Monopoly importer finds U.S. manufacturing difficult and costly
11 reported
The WS Game Company, which produces most of its high-end board games in China, attempted to manufacture a special edition of Monopoly in the United States after receiving a seven-figure tariff bill last year. CEO Jonathan Silva wanted to see if a profitable board game could be made domestically, choosing a custom version tied to the country’s 250th birthday. The experiment faced significant hurdles, including an inability to find a U.S. manufacturer for 10,000 dice, forcing Silva to import them. He sourced other components domestically, but the process took over a year, causing him to miss the first half of the 250th birthday selling season. The cost to manufacture the $80 retail games was at least double what it would have been in China. Silva noted that in China, all capabilities are under one roof, while the U.S. effort required coordinating multiple suppliers and consumed excessive resources and time. The Toy Association’s president said the toy industry is lobbying for a tariff carve-out, but toys face competition from other products for limited tariff-free allowances.
What’s reported
WS Game Company produces most of its high-end board games in China.
CEO Jonathan Silva received a seven-figure tariff bill last year.
Silva attempted to produce a profitable board game in the U.S. with a custom Monopoly edition for the country’s 250th birthday.
No U.S. manufacturer could produce 10,000 dice; Silva had to import them.
A former Hasbro factory in Massachusetts prints the Monopoly board; Pioneer Packaging makes the money tray; a small Indiana business made custom metal tokens.
The manufacturing process took over a year, causing Silva to miss the first half of the 250th birthday selling season.
The cost to manufacture the $80 retail 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.
The Toy Association’s president and CEO Greg Ahearn said the toy industry is lobbying for a tariff carve-out.
The U.S.-China Board of Trade is considering allowing up to $30 billion worth of Chinese products to enter the U.S. tariff-free, with toys competing against shoes, apparel, and other products.
Silva is awaiting a shipment from China of about $6 million worth of games for the upcoming 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
