Key people Ryan Gunnigle (CEO) Number of employees 500 Type of business Private | Website www.kidsii.com Founded 1969 | |
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Formerly called Pantalla Ellen Products, Inc. Brands Bright Starts, Baby Einstein, Comfort & Harmony, Ingenuity, Taggies and Oball Headquarters Atlanta, Georgia, United States Subsidiaries Baby Einstein, Taggies, Inc., Rhino Toys, Inc. | ||
Kids II, Inc. is an infant and toddler product manufacturer based in Atlanta, Georgia. The company designs, manufactures and markets Bright Starts, Baby Einstein, Comfort & Harmony, Ingenuity, Taggies and Oball brand products. Kids II has international affiliate operation locations in Australia, Canada, Europe, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico and South Africa. In 2013, Kids II has more than 400 products under its brands.
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Ryan Gunnigle is the company's president and CEO.
History
The firm was originally named Pansy Ellen Products, and was founded in 1969 primarily as an infant bath and toy manufacturer. In 1992, the company debuted its products in Toys "R" Us stores. The company re-branded in 1993 and changed its name to Kids II, Inc. Kids II began licensing for Disney in 1999.
In 2001, Kids II opened its first international office in Hong Kong. The company expanded to Mexico, the United Kingdom, Australia, China, Japan, and Canada by 2006 The company expanded its Hong Kong - based testing lab with the addition of a chemical testing sector in 2009.
The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) partnered with the firm in December, 2010. The partnership allowed SCAD students to conceptualize and prototype toy concepts for the company. The firm acquired the Oball and Taggies brands the following year.
In 2012, the company relocated its headquarters to Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia from Alpharetta, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. The company's new office space and showroom were a finalist in the design category for Atlanta Business Chronicle's 2012 Best in Atlanta Real Estate Awards. The company was also a finalist in the 2011 Georgia Family Business Awards in the large business category. Kids II opened an office in Johannesburg, South Africa in March 2012. The company was one of the first companies in the industry to expand its direct global distribution in South Africa according to Vertical News.
The company received 11 awards at the Graphic Design USA Awards for its package design in 2012. Kids II attended Kind + Jugend, an international juvenile products trade fair in Cologne, Germany. The company showed 350 SKUs at the show. The Atlanta Business Chronicle named Kids II one of the best places to work in Atlanta in 2013.
In October 2013, Kids II acquired Baby Einstein, formerly owned by Disney. Baby Einstein products use real world objects, music, art, animals and nature with the intention to introduce infants to the world around them.
Operations
Kids II has approximately 500 employees worldwide in 14 offices. The company manufactures Bright Starts, Baby Einstein, Comfort & Harmony, InGenuity, Taggies and Oball brand products. It also contracts to manufacture Disney-brand products.
In 2013, the company had over 400 products available on the market in over 70 countries.