ALEX BRANDS® Announces Licensing Agreement with Nickelodeon

FAIRFIELD, N.J., Feb. 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- ALEX BRANDS^® today announced that it has signed a licensing agreement with Nickelodeon to manufacture, distribute and market a broad array of products based on popular characters, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora and Friends and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. ALEX BRANDS^® is a family of brands, which includes ALEX TOYS^® , POOF^®, SLINKY^®, SCIENTIFIC EXPLORER^®, IDEAL^®, ZOOB^®,  BACKYARD SAFARI^®, ZILLIONZ^®, CITIBLOCS^® and recently acquired SHRINKY DINKS^®.

The multi-year agreement covers multiple brands from ALEX BRANDS^® including ALEX TOYS^® and Shrinky Dinks^® and product categories such as craft kits and bath toys.  ALEX BRANDS will launch more than 30 new Nickelodeon products during the 112^th Annual North American International Toy Fair which runs from February 14^th – 17^th at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City (Booth #2131/2231). The items will be available to consumers starting in late Summer 2015.

"Nickelodeon, SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora and Friends and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are not only beloved by children, they have an emphasis, as we do, on placing children first and on educating and motivating children through play," said Neil Friedman, President and CEO, ALEX BRANDS^®.  "We are extremely pleased and excited to be partnering with Nickelodeon across a broad array of our brands and product lines."

"ALEX BRANDS^® is an excellent partner for Nickelodeon because their properties match our characters' ability to inspire creativity and the power of imagination in kids," said Manuel Torres, Senior Vice President, Global Toys and Publishing, Nickelodeon Consumer Products. "We are incredibly happy to bring Dora and Friends, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and SpongeBob SquarePants into ALEX BRANDS'^® portfolio through this multi-year deal."

The collective ALEX BRANDS^® toy line, sold worldwide, includes more than 2,000 high quality products spanning the diverse categories of preschool and infant toys, games, magic sets, seasonal toys, role play items, science kits, construction sets, craft & activity kits, bath toys, art supplies and Made in USA products from POOF^®, SLINKY^® and SHRINKY DINKS^®.

ALEX BRANDS^® is a portfolio company of Propel Equity Partners, a private equity firm focused on investing and creating value in leading consumer brands. Propel Equity Partners acquired POOF-SLINKY^® in July 2012, FUNDEX GAMES^® in December 2012, ALEX TOYS^® in May 2013, ZOOB^® in September 2013, Summit Products LLC and CITIBLOCS^® in May 2014, and SHRINKY DINKS^® in December 2014.

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon, now in its 35th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 20 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B). 

About ALEX BRANDS^®

The ALEX BRANDS^® family of brands is comprised of some of the most iconic, recognizable and award winning toys in the industry today. With a commitment to helping children become more active and develop their imagination and creativity, ALEX BRANDS offers toys and kits for children of all ages. Award-winning ALEX TOYS^® offers high quality toys, art supplies and craft activity kits that inspire creative expression. POOF^® is the world's leading brand of foam sports balls, many of which are Made in USA. Iconic SLINKY^® has been the quintessential toy of fun and imagination since 1945. SCIENTIFIC EXPLORER^® offers a range of challenging and entertaining educational activity-based science kits. The IDEAL^® brand is the classic brand of nostalgic fun in a variety of games, activity kits, magic sets and classic toys. Award-winning ZOOB^® building sets, which can move after they are put together, allow for truly interactive creations. BACKYARD SAFARI^® is the leader in essential field gear for outdoor role play and exploration. ZILLIONZ^® has helped children better understand the value of money for almost 20 years. CITIBLOCS^® is a line of high-quality, precision cut wood construction blocks. SHRINKY DINKS^® is a globally recognized toy brand offering a wide variety of products and play patterns based upon plastic sheets that can be cut, colored and then shrunk and hardened into an endless amount of original designs.

For more information about ALEX BRANDS^®, please visit www.alexbrands.com.

About Propel Equity Partners

Propel Equity Partners, LLC is a private equity firm focused on investment in branded consumer products businesses. Based in Greenwich, CT, Propel Equity Partners provides its portfolio companies with strategic and operational support to enable more efficient operations and accelerated sales growth. The firm believes in building value by partnering with existing management teams and by energizing brands and invigorating new product innovation. For more information visit www.propelequity.com.

SOURCE ALEX BRANDS

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