Palitoy project

[_Lee_]

So for a few weeks now, ive been looking into the theory about Palitoy logo'd cards being produced here in the UK. I have always believed that the figures themselves were made in the Kader factories and were packaged here in the UK. I think the MIHK note/font on the cardback is referring to the figure itself and not the origin of the country in which they were packaged.

Ill update as i go along, and i MAY have found someone who can confirm this, but until i go and visit my sister in Leicester its not confirmed-thats a big clue in itself

Its going to be a slow process, but im gathering info

 

[sith-smith]

Well, finding out new things is always part of the fun in this hobby. It's great that after this length of time new things are still there to research 8)

 

[palitoyjunky]

Will look on with great interest :!:

 

[steve obi wan]

Interesting :shock:

 

[theforceuk]

Sounds interesting and makes sense that the cards were made in the Uk, look forward to reading more on this.

 

[_Lee_]

Thanks guys. One of my main points behind this theory ( and it is a theory until i can prove otherwise) is that it makes more business sense to package hundreds of loose figures into a shipping box to Palitoy from Kader rather than send 24/48 MOC in a case as we have seen in the past, and that they were maybe assembled onsite at Palitoy. This ensures more items can be sent to meet demand, and we all know how hard it was to find Star Wars back in the day, due to popularity.

Anyway, ill keep plugging away and seeing what i can unearth

 

[currymonster6290]

yes didn't they get printed in belper Derbyshire! didn't somebody already do a thread on this!?

 

[itfciain]

This would be really interesting - Joe and I got into a discussion with someone on RS about the Palitoy cards and where they were actually made - the chap posting said he only considered 'Palitoy' cards to be those actually made in the the UK as opposed to those made for Palitoy in the far east

 

[Snaketibe]

I don't mean to steal your thunder, but I thought it had already been established that the Palitoy carded figures were assembled at Coalville. I knew I'd seen footage of this, and sure enough a simple YouTube search for 'Palitoy Factory' yielded this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwfTsHZQbpE

Check out the 24 second mark.

Granted this doesn't cover the assembly of the earlier SW and ESB cards, so if that is what you are referring to, then fair enough, but I doubt they would have changed their production methods that much across the 3 films.

 

[sith-smith]

I believe Lee is referring to the making of the actual card rather than the final assembly of card figure and bubble.

 

[Snaketibe]

Thank you for the clarification and apologies for getting the wrong end of the stick. In that case, I wish Lee every success in his endeavour.

 

[sith-smith]

No problem.

Never get tired of watching that video!! 8)

 

[David Tree]

They were printed in the UK, I'm in contact with one of the former printers, I've been hoping to get him down to Farthest From for some time now

 

[inzaman]

yes didn't they get printed in belper Derbyshire! didn't somebody already do a thread on this!?

Anyone know where in Belper as i am not too far from there so can track the premises down if there are any further details?

 

[robpmarsh]

Maybe they have a few boxes of unused cards 8)

 

[_Lee_]

I believe Lee is referring to the making of the actual card rather than the final assembly of card figure and bubble.

Yes Gary, i honestly think that some / if not all logo'd cards WERE printed and assembled here in the UK at the Palitoy factory. Ive always thought that and dont buy into the country or origin on the cardback. Some yes, but not all....

 

[_Lee_]

They were printed in the UK, I'm in contact with one of the former printers, I've been hoping to get him down to Farthest From for some time now

And up pops Mr Tree with this info excellent!

Is there anything or anyone you cant find Dave? You are like the Palitoy Columbo

 

[mr_palitoy]

The saving in shipping separate boxes of cards and figures from Hong Kong to the UK and then assembling them would be minimal. It would likely have cost more given cheap HK labour costs. All the evidence we see on the logoed cards shows theye were assembled in HK factories. The exact card/bubble combos with the Kenner cards on the initial 12 backs on Jawa for example, the factory codes on the 41 backs and bubble combos and punch styles used. They all indicate assembly at separate HK factories Kader, Smile and for Kenner also Unitoys. The reason why the Palitoy boxes look so drab and dull is that those are the boxes that were sent from HK to Palitoy. Kenner opened theirs and repackaged them in Kenner boxes. From 45b onwards we know they were printed and assembled in the UK. And we know Toni got a bunch of these and made his own cards. Anything else is hearsay with out some stronger evidence.



Jason

 

[_Lee_]

The saving in shipping separate boxes of cards and figures from Hong Kong to the UK and then assembling them would be minimal. It would likely have cost more given cheap HK labour costs. All the evidence we see on the logoed cards shows theye were assembled in HK factories. The exact card/bubble combos with the Kenner cards on the initial 12 backs on Jawa for example, the factory codes on the 41 backs and bubble combos and punch styles used. They all indicate assembly at separate HK factories Kader, Smile and for Kenner also Unitoys. The reason why the Palitoy boxes look so drab and dull is that those are the boxes that were sent from HK to Palitoy. Kenner opened theirs and repackaged them in Kenner boxes. From 45b onwards we know they were printed and assembled in the UK. And we know Toni got a bunch of these and made his own cards. Anything else is hearsay with out some stronger evidence.



Jason

Hi Jason,

Im not saying they were printed and then shipped in bits (card,bubble etc). Im looking towards the idea of HK only producing the figures themselves and having nothing to do with the assembly of the finished product, as i think that was done at Palitoy. Also, why would Kenner reopen boxes because they looked drab etc only to put them into different boxes - surely that would cost more? It doesnt make any sense - especially after sending out the first four figures in a plain mailer box? I would have thought that the look of the packaging wasnt the number one priority. I think Palitoy boxes are better than others anyway Also, are we sure that all Kenner cards were packaged in HK? If this is the case, why do proofs/cromalins etc exist for all four vintage lines ? And if the old tale is true, only loose figure moulds were dumped in the Ocean so what happened to printing plates etc?

Are you also saying that all Palitoy playsets were assembled in the Far East aswell? If so, why wasnt the cantina sent prepackaged with four baggies instead of MOC Palitoy figures? Ok, they could have been added at Palitoy and the sticker applied but it leads to more.

Lets just get to the bottom of this mystery

 

[_Lee_]

Anything else is hearsay with out some stronger evidence.



Jason

How about every other Palitoy product made that was not Star Wars?