Siku Toys

Corporate Structure

History

In 1921, Richard Sieper a foundry company in Lüdenscheid. It became the basis of today's SIKU company. Before the Second World War, consumer products and belt buckles were primarily manufactured. After development of thermoplastics from consumer goods were produced such as bathroom mirror cabinets and shelves.

1943, a further production site in Hilchenbach- Müsen was opened, which produced this small furniture. 2007 Müsener Sieper -Werke were converted to the SieBad GmbH. This had to declare bankruptcy in 2009. The plant was closed.

The ascent as toy manufacturers started 1950. Starting in 1951, the first SIKU plastic cars were produced. SIKU has been registered as a trademark and was among the exhibitors at the first Nuremberg Toy Fair. Were shown for the first time toys made ​​of plastic. As of 1951, toy models, initially, made ​​entirely of plastic. In 1955, 32 SIKU toy models were taken at a scale of 1:60 in the product portfolio. The production of toy models made of metal began in 1963. They are manufactured in zinc die casting process.

1950s

It first plastic toys were produced, such as farms or animals. The first Siku model cars plastic - V series at a scale of 1:60 were produced in 1954. In addition to the standard car models that were found in the years on German roads, and American street cruisers were prepared as a model for example. Among the various types of motor vehicles such as trucks, cranes, military vehicles and aircraft also an extremely wide range of accessories such as traffic signs, figures, buildings and street plans was offered.

1960s

Siku 1963 made ​​the first models made ​​of zinc die -cast, the so-called metal V - Series, also at a scale of 1:60. Although the models of the plastic series were continued to be produced, but fell gradually from the program until 1969, the sculpture series was all set. Also in the metal series, there was next to the then current vehicle models again exotics such as American road cruiser or race car. But demountable buildings such as a garage or gas station that were loaded onto a low loader, siku had on offer.

1970s

In 1975 there was the next changes, including the scale of the new models has been changed to 1:55. Model numbers were four digits, called the 1000 series or Super Series; the V models had not had a three-digit model number. Although some models of the V- series were still taken with the 1000 series, so that initially quasi were two different standards in the program this fall but until the mid-1980s gradually out. The 1:55 scale is partly still today.

1980s

1990s

In 1993, the logo was changed. Before, this was a white circle, which was edged with rainbow colors. From now on, this was a red circle with the white inscription SIKU. The Siku models were now printed detail, thanks to plastic floor panels also lighter and less sharp. In 1995, a logistics center, fully automated high -bay warehouse in Lüdenscheid was built. 1998 launched the series SIKU toy models junior with plastic in large scale.

2000s

In 2003, first appeared in the Farmer Classic Series two classic tractor models and a trailer. Until now, a wide variety of tractor models, the earlier characterized the country life were brought out in 1:32, to the appropriate attachments and trailers.

Also models were manufactured in H0 scale 1:87 ( Siku M87 ) since 2003.

For some years, especially construction vehicles, as well as truck and car models produced in 1:50 scale. In passenger cars, there are variations between 1:50 and 1:60 to adapt the models to the package size. In this segment, which is occupied by the manufacturers NZG, Conrad, Joal, Norscott and others, is the scale usually at 1:50.

A new field entered Siku with the remote controlled Infrared Control Series in 2004 ( from 2007: remote- controlled). Since 2005, the Classic Series Siku Super models now available. These are replicas of historical models; The series was launched with two Magirus Deutz fire engines. However, these models are built not in 1:55 scale, but the scale of 1:50.

As of 2006, simply designed car models were produced, which are similar to the Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars. These have names such as Lightning Siku - Siku - or Hurricane, not the name of the real role model and differ in small details of these. For example, the Siku -Desert -Lion, which was obviously inspired by the Hummer H1, square instead of round headlights and no grille on the hood. Furthermore, you will also military models on offer. Since 2010 there is agricultural models in scale 1:50.

At the Int. Toy Fair in Nuremberg 2013, the new SIKURACING series with the ToyAward and the trader 's Favourite Award. SIKURACING are track-bound remote controlled racing car in scale 1:43.

In 2013, the game system SIKUWorld was released. Here can be built and played with SIKU 1:50 scale models with different printed base plates " game worlds ".

Product range

The product range includes toy models made ​​of metal and plastic in different scales and a variety of topics: SIKUSuper includes all car models and mainly covers the topics city, rescue, construction and special vehicles in scales 1:50, 1:55 and 1:87 from. All agricultural models (eg tractors, harvesters and attachments) in scales of 1:87, 1:50 and 1:32 are covered by SIKUFarmer. The SIKUControl32 series includes all remote-controllable models (eg, tractors, trucks and attachments) in 1:32 on wireless technology. SIKUracing is a race series and includes remote controlled racing cars from zinc in 1:43 scale. The race car can drive freely and are not bound to tracks or rails. The SIKUWorld series includes a game system in which various bases a game world can be built upon the existing SIKU models can be used. Here are the topics City, Agriculture and firefighters are covered.

Sikuautos as collectibles

Due to the high quality and detail, in conjunction with extensive accessories, the products of Siku were popular from the beginning with collectors. Some collectors specialize in a particular series, such as the early plastic models, super series, advertising models, international models or only on Farmer models. But there are also lovers who collect almost everything, from the model on the packaging to promotional material. This can be catalogs, price lists or sticker / poster. But there are also towels and golf balls with the Siku emblem.

Besides the normal production models, there are also models that have been specially manufactured for foreign markets and were also only in the respective countries, with a reason that early foreign models are sought-after rarities today. Nowadays you can purchase most of the current models from other countries via the local dealers. Real models from other countries, you can see from today's, manufactured in the Far East models from times, are the replicas of the company Rei from Brazil, which moved into disused molds and components of Siku the 1970er/1980ern. These models are extremely rare and hard to find, but often recur, new variants. The situation is similar with the replicas of the Hungarian company Metchy, who also produced in the 1980s Siku products in new colors and Made in Hungary. Moreover, even Siku cars for Australia, Denmark, Finland, France, Great Britain, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain and the United States to be built. There are also a common Euro series, which has existed since 2004.

The often made ​​only in significantly smaller numbers than the series or foreign models promotional models enjoy a special appreciation among collectors. It involves models that manufactures Siku on behalf of clients according to their specifications. These models can be normal production models, in which the company name can be printed or it can be cumbersome printed and painted in special colors models that are packed even in special promotional boxes. From the beginning, there was at this Siku industrial contracts, the development of the first 32 Siku models with the revenues from the production of so-called margarine Werbefiguren was realized. Although there were in all Siku series already advertising models, the broad breakthrough of the Siku cars as an advertising medium, however, came only in the 1980s. There were a variety of models for corporate anniversaries or fairs made ​​from cars to large combine harvesters, partly they had real role models, some were fancy vehicles. Previously, there were only very few advertising models, which often several hundred euros can be worth today.

Again, there are rarities who know the majority of collectors only from the collector catalog or the Internet. Some of these models are hard to come by because they were issued by the industrial customers only to business partners and / or the support was very low. Likewise, there are also advertising models whose circulation is 10,000 and more and that is to have far below the price of the production model. In between is the diversity, but also the price range is very large.

Since 2006, Siku limited edition models on special occasions, such as the IAA. These so-called Black Line models are black, packaged in a special box and with an imprint, eg IAA 2006 provided. For the IAA 2007 Siku had five cars in black custom paint, packaged in black boxes, anger produces. It was the following models: Porsche Carrera GT, Bugatti Veyron and Mercedes McLaren SLR. In addition, there was the Porsche 911 and VW Transporter T5 in Black with flame pressure.

There was also the first time the Truck Grand Prix 2008 a special model. It was a MAN TGA XXL tractor type in blackline flames design.

The privately run museum in town Siku wage issues the entire model history of the brand Siku in a permanent exhibition.