TOMY's Expanded Portfolio of Top-Tier Brands Debuts Solid Line-Up of Infant and Toddler Innovations at 2011 ABC Kids Expo

OAK BROOK, Ill., Sept. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- TOMY International, a leading global designer, producer and marketer of a broad range of innovative, high-quality products for mothers, infants and toddlers, as well as toys and collectible products sold to preschoolers, youths and adults, introduces several new lines designed to provide innovative solutions for today's families at the 2011 ABC Kids Expo in Louisville.  Showcasing category-changing introductions across sought-after mother, infant and toddler brands including The First Years, Boon, JJ Cole Collections, and Lamaze, TOMY reaffirms its commitment to providing quality, style and a wide range of choices for today's families.

"Across all brands, our ABC Kids Expo introductions reinforce the importance we at TOMY place on being a company committed to designing for the specific needs of today's parent," states Peter Henseler, President of TOMY International. "With the recent acquisition of Boon, last year's addition of JJ Cole Collections and the continued innovation from our heritage infant brands, The First Years and Lamaze, we continue to strengthen our presence in consumer-driven, design-focused mother, infant and toddler products intended to make Mom's life more convenient while helping babies develop, be happy and stay safe."

Highlights from the TOMY mother, infant and toddler brands being showcased at the 2011 ABC Kids Expo include

The First Years (www.thefirstyears.com) – Booth #709  

Building on the brand's extensive line of infant and toddler products, The First Years introduces solutions across key categories, including:

• GumDrop Slim Bottles and accessories including infant teethers, pacifier cases, attachers and pacifier wipes. With GumDrop having become the "go to" pacifier, The First Years expands its Gumdrop line beyond pacifiers into infant feeding items and care accessories, proving Mom with simple solutions for everyday challenges.  
• New audio and video monitor options, all loaded with innovative features and available at affordable prices. Debut products include The First Years Dual View Digital Video Monitor, the first two parent unit monitor to feature an encrypted, digital signal, and The First Years Safety Shield Monitor, a video monitor that sets a virtual perimeter around baby's crib and sounds an alarm to alert Mom when an item breaches the safezone.
• Feeding items focused on kid-favorite characters combined with key product enhancements including a line of sippy cups that feature first-to-market BPA-Free Magical Color Change technology—where the inner cup changes colors in relation to the liquid's temperature—and the exclusive Easy Clean Valve System™, a one-piece lid with a built in spill-proof valve, eliminating the need for extra cleaning.
• Easy-to-use and affordable travel solutions including infant, convertible and booster car seats as well as travel systems. The First Years remains the only brand to achieve the most 5-Star Ratings for Overall Ease of Use from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) across all car seat categories to date.
• New infant play introductions to offer Moms one-of-a-kind solutions for inspiring baby's first smile. The line offers toys that feature contemporary design, baby-friendly technology and personalized play options. Simple to use and activate, the toys come alive through various play patterns and natural interactions between Mom and baby. The new line retails at budget-friendly prices and offers items for everyday purchase as well as items for those special occasions.
• New feeding solutions and product updates including  the colic-preventing Breastflow bottle, with its patented 2-in-1 nipple design; the new Deluxe Reclining Feeding Seat, a grow-with me feeding seat, and colorful and functional design updates to the evergreen Take & Toss®  line of disposable toddler feeding products.

JJ Cole Collections (www.jjcolecollections.com) – Booth #3653

New JJ Cole Collections introductions feature functional items in style-savvy fabrics and colors that reinforce the brand's focus to address the needs and wants of today's attentive yet overwhelmingly busy parent with stylized and fashion-driven mother, infant and toddler products. JJ Cole introduces items in categories including:

• Exceptional travel gear items that fuse safety and convenience with the signature JJ Cole style. Debut items include a car seat and strollers at a variety of price-points that can easily adapt into travel systems. For added fashion-forward style, all JJ Cole gear items feature color swap canopies that can be customized by Mom.  
• Diaper bags that embody the brand's reputation for utility and convenience, while embracing fashion and style. Highlights include the Satchel bag and three new bags created with Re-Run(TM) fabrics, which are created from recycled plastic water bottles.  
• Coordinating decor items that offer stylish and gender-specific design options for today's modern nursery. Key items include crib sets, wall decals, a window valance and more.
• Infant play items that encourage sensory development and feature friendly animal characters. For on-the-go-fun, these toys easily attach to car seats and strollers.
• Other important additions include a modern nursing and feeding pillow, an arm cushion for infant car seats and stylish yet functional pacifier clips.

Boon (www.booninc.com) – Booth #3465  

Boon Inc., a leading innovator, designer and manufacturer of infant and baby products, will launch 22 new products at the 2011 ABC Kids Expo. Boon introductions include:

• Infant and toddler items that offer parents practical and innovative options for everyday challenges. From elephant- and snail-shaped snack boxes, to stacking food containers that look just like penguins, owls and caterpillars, Boon's new items provide modern yet useful storage options for feeding at home or on-the-go. In addition, Boon provides everyday food prep solutions for the whole family with Pluck, Slicer and Nanner hand-held fruit and vegetable slicing tools.  
• New bath products include Naked, a collapsible baby bathtub that grows with baby using one quick adjustment, as well as new bath toys and new colors for existing toys.
• Decor items, including Turf, a front-facing bookshelf shaped like grass blades, which stores and organizes books so kids can easily pick their favorites.

Lamaze® by TOMY (www.lamazetoys.com) – Booth #709  

TOMY's Lamaze® brand is dedicated to creating products that help baby grow, discover and learn. Parents have known and trusted the Lamaze® brand for more than 50 years. Building on that trust, TOMY's Lamaze line delivers products that focus on infant development, while at the same time provide opportunities for parents to bond and interact with baby. New for 2012, the award-winning Lamaze Infant Development System unveils new items with added developmental features, dynamic colors, engaging textures and whimsical characters. In addition to the innovative items in the flagship Lamaze Infant Development System, the evergreen Lamaze Play and Grow line and Lamaze Tunes family expand with fun, thoughtful items.

About TOMY International

TOMY International (www.tomy.com) is a leading global designer, producer and marketer of a broad range of innovative, high-quality toys sold to preschoolers, youths and adults under the TOMY®, Ertl®, Johnny Lightning® and Tomica® brands as well as products for mothers, infants and toddlers marketed under its The First Years®, Lamaze, JJ Cole® Collections, and Boon® brands. TOMY International also markets its products under popular and classic licensed properties such as Thomas & Friends, Special Agent Oso, Chuggington, Dinosaur Train, John Deere, Disney's Winnie the Pooh, Princesses, Cars, Fairies and Toy Story, and other well-known properties. TOMY International's mission is to inspire and fulfill the dreams of children and parents worldwide. TOMY International reaches its target consumers through multiple channels of distribution supporting more than 25,000 retail outlets throughout North and South America, Europe and Australia. TOMY International is a wholly owned subsidiary of Japan-based TOMY Company, Ltd. (Tokyo Stock Exchange Code No. 7867). © TOMY

SOURCE TOMY International