Round 2 (company)

Last updated
Round 2
Type LLC
Industry Metallurgy,
Founded2005;18 years ago (2005)
FounderThomas E. Lowe
Headquarters
South Bend, Indiana
,
U.S.
Products Scale models (die-cast, plastic, slot cars)
Brands
Website round2corp.com

Round 2 is an American manufacturing company which produces scale models including die-cast, plastic, slot cars, and other hobby products. The company is based in South Bend, Indiana. [1] The company was founded in 2005 by Thomas E. Lowe who previously owned toy company Playing Mantis. [2] Round 2 holds several hobby brands, most of which were acquired and relaunched by Round 2 under the original brand name. Brands sold under Round 2 includes long-running model kit and diecast brands, including AMT, Hawk, Johnny Lightning, MPC, and Racing Champions.

Contents

Brands by Round 2

AMT

AMT, a long-running model kit brand first established in 1948, was bought by Lesney in 1979 and then by Ertl in 1982. In 1999, Ertl was bought by Racing Champions whose primary focus was diecast model. Racing Champions subsequently made a decision to sell off the model kit brands succeeded from the Ertl, including AMT. After the establishment of Round 2, Thomas Lowe showed an interest in purchasing AMT. In 2008, Lowe signed an agreement to produce and market AMT brand under Round 2. AMT brand and toolings were purchased outright by Round 2 in 2012. [3]

Auto World

Auto World is a brand of diecast models and slot cars primarily focused on American-made cars. The brand was originally founded by Sports Car Club of America Hall of Famer Oscar Koveleski in 1958 and it also used to publish how-to magazines on model-car building. [4] [5] Today, Auto World diecast models have lineups for 1:18 and 1:64 scales. 1:64 scale Auto World cars are heavy into detail and accurately made in 1:64 scale, unlike many other diecast and toy car brands which often employ nominal 1:64 scale adjusted by the size of packaging. [6]

Hawk

Hawk Model Company started off in 1928 as a manufacturer of wood aircraft models. Since then the company evolved into producing plastic airplane kits, 1:24 and 1:32 scale model car kits, as well as cartoon figure kits for an animated series Weird-Oh's. New models were released until the 1970s. Since then the company was acquired by several hobby manufacturers and production rate declined. In the 1990s, the brand was acquired by J. Lloyd along with Lindberg and revived under the brand name Testors. Today the brand is owned by Round 2 and they produce aircraft model kits as well as 1/6 scale automotive engines. [7]

Johnny Lightning

Johnny Lightning brand was established in 1969 and sold by Topper Toys until when it ceased its production in 1971. The brand was revived by Thomas E. Lowe in 1994, who founded an umbrella company Playing Mantis. In 2004, Lowe sold Playing Mantis to RC2 which was formed by Ertl and Racing Champions. RC2 was then sold to Tomy in 2011. Subsequently, in 2013, Tomy discontinued Johnny Lightning brand. [8] In 2016, Round 2 LLC bought the rights for Johnny Lightning from Tomy and the brand was revived again. [9]

Lindberg

Lindberg brand was founded in the 1950s, succeeding O-Lin which was specialized in flying "stick and tissue" aircraft models. Lindberg produced molded plastic aircraft kits, plane models of all kinds, battleships and aircraft carriers. They also produced automotive kits of many sizes including 1:8, 1:24, 1:32, and 1:64. This continued until the 1980s. In the 1990s, George Toteff of MPC acquired Lindberg and started producing 1:20 and 1:25 scale car kits. In the 2000s the brand was obtained by J. Lloyd along with Hawk model kits. Several years after, the brand was acquired by Round 2 along with Hawk. [10]

MPC

MPC, a long-running model kits brand, was first established in 1963 by former employees of AMT. The brand was owned by The Fun Group since the 1970s. It was bought by Ertl in the mid-80s after the acquisition of AMT. Ertl considered MPC supplementary to AMT and the MPC products were gradually replaced under the AMT brand name. After Ertl was purchased by Racing Champions which were focused on diecast model, MPC was sold to Round 2. MPC brand was revived as a stand-alone line under Round 2 in 2008. MPC toolings were purchased outright in 2012. [11]

Polar Lights

Polar Lights was a model kit brand founded in 1996 by Thomas Lowe under his Playing Mantis, with toolings acquired from Aurora model company. Aurora model company produced pop-culture oriented model kits such as Universal Monsters. Polar Lights succeeded this and obtained a Star Trek license in 2003. Since then it established a position as a model kit manufacturer of vehicles appearing in Star Trek franchise. It was absorbed into RC2 after Playing Mantis was sold to the company in 2004. Thomas Lowe signed an agreement to use Polar Lights brand under Round 2 in 2008, along with AMT and MPC. Full rights to Polar Lights were acquired in 2012. [12]

Racing Champions

A 1:24 scale model of a NASCAR racecar by Racing Champions Jimmy Spencer No7 diecast.jpg
A 1:24 scale model of a NASCAR racecar by Racing Champions

Racing Champions was a diecast company founded by Glen Ellyin based in Illinois. Since obtaining NASCAR license in 1991–92, Racing Champions went through success in the 1990s by manufacturing diecast models of stock cars in various scales such as 1:18, 1:24 and 1:64. They also produced non-racing vehicles through Racing Champions Mint line, which was considered the most detailed 1:64 scale diecast model during the time. Racing Champions purchased Ertl in 1999 and changed its name to Racing Champions Ertl. Under this new enterprise, they released a premium 1:64 diecast series Ertl American Muscle in 2000. Racing Champions Ertl and its successor RC2 was bought by Tomy in 2011. In 2015, Round 2 obtained the rights to produce and market Racing Champions brand and reintroduced the toolings formerly used under Racing Champions Mint as well as Ertl American Muscle. [13]

List of brands by Round 2

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Model car</span> Scale model of car

A model car, or toy car, is a miniature representation of an automobile. Other miniature motor vehicles, such as trucks, buses, or even ATVs, etc. are often included in this general category. Because many miniature vehicles were originally aimed at children as playthings, there is no precise difference between a model car and a toy car, yet the word 'model' implies either assembly required or the accurate rendering of an actual vehicle at smaller scale. The kit building hobby became popular through the 1950s, while the collecting of miniatures by adults started to pick up momentum around 1970. Precision-detailed miniatures made specifically for adults are a significant part of the market since the mid-1980s.

Ertl is an American former manufacturing company and current brand of toys, best known for its die-cast metal alloy collectible replicas of agricultural machinery. Other products manufactured by Ertl include cars, airplanes, and commercial vehicles.

A model commercial vehicle is a scale model or die-cast toy that represents a commercial vehicle: truck (lorry), bus, etc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Revell</span> Scale model manufacturer

Revell GmbH is an American-origin manufacturer of plastic scale models, currently based in Bünde. The original Revell company merged with Monogram in 1986, becoming "Revell-Monogram". The business operated until 2007, when American Revell was purchased by Hobbico, while the German subsidiary "Revell Plastics GmbH" had separated from the American firm in 2006 until Hobbico purchased it in 2012, bringing the two back together again under the same company umbrella. After the Hobbico demise in 2018, Quantum Capital Partners (QCP) acquired Revell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Die-cast toy</span> Type of toy

A die-cast toy is a toy or a collectible model produced by using the die-casting method of putting molten lead, zinc alloy or plastic in a mold to produce a particular shape. Such toys are made of metal, with plastic, rubber, glass, or other machined metal parts. Wholly plastic toys are made by a similar process of injection molding, but the two methods are distinct because of the properties of the materials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maisto</span>

Maisto is a brand of scale model vehicles introduced and owned by May Cheong Group, a Chinese company founded in 1967 in Hong Kong by brothers P.Y. Ngan and Y.C Ngan. The company has also subsidiaries in the United States, France, and China. MCG also owns other model car brands such as Italian former company Bburago and Polistil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monogram (company)</span> Toy model manufacturer

Monogram is an American brand and former manufacturing company of scale plastic models of cars, aircraft, spacecraft, ships, and military vehicles since the early 1950s. The company was formed by two former employees of Comet Kits, Jack Besser and Bob Reder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Playart</span>

Playart was a toy company owned by Hong Kong industrialist Duncan Tong (唐鼎康) that specialized in die-cast cars, similar in size and style to Hot Wheels, Matchbox or Tomica. Cars were well done, but were often diecast seconds from other companies like Yatming or Tomica. Cars were made from 1965 to 1983 at the factory in San Po Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Plastic cars and trucks of 1:43, and 1:24 scale were also made, while trains and other theme toys also appeared.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1:64 scale</span> Scale model size standard

1:64 scale is a traditional scale for models and miniatures, in which one unit on the model represents 64 units on the actual object. It is also known as "three-sixteenths scale", since 3/16 of an inch represents one foot. A human is approximately 1+1⁄16 inches (27 mm) tall in 1:64 scale. The scale originated by halving the very common 1:32 scale, which was known as "standard size" in some hobbies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Lightning</span>

Johnny Lightning is a brand of diecast model cars launched in 1969 by Topper Corporation, similar to the hugely successful Mattel's Hot Wheels cars. Their claim to fame at that time was that they were extremely fast compared to other brands of die-cast cars. Their most important technology was to mold in a small hook under the front axle so that they could be propelled by a lever-driven catapult, far faster than could be obtained by either gravity, or battery powered "supercharger" devices.

1:18 scale diecast replicas are 1/18th the size of the real vehicle. Most popular in this category are 1:18 scale automobile replicas – usually made out of Zamak zinc diecasting alloy with plastic parts. "1:18 scale" is the colloquial reference to this class of toy or replica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aluminum Model Toys</span>

Aluminum Model Toys (AMT) is a toy manufacturing brand founded in Troy, Michigan, in 1948 by West Gallogly Sr. AMT became known for manufacturing 1/25 scale plastic automobile dealer promotional model cars and friction motor models, and pioneered the annual 3-in-1 model kit buildable in stock, custom, or hot-rod versions. The company made a two-way deal in 1966 with Desilu Productions to produce a line of Star Trek models and to produce a 3/4 scale exterior and interior filming set of the Galileo shuttlecraft. It was also known for producing model trucks and movie and TV vehicles.

Britains, earlier known by the founder's name W. Britain, is a British toy brand and former manufacturing company known for its die-cast scale models of agricultural machinery, and figurines. The company was established in 1893 as a toy soldiers manufacturer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aurora Plastics Corporation</span> American Toy Company

The Aurora Plastics Corporation was an American toy and hobby manufacturing company. It is known primarily for its production of plastic scale models of cars, airplanes, and TV and movie figures in the 1960s. Its principal competition in modeling were various other plastic modeling firms like Revell and Monogram.

The Hubley Manufacturing Company was an American producer of a wide range of cast-iron toys, doorstops, and bookends. Toys, particularly motor vehicles and cap guns, were also produced in zinc alloy and plastic. The company is probably most well known for its detailed scale metal kits of Classic cars in about 1:20 scale. Starting in 1960, Hubley participated for a couple of years with Detroit automakers as a plastic promotional model maker. Many Hubley toys are now sought-after collectibles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Model Products Corporation</span>

Model Products Corporation, usually known by its acronym, MPC, is an American brand and former manufacturing company of plastic scale model kits and pre-assembled promotional models of cars that were popular in the 1960s and 1970s. MPC's main competition was model kits made by AMT, Jo-Han, Revell, and Monogram.

Winross is a diecast model truck producer based in Churchville, New York, just west of Rochester. The company was started in 1963 to make models of White brand trucks. Winross was the pioneer in 1/64 scale promotional model semi-tractor-trailer trucks. The trucks were known for their wide variety of logos and promotional ads on their sides. Over time trucks have become more sophisticated and the company has moved into silk screen printing for a variety of products.

The Model Car Hall of Fame is an annual awards ceremony for the die-cast toy, scale model and slot car industries.

References

  1. ↑ About us. Round 2. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  2. ↑ Diecast Brand History - 2016/02/08. Live and Let Diecast. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  3. ↑ AMT. Round 2. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  4. ↑ Oscar's Auto World Official Website. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  5. ↑ SCCA Hall of Famer, Auto World Founder Oscar Koveleski dies at 88. Autoweek. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  6. ↑ AMERICANA IN TRUE 1:64 SCALE: THE FUN OF DIE-CAST COLLECTING WITH AUTO WORLD. Driving Line. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  7. ↑ Hawk. Round 2. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  8. ↑ Rest in Peace Johnny Lightning.... Redline Derby Racing. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  9. ↑ Johnny Lightning. Round 2. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  10. ↑ Lindberg. Round 2. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  11. ↑ MPC. Round 2. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  12. ↑ Polar Lights. Round 2. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  13. ↑ Racing Champions. Round 2. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
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