See it and Sell it First at ASI Show Orlando – January 4-6, 2025.   Register Now.

News

Former Sales Manager Buys Supplier Artistic Toy

Artistic Toy Manufacturing (asi/37122) has a new owner that’s a familiar face.

Katrina Marshall, sales manager at the Allentown, PA-based supplier for the previous 11 years, closed on a deal to acquire the company’s assets on Dec. 29th. Financial terms of the deal, which was announced Jan. 5, were kept private. Going forward, the supplier is rebranding under the company name “Artistic Toys & Promotions LLC.” Betsy and Jim Socci previously owned Artistic Toy, Marshall told Counselor.

During her career at Artistic Toys, Marshall has had a hand in a wide variety of day-to-day operations – everything from dressing teddy bears to negotiating key contracts. “I am confident in the future success of the company and will continue to focus on quality products and superior customer service,” Marshall said in a statement. 

Marshall told Counselor that Jim Socci, company president, will remain on board for a time. “He will be available to consult and advise during the transition,” Marshall said. Socci believes Marshall, with all her experience at Artistic Toys, is the perfect person to lead the supplier. “I am humbled and honored to see Katrina take Artistic Toy into the future,” Socci said. “She has a talented team behind her and a client base that loves her and our products.” 

Focused keenly on toy safety and superior service, Artistic Toys expects to reach sales of about $1.5 million in 2018, Marshall told Counselor. “The biggest thing for us is staying relevant to our clients by delivering great products and great service that surpass their expectations,” said Marshall. 

Artistic Toys designs, decorates, and manufacturers stuffed toys used for corporate advertising. The firm only sells through a network of independent distributors and promotional consultants. Artistic Toys sews and stitches stuffed toy prototypes in the U.S. that go on to be mass-produced in overseas factories. A company bio says that the supplier also warehouses and decorates thousands of different styles of stuffed animals that are delivered in days. ​