TARHEEL, EMPIRE AND EMPIRE MADE: the story so far

In 1998 I made the following statement in my original PROJECT SWORD Checklist online:

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‘Tarheel Industries Inc. Tarboro N.C. - this company is now called Empire Industries Inc., P.O.Box 4000, 501 Daniel Street, Tarboro, NC 27886-4000 - no link to 'Empire-Made', which appears on C21 toys and boxes, which refers to the British Empire ( i.e. Hong Kong )’. Eleven years on I wanted to revisit this, in the light of recent toy discoveries featured on the blog and new theories about manufacturers’ logos, to see if it still lead me to the same conclusion.

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My research into Tarheel began in the 1990’s after purchasing my first Tarheel PROJECT SWORD boxed vehicle. Tarheel SWORD toys, the closest relative of the original Century 21 range, stated the following on the boxes ‘Tarheel Industries Inc. of Tarboro, North Carolina, USA. Made in British crown colony of Hong Kong.’ In those days I only knew of the Tarheel versions of the Moon Prospector and Probe Force 1 and the two different logos, the T Globe and the T with Kids (both pictured below). I also mistakenly thought that the T in a Circle brand was also Tar Heel. Thanks to research by several blog readers T in a Circle has been shown to be a wholly separate company.

In 1997 I wrote to Tarheel Industries in Tarboro, North Carolina, USA and got a reply from their modern incarnation, Empire. Their letter reply, although disappointing, was at least evidence that they still traded albeit in a new name and a new US Flag Logo (there was also a kids trike logo on the envelope).

With the advent of the internet, research has been easier. However, virtually no information exists about the original Tarheel company. In the US Public Company Report for Empire of Carolina 1996, the following company history is given: “Empire has been a toy manufacturer for approximately 40 years. The Company's business experienced significant change in 1993 when substantial non-toy operations were sold. Following the divestitures of non-toy businesses, Empire's operations were focused on its toy business, including the Big Wheel(R) non-powered ride-on product line, which has been sold throughout the United States since 1970, and its plastic decorative holiday products business”.
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The main Tarboro factory is pictured below:



The popular Plaidstallions nostalgia website remarks that ‘Empire Toys was never a house hold name but their products sold well, their product assortment is what seemed to give them identity problems most of the items featured in their 1979 catalog looked like staples from other companies’. The 1979 catalog cover (below) shows the company’s ’crown’ logo and the slogan ‘Toys Kids Love’ and includes many superhero toys to go with the popular MEGO range of figures. The excellent Megolike.com also details all the Empire superhero vans and packaging, including two versions of the Empire company logo, the full name with the Crown and slogan and just a capital E with the Crown.



Empire made a diverse range of products including children’s bikes, the Powder Puff Barbie Jeep, hundreds of different Christmas blow moulds such as the boxed Candy Cane (both pictured below).

In October 1994, Empire acquired Marchon, Inc. a toy designer, marketer and manufacturer. Marchon's core toy products included Grand Champions (R) collectible horses and Crocodile Mile (R)water slides. Marchon had substantial experience at sourcing toy products in the Far East. In July 1995, Empire acquired substantially all of the toy assets of Buddy L Inc. and its Hong Kong subsidiary("Buddy L"), one of the oldest toy brands in the United States whose core toy products included plastic and metal toy cars, trucks and other vehicles and battery-operated ride-ons (US Public Company Report 1996)

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At January 20, 1997, the Company had approximately 600 employees in the United States approximately 100 of whom were salaried, and approximately 40 employees in Hong Kong and China. This represents a significant reduction in both full-time and temporary employees from December 1996 levels reflecting the seasonality of the Company's business and a reduction in the Company's permanent work force. Two employees of the Company worked in the Company's button, buckle and novelty item business. The Company is seeking to effect a sale of such button, buckle and novelty item business (US Public Company Report 1996).

PROPERTIES in 1996

- OWNED:

1. Tarboro, NC Toy & Holiday 1,200,000 sq. ft. of Business factory, warehouse and office space
2. Tarboro, NC Toy Business/ 24,000 sq. ft. of Button factory space

- LEASED:

1. Gloversville, NY Toy Business 636,000 sq. ft. of warehouse and factory space
2. New York, NY Toy & Holiday 29,000 sq. ft. of Business showroom space
3. Delray Beach, FL Executive Offices 16,000 sq. ft. office space
4. Hong Kong Toy Business 2,600 sq. ft. office space
5. Hong Kong Toy Business 1,200 sq. ft.
6. Hong Kong Toy Business Warehouse space
7. New York, NY 3,500 sq. ft. showroom
8. New York, NY Toy Business/ 3,000 sq. ft. sales Buttons and distribution facility
9. St. Louis, MO 100,000 sq. ft. warehouse space

Empire’s 1996 results were damaged by serious difficulties encountered at its Tarboro, NC plant. The 1996 plan required the plant to increase production during the third and fourth quarters to meet peak seasonal demand. At the same time, transfer of the production of acquired Buddy L products, from Buddy L's facilities in Gloversville, NY to Tarboro, NC, was in its final stages. Production equipment acquired from Buddy L, as well as new capital equipment purchased to meet the expanded production schedule, was still being installed. Problems created by the influx of Buddy L product, delays in the start-up of new and transferred equipment and the training of new workers led to the loss of production efficiency, product damage, and missed shipping deadlines.Further, in an effort to meet customer demand, production of some items was outsourced at an increased cost. Also, during the third quarter,the Company determined that a substantial amount of work-in-process and purchased parts inventories, obtained as part of the Buddy L acquisition, were no longer usable (US Public Company Report 1996).

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By the new Millennium Empire was a sinking ship. In June 2001, the following appeared in the South Florida Business Journal “Delray Beach-based Empire of Carolina (OTC Pink Sheets: EMPIQ) and two of its subsidiaries, Empire Industries and Empire Toys (HK) Ltd, have entered into an agreement to sell substantially all of the group's toy operations to Alpha International for $5 million cash”.

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The mention of Empire Toys (HK) Ltd did and still does intrigue me. Still trading according to the China Supplier Directory, under management of parent company Alpha International, Inc (Cedar Rapids, IA) Empire Toys (HK) is “the maker and worldwide distributor of such famous toy brands as Grand Champions(R) Collectible Horses, Gearbox Toys and Collections (R), Big Wheels (R), Crocodile Mile (R), Water Toys, Gearbox Pedal Cars (R), and Buddy L(R), Vintage Replicas. For over 25 years Empire Toys (HK) Ltd. has been creating products for the enjoyment of children around the world”. I can’t find the company logo but it is run from Kowloon by Mr. King, which is uncanny if you remember that the original company logo had a crown over the E!

As in the 1960’s there are still hundreds of toy manufacturers in Hong Kong, with strong connections with US companies, such as Early Light and Mattel.

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Did Tarheel have a connection with Empire Toys (HK) in the late 1960’s, when most of the PROJECT SWORD line was sold? Besides the Tarheel and T logos is it possible that the phrase ’Empire made’ found on many plastic Space Toys referred to them in their Hong Kong capacity? It is true that mould and part-swapping was rife amongst the HK companies in the 1960’s, as we have seen with Tarheel/T in a Circle and JR21 previously on the blog. But did it mean anything more?

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The clearest definition of the term ‘Empire Made’ is on the Camera Collectors Forum “Empire Made means made in the British Empire, of which Hong Kong was the last surviving territory. It's a hangover from the days when Britain had an Empire, and goods made in the British Empire enjoyed a lower rate of import duty into the UK than goods made in other countries. It was called the 'Empire Duty Preference Scheme', and was usually part of a reciprocal trade agreement to help our exports. Goods from non-Empire countries had to have either the country of origin or 'foreign' marked on them.” (PeterW 2007).

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I recently asked a number of leading experts on JR21 toys, in particular, as to their understanding of the phrase ‘Empire Made‘. Dennis Nicholson, author of the definitive guide to Anderson Memorabilia, remarks “Empire made means made in part of the world then run by the (British) Empire, which in most cases (As far as toys were concerned), was Hong Kong, as Hong Kong was part of the British Empire in the 1960s (up until 1997). As was India until 1947-48. Australia still is part of the British Empire.” Empire Made appeared on a diverse range of plastic toys such as the ELM Donald Duck Jeep.

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The proprietor of the online vintage thunderbirds toys, Steve, concurs and adds that the change from JR21 to Century 21 happened between issue 89 of TV21(01/10/1966) & issue 90 (08/10/1966). I suppose that this signalled the move the full assimilation of J.Rosenthal Toys into Century 21 Toys.
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So , like WOTAN’s previously blogged and intriguing theory that ‘Tar Heel’ may indeed be ‘Tai Hing’ and thus connect it directly to the T in a Circle brand, not too mention the tantalising similarity of T in a Circle’s slogan ‘Toys Are Fun’ (blogger Arto) and Empire’s ‘Toys Kids Love’, it would appear my treatise is just that, an intriguing theory and that my original 1996 statement about Tarheel and ‘Empire Made’ being completely unconnected remains true.