Toy Maker to Open $6.5M Facility in Rogers

Redman & Associates, a leading manufacturer of Disney ride-on toys, announced Monday it will open a $6.5 million facility in Rogers.

Redman CEO and founder Mel Redman said the facility will employ 74 people, with an average pay of $18 an hour.

The long-term plan is for all of the company’s overseas manufacturing operations to be moved to Rogers within three years, Redman said.

“We are extremely proud to be able to manufacture right here in Arkansas,” he said.

Gov. Mike Beebe and Bill Simon, president and CEO Of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s U.S. division, were among those who showed support for the new facility, during a press conference at the John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers, about five miles away from its proposed location at 1300 N. Dixieland Rd.

“A country can’t be truly great if you don’t make stuff,” Beebe said.

“We are just glad to be a part of it,” Simon said. “This is not only bringing back jobs, it’s bringing back opportunity.”

Citing his projection that the relocating of manufacturing jobs to the U.S. will become a trend, Redman thanked Simon and Beebe for their support.

“This agreement was completed through working collaboratively with the state and Walmart and has accelerated following Walmart’s U.S. manufacturing summit in August.”

During the summit, Walmart committed to buying an additional $50 billion of American-made goods during the next 10 years. Simon said the company purchases about two-thirds of its products from U.S. manufacturers already.

“We are just getting started. We will have several announcements in the coming months,” Simon said.

 The facility will be housed in an existing 275,000-square-foot building.

The company will make six-volt, battery-powered toys from Disney and Marvel franchises including Disney Princess, Classics, Disney-Pixar and Spider-Man.

Redman is licensed by Marvel Characters B.V., and Redman produces Disney character ride-on toys for Walmart under Walmart’s license with Disney.

Production should begin in early 2014.

“It’s a great day for the state of Arkansas, for Rogers and for the United States,” Redman said, “and for my little company.”