How has the industry changed and evolved since your father Antonio founded Juguetes Dimare in 1965?

The toy industry around the world was forever changed by the invasion of cheap Chinese toys. In the 1980s and 1990s, it almost destroyed the toy industries of many countries and certainly affected our production line. We had to adapt and focus on cost optimisation, process automation and branding.
In more recent years, the emergence of different technologies has taken children away from the traditional, creative games designed to aid their development. We cannot fight these trends so we incorporate them into our products. In 2016, we needed to add a doll to our blocks line. Instead of creating a normal doll, we developed a “mutant” model that allows the child to assemble the doll and transform it into different types of real or even fantasy characters. We also give our customers the possibility to produce on-demand pieces with 3D printing technology.
On the other hand, today’s tendency to entertain children through gadgets and apps has also resulted in a renewed demand for traditional toys that allow parents to share quality time with their children. The trend cuts both ways.

Tradition and innovation often collide when a company moves from one generation to the next. How has innovation impacted your business?

We embrace innovations that serve to rejuvenate the brand and the company. We are adopting new technologies to increase the enjoyment from playing with our toys, but designing products that stimulate the child’s development is always our utmost priority.
In 2004, we started to incorporate new technologies such as robotics and programming into traditional toys. The idea was to help stimulate children’s brains while introducing them to the technologies of tomorrow. For instance, we recently released Castillo de Fuego, a game that involves augmented reality technology. Children can use blocks to build a traditional castle that, when viewed through a tablet or smartphone, will also show animated characters that can be controlled using the device.

Juguetes Rasti has received numerous awards and attention from the international media. What makes your toys different?

We specialise in offering fun and stimulation for children through innovative and educational toys. We appeal to adults because they either played with our toys in their childhood or they’ve adopted us as a “detox” from the overabundance of digital entertainment children are exposed to. We focus on parents and families who want less screen time and more creative play for their children. I believe this allows us to differentiate ourselves and obtain a better competitive position within the toy market.
Another element that sets us apart from other toy companies is our “free play” constructions line. These toys come with a mix of completely different pieces and no instructions. Providing an image to replicate doesn’t stimulate creativity because it simply requires the child to follow instructions. Instead, we want children to be free to use their imagination and create all different types of constructions without any kind of limitation.
Fuente: Tharawat Magazine