New York (AFP)

There is no Chinese pavilion this year at the big toy fair in New York because of coronavirus. And the woes of the second world economy, as well as their potential consequences on the sales of dolls and board games, are in everyone's mind.

Production in China, by far the largest toy manufacturer in the world, has suddenly declined since activity there was crippled by the coronavirus epidemic.

Between mountains of stuffed animals, electronic games and figurines for children, the some 25,000 participants in the New York show which ends on Tuesday wonder about the impact of this health crisis.

Fortunately, assure several representatives of the sector, the coronavirus struck just after the end of year celebrations. But since China produces around 85% of the toys sold in the United States, certain products could be victims of stock shortages this summer.

The epidemic "is going to have a major effect worldwide," said Isaac Larian, chief executive officer of MGA Entertainment. His company is already drawing on its reserves to supply its customers with LOL Suprise dolls, one of its flagship products.

The factories working for MGA in China are currently operating at only 20% of their capacity because many workers have not yet returned and activity is slowed by the absence of certain materials or logistics problems.

The impact of the coronavirus on the supply chain is "the worst thing I have known" in 41 years in the toy industry, says Larian.

- Freight competition -

"This is probably the main topic of conversation because there are so many uncertainties," said Aaron Muderick, creator of Aaron's Crazy Viscous Plasticine.

If his company is one of the only companies in the industry to manufacture its products entirely in the United States, he is worried about the more general repercussions.

"If the shelves are empty in stores, it's not good for anyone," he told AFP.

Chinese companies usually arrive in large numbers at the New York toy fair, the largest in the sector on the American continent, with dozens of stands at the Jacob Javits center.

But the Toys Association, which organizes the show, decided a few weeks ago not to present a Chinese pavilion this year, canceling the visit of 47 exhibitors and around 550 people, explains its president Steve Pasierb.

Attendance did not specially drop because it benefited from an influx of visitors who could not go to salons in China, he adds.

Among the members of the association, several companies manufacturing in India, Malaysia or other countries in the region have already complained of running out of parts or raw materials from China. Some are also concerned about the upcoming competition for space on freight containers when the situation returns to normal, notes Pasierb.

"It is not yet completely the crisis for the sector. But if we are still talking about that in April, then it will become a real problem," he said.

- "Complicated year" -

The company WowWee, which sells stuffed animals and electronic games, had to postpone certain stages essential to the launch of the new products: its engineers based in Hong Kong cannot go to the factories in China, where it misses more than half of the employees.

"We lost about two weeks of full-time activity," said WowWee technical director Davin Sufer.

If the quarantine measures are soon lifted, "it is still possible" to respect the calendar, he hopes, however.

The Californian company Funrise also hopes that the impact of the epidemic will remain limited since most of its toys are made in Vietnam.

But it must already draw from its stocks the electronic components necessary for the manufacture of the objects of its brand "Ninja péteur", usually produced in China. And its sales manager Justin Mills-Orcutt does not know if the new toy trucks produced in Chinese factories will be ready this summer.

Magformers general manager Chris Tidwell is also worried about his business of magnetic assembly parts, entirely made in China. For the moment, only a third of the workers have returned.

"It will affect us greatly," he laments. "The year is bound to be complicated."

© 2020 AFP