was imperative for us to find the right
owners for these sites. In addition to continuing to manufacture Hasbro
board games, the factories will now be available to Cartamundi's other
customers, thus driving additional volume and supporting future growth.
We want to recognize the employees in East Longmeadow and Waterford for
their incredible contributions in building these world-class facilities,
which should continue to be competitive well into the future."
The proposed transaction includes all buildings, land, and equipment
located at both sites. The East Longmeadow plant consists of
approximately 1,150,000 square feet and supported by more than 350
full-time employees. The Waterford plant consists of approximately
244,000 square feet and is supported by more than 160 full-time
employees.
The acquisition is in line with Cartamundi's mission to become the
preeminent manufacturer of playing cards, game cards and board games
globally. Moreover, it reinforces the company's purpose to share the
magic of playing together.
"We are very pleased to have signed a letter of intent with Hasbro for
the acquisition of these state-of-the-art facilities. We consider this
to be a milestone in the history of our company," said Chris Van
Doorslaer, Chief Executive Officer, Cartamundi. "Through this
acquisition we will become the world market leader in the manufacturing
of board games. Our expanded capabilities in board game manufacturing
further our mission to create game products and experiences that connect
families and friends of every generation. We welcome Hasbro's highly
dedicated and experienced work force to our team and we look forward to
continuing to manufacture Hasbro games at East Longmeadow and Waterford
while also adding volume from both our current and new global customers."
It is anticipated that the transaction, which is subject to the signing
of definitive agreements and the satisfaction of specified closing
conditions, will close in the third quarter of 2015. The specific terms
of the transaction were not disclosed.
About Hasbro
Hasbro
(NASDAQ: HAS) is a global company committed to Creating the World's Best
Play Experiences, by leveraging its beloved brands, including LITTLEST
PET SHOP, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, MONOPOLY, MY LITTLE PONY, NERF,
PLAY-DOH, TRANSFORMERS, and premier partner brands. From toys and games
to television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and a
comprehensive lifestyle licensing program, Hasbro fulfills the
fundamental need for play and connection for children and families
around the world. The Company's Hasbro Studios creates entertainment
brand-driven storytelling across mediums, including television, film and
more. Through the company's commitment to corporate social
responsibility, including philanthropy, Hasbro is helping to build a
safe and sustainable world and to positively impact the lives of
millions of children and families every year. Learn more at www.hasbro.com
and follow us on Twitter (@Hasbro & @HasbroNews).
About Cartamundi
Cartamundi was established in 1970 and is able to boast nearly 250 years
of experience in the production and sales of playing cards and cards for
games. The headquarters of Cartamundi are located in Turnhout, Belgium.
The group generated sales in 2014 of 199 million Euro with a workforce
of 1,450 and with factories in Belgium, France, Germany, UK, Poland,
USA, Brazil, Mexico, India and Japan, and 14 sales offices worldwide.
The company has grown through internal and external growth. It realized
more than 15 acquisitions worldwide. Very recently, Cartamundi acquired
the 100% shareholding of Groupe France Cartes. In 2008, the company was
awarded ‘Entrepreneur of the Year'. Cartamundi has its own retail
collection with licensed cards (such as Disney®, James Bond®, Hasbro®
etc.), but is also known for its promotional card collections, casino
cards, collectible cards (e.g. Magic: the Gathering!® , Yu-Gi-Oh!® ) and
cards for games (such as Uno®, Monopoly®) or the new iCards. These cards
provide the connection between physical cards and the virtual world of
internet, smartphones, game consoles etc. The purpose of Cartamundi is
"sharing the magic of playing together".
© 2015 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
© 2015 Cartamundi. All Rights Reserved.
Certain statements in this release contain "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. These statements include expectations concerning the sale of the
East Longmeadow, Massachusetts and Waterford, Ireland manufacturing
facilities to Cartamundi and the anticipated timing for completing that
sale. Actual actions or results, as well as the timing of those actions,
may differ materially from those expected or anticipated in the
forward-looking statements due to both known and unknown risks and
uncertainties. Specific factors that might cause such a difference
include, but are not limited to, the failure to achieve any of the
specified required closing conditions which are necessary for the sale
to be completed. The Company undertakes no obligation to make any
revisions to the forward-looking statements contained in this release or
to update them to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the
date of this release.
HAS-PR

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150714006117/en/
Hasbro Press Contact:
Hasbro, Inc.
Julie Duffy, 401-727-5931
julie.duffy@hasbro.com
or
Hasbro
Investor Contact:
Hasbro, Inc.
Debbie Hancock, 401-727-5401
debbie.hancock@hasbro.com
or
Cartamundi
Press Contact:
Cartamundi
Chris Van Doorslaer, +32 14 44 59 43
chris.van.doorslaer@cartamundi.com
Source: Hasbro, Inc.
News Provided by Acquire Media