Patch Products

Patch Products
Private
Industry Game, puzzle, and toy manufacturer and marketer
Founded 1985
Headquarters Beloit, WI
Website Patch Products

Patch Products is a manufacturer and marketer of family entertainment products that specializes in games, children's puzzles, toys, activities, and teaching tools. As of February 2016, Patch changed its company name to PlayMonster.

History

Brothers Fran and Bryce Patch opened a commercial printing company in 1971, producing games and related items for other companies. They printed Trivial Pursuit game boards and Cabbage Patch Kids sticker books, among other products. In 1985, the brothers began their own toy and game company: Patch Products.[1] The company started a line of PuzzlePatch tray puzzles for preschoolers, which are still in production; the company produced its 100 millionth puzzle in 2008. The American Toy Institute, Great American Toy Contest, National Association for Gifted Children, Nick Jr. magazine and Toy Tips have recognized the puzzles for helping educate children.[2]

In 1992, the company obtained the license for TriBond, its first board game, which was inducted into Games Magazine's Hall of Fame.[3] Patch followed the success of TriBond with two other board games, Blurt! and MadGab. The company sold the brand rights to these games to Mattel in 2004.[4]

In 2008, Patch Products acquired Smethport Specialty Co., the maker of Lauri Toys and specialty products, adding educational items to Patch's lineup, including Tall-Stacker pegging and crepe rubber puzzles, along with the Wooly Willy magnetic personality.[5]

In 2012, Patch Products was honored with a Wisconsin Family Business of the Year Award. The Work Hard—Play Hard Award was given to Patch to recognize the company's emphasis on family fun to promote togetherness.[6]

In 2013, Patch Products, with became the distributor of the Perplexus 3D maze game to independent toy and gift stores.[7] It also became the new manufacturer and distributor of the well-known The Game of Things...[8] Patch debuted its new collectible soft doll line Planet Sock Monkey which adds attitude and style to the classic sock monkey: each doll features a its own name, personality, and clothing and accessories.[9]


Award-winning games

Patch Products has won awards from Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Dr. Toy, The National Parenting Center, iParenting Media Awards, Parents' Choice, and Toy Tips. Award-winning games include:

Party Games
What's Yours Like?
5 Second Rule
Buzzword
Know It or Blow It
Malarky

Kids Games
Don't Rock the Boat
Big Little Games Flingin' Frogs
Family Games
Toss Up!
Swap!
 Roll-It Tic-Tac-Toe
Giant Spoons
100 Wacky Things
Word Shout
Farkle Frenzy
Tales to Play

Million Minute Family Challenge

From September through December every year, Patch Products sponsors the Million Minute Family Challenge, a grass-roots effort to promote interaction and communication among family and friends through playing board games. The goal is to encourage at least one thousand families, groups, or organizations in each of the fifty states to play a board game together for twenty minutes, or a cumulative million minutes.

References

  1. ↑ Corporate Report Wisconsin, December 2003
  2. ↑ The Janesville Gazette, June 16, 2008
  3. ↑ Games Magazine
  4. ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Feb. 4, 2004
  5. ↑ http://www.smethportpa.org/news
  6. ↑ Beloit Daily News, May 11, 2012
  7. ↑ Beloit Daily News, March 11, 2013
  8. ↑ The Toy Book, Feb. 8, 2013
  9. ↑ The Toy Book, Vol. 28, No. 2, Mar./Apr. 2013
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