9 minute read
Special Feature - Bruder
Bruder – Just like the real thing
2025 marks 50 years since toy vehicle specialist Bruder debuted at Spielwarenmesse. Here, Florian Loh, Area Sales manager at Bruder and Julia Meyer, Marketing manager, sit down with longterm distribution partner Colm Banaghan, director at Banaghan & Co., and Toy World editor Rachael Simpson-Jones, to discuss the brand’s enduring appeal, the importance of relationships, and the new launches driving sales this year.
In 1975, Bruder made its first ever appearance at Spielwarenmesse under the leadership of visionary Heinz Bruder, the son of founder Paul Bruder. The milestone, Julia explains, marked the first time the company (which had started out producing brass reeds for toy trumpets, before transitioning to the manufacture of plastic items and specialising in toys for chocolate brands, annual markets and promotions) had showcased to the Toy industry Heinz’s self-developed plastic toys. In the late 80s, the company then began developing the 1:16 scale model vehicles it has since become renowned for across the globe.
Now in its third generation – Paul Heinz Bruder, Heinz Bruder’s son and Paul Bruder’s grandson, joined the company in 1987 – the proudly-family-run company is looking forward to celebrating its 50th Spielwarenmesse anniversary with a large party to be held on RedNight (Thursday 30th January), complete with cake, of course, as well as press events on PressDay (Tuesday 28th January) that will educate attending media about Bruder’s heritage and generate additional coverage.
“Julia and I are incredibly proud to work for a company with such a rich history and it’s exciting to be able to celebrate such a milestone as this,” says Florian Loh, who has been with Bruder for almost nine years.
Julia says the company’s Spielwarenmesse stand, meanwhile, (Hall 6, Stand C-31, C-37) will prominently feature not only its new launches for 2025, but pictures from throughout the company’s rich history – including some that reflect and honour Bruder’s longstanding distribution partnership with Banaghan & Co. When I say longstanding, bear in mind that Colm Banaghan, son of founder Leo Banaghan, started working at his dad’s company in 1983, just six years after Banaghan & Co. was appointed as Bruder’s Irish distributor, in 1977. And it’s Colm, now director of the company, that sits in on the call with Florian and Julia.
“I vividly remember the sweet and candy toys Bruder originally made from when I was a young schoolboy, and when I entered the Banaghan & Co. business the subsequent toy vehicle range was primarily packaged in plastic bags,” Colm explains, taking us right back to those early days. “I can’t recall the exact year, but in the late 80s, Bruder moved into the world of licensing and did away with the bags in favour of boxes. In those years, brands were fighting for shelf space tooth and nail, and merchandising could be the deciding factor when it came to whether or not your product made it on. Bruder recognised this and pivoted to open-box design which showed off how the toys really were ‘Just like the real thing’, the company’s strapline. To me, this overhaul of the packaging, and becoming a licensee, were two of the most crucial changes Bruder ever made to its business, and they underpin the success it enjoys today. The brand has more than held its own throughout the years, even in a competitive category, and is now the gold standard in scale models – the one all others look up to and want to emulate, but the one, in my view, that can never be matched.”
Banaghan started distributing Bruder in Ireland to begin with. The region has a deep love of toys based on farming or agricultural brands and sectors, which Bruder offers in spades: nowadays, its portfolio covers John Deere, Massey Ferguson, Claas, Deutz, New Holland, Case, Steyr, Krone, Volvo, MAN, Mack, Mercedes Benz and many more, across themes including farming, agriculture, forestry, construction, emergency services, logistics and countryside sports. Back in 1977 though, Bruder was up against other established vehicle brands, lower-quality ones with lower price points, that Irish parents were already buying, and Irish kids were already playing with. But once retailers came to realise that Bruder offered quality vehicles based on some of the biggest agricultural licences in the world, they soon came on board – and consumers followed suit. Banaghan took over UK distribution more recently, in 2020, where it has enjoyed similar success.
When asked why the partnership between Bruder and Banaghan has lasted as long as it has, both sides highlight their complementary business cultures. Both are family owned and run, with a focus on only providing the highest quality toys. Colm tells me the team at Bruder is straightforward, reliable, loyal to its licensing partners and completely transparent in its dealings, making it a joy to work with, while Florian says Banaghan & Co. is a customer-centric distributor with a focus on only providing quality brands.
“It helps when the acting players at each business get along well and can rely on each other,” adds Florian. “It creates a great atmosphere. It’s been a pleasure working with Colm and Banaghan & Co. for so many years, and surely will be for many more years to come.”
Indeed, Bruder enjoys relationships with distributors across the globe. All are notably longterm, which reflects the fact that a) Bruder is a lovely company to work with and b) its products are very high-quality. According to Colm, the Bruder team is also quite hands-on; knowledgeable and invested in their product representation, and that this makes it a singularly easy company to partner with. He adds: “Paul Heinz Bruder himself actually flew over to Ireland many years ago to gain a better understanding of the marketplace here, which just goes to show how much he cared about ensuring the brand’s success.”
Bruder’s ‘Just like the real thing’ strapline remains at the heart of the company’s product development. Over the decades, its models have become more and more realistic, sophisticated and detailed; pick one up today, and you’d be hard pressed not to be blown away by the authentic, functional vehicle in your hands. Across the globe, the company has amassed a highly engaged and passionate community of fans and collectors that have come to expect this level of quality from each and every new launch. They also regularly request vehicles they’d like to see immortalised in Bruder 1:16 scale model form, and while some suggestions are simply too complex to be turned into a toy, others aren’t. In fact, one of 2025’s major new launches, the Heavy Tow Truck with Light & Sounds (available in Scania or Mack versions), has been produced in response to consumer demand.
This year will welcome 14 new launches across the Professional, Roadmax and bworld ranges, eight of which will arrive in spring. One of Florian’s standout products is another addition to the Roadmax range, which has been designed for kids aged two years and up: a new Tractor with Forestry Trailer and Trunks.
“Our commitment to investing in our brands, even within such a challenging business environment, is steadfast,” Florian says. “This reflects our belief in our brands, in the company’s future, and in the importance of continuing to offer a varied, exciting and thoughtfully curated product assortment.”
Bruder stockists benefit from POS solutions that help drive sell-through and create stand-out areas in-store. Its FSDU is a particular highlight, especially in smaller UK & Irish retailers with limited shelf space that are nonetheless keen to take a decent assortment of product, while marketing and communications materials based on the 50th anniversary have also started to roll out. These will raise brand awareness and push consumers into their local stockists.
Bruder’s Christmas performance has positioned the company well for the year ahead. Well known brands such as Bruder tend to cut through the noise come the festive season, when consumers seek out tried-and-trusted toys that children already know and love. Data from individual European markets shows Bruder is outperforming the wider marketplace, which has left Florian, Colm, Julia and the rest of the team optimistic for the months ahead.
“There will always be a market for the toys Bruder manufactures because they’re high quality, licensed and genuinely ‘Just like the real thing’,” says Colm. “Bruder isn’t the only one excited for the Heavy Tow Truck; I’ve seen it, and I know we’ll be taking orders for it from just about every corner of the UK & Ireland. Every time I go to Spielwarenmesse, I discover something new and incredible that Bruder is doing and I come away filled with excitement to bring its toys to my customers. Bruder products are always highly anticipated by fans and collectors alike.”
For Florian, the past and future success of Bruder lie in the company’s sustainable, considered approach to growth and expansion. It carefully selects which vehicles and licences to work on each year, with a view to sticking closely to Bruder’s core competencies and maintaining an even keel. “We don’t experience huge highs, but we also don’t suffer huge lows,” Florian notes, pointing out how one of Bruder’s biggest strengths is that it is a steady, all-year-round brand that retailers appreciate year after year.
Julia, meanwhile, highlights that Bruder is one of very few toy companies that manufactures in Europe. The company handles all stages of the development process, from idea to production and marketing, under one roof at the company's head office in Fürth, Germany. A second factory is located in the Czech Republic. Shipments come directly from Germany, they arrive quickly, and production levels are kept consistently high to ensure shelves are always full. And as Julia adds with a smile, “there are no pirates in the Channel yet.”
Looking outside of Europe, Bruder is also a big name in the USA, Australia and New Zealand, among numerous other places. In fact, the brand is now present in over 60 countries globally, an astonishing level of international expansion since 1975, which is all down to distribution partners such as Banaghan & Co. which continue to champion the brand in all markets.
“It’s a huge honour to be associated with Bruder,” finishes Colm. “My father, who passed away in 2021, absolutely loved the brand, so it’s wonderful for me to be carrying on his work and celebrating with Bruder as we mark this very special occasion.”
