Monopoly experiment reveals challenges of U.S. manufacturing
10 reported
A special edition of Monopoly, produced for the country's 250th birthday, has highlighted the difficulty of manufacturing board games in the United States. The WS Game Company, which produces most of its high-end board games in China, attempted to make a profitable U.S.-made version after facing a seven-figure tariff bill last year. CEO Jonathan Silva found that sourcing domestic components took over a year, causing him to miss the first half of the selling season. The cost to manufacture the games, which retail for $80, was at least double what it would have been in China. Silva ultimately had to import dice because no U.S. supplier could produce 10,000 dice in a timely manner. The Toy Association noted that nearly 80% of all toys and games sold in the U.S. are made in China due to that country's specialized factory ecosystem. Silva continues to make the rest of his company's board games in China and is awaiting a $6 million shipment from China for the upcoming holiday season.
What’s reported
The WS Game Company produces most of its high-end board games in China.
CEO Jonathan Silva faced a seven-figure tariff bill last year.
Silva attempted to produce a profitable U.S.-made Monopoly game for the country's 250th birthday.
No U.S. supplier could make 10,000 dice; Silva had to import them.
A former Hasbro factory in Massachusetts prints the board; Pioneer Packaging makes the money tray; a small Indiana business made metal tokens.
The manufacturing process took over a year, causing Silva to miss the first half of the selling season.
The cost to manufacture the games was at least double what it would have been in China.
Nearly 80% of all toys and games sold in the U.S. are made in China, according to The Toy Association.
The toy industry is lobbying for a tariff carve-out; the U.S.-China Board of Trade is considering allowing up to $30 billion in Chinese products tariff-free.
Silva is awaiting a $6 million shipment from China for the holiday season with an unknown tariff bill.
Key figures
Jonathan Silva, CEO of WS Game Company
Greg Ahearn, president and CEO of The Toy Association
Sources: NPR
