What happens at Spielwarenmesse…

3 February 202319 April 2023 by Jean-Philippe Théberge

2023 is a big milestone year for business in the toy industry: it’s the return to being able to exhibit at the industry’s biggest toy fair, the Spielwarenmesse in Nuremberg, Germany. Three years have passed since the Covid-19 outbreak and global pandemic started, and while videoconference calls helped us keep in touch with our partners, it’s unparalleled to meeting face to face. Why travel all the way from Canada to Germany? Let us take you behind the scenes of this grand fair.

Networking is a key component of many businesses, and it also applies to both the puzzle business and toy industry as a whole as well . For us, that means nourishing the longterm relationships we’ve had with distributors, retailers and business partners from many countries around the world. Meeting in January also means we’re able to share special info with them and plan ahead for the rest of the year. 

“It’s the perfect time to […] feel the signature foam-backed puzzle pieces we’ve been known for since 1991”

Although Wrebbit3D puzzles are available in multiple countries, they aren’t available worldwide… yet. Trade fairs are the great way to present the company and the Wrebbit3D brand to distributors of “new” countries. It’s the perfect time to showcase our products fully assembled, feel the signature foam-backed puzzle pieces we’ve been known for since 1991 and really grasp what The REAL 3D puzzle experience is all about. 

… in a humble but proud way the professional work the whole team put in for the past months. Passion always drives us forward, and it is really rewarding to present the hard work everyone’s been doing. In essence, we present the new 3D jigsaw puzzle designs that are readily available or forthcoming that will be released later on during the year. 

Another key aspect of going to fairs is to get approached by licensors. For those unfamiliar, licensor is just a fancy word that means “a company that grants the rights to someone to create products from a specific franchise”. For example, Warner Bros granted us the rights to do Harry Potter 3D puzzles, and Ubisoft did for the Assassin’s Creed franchise.

During the fair, licensors walk around and are on the lookout for high-quality products that are distinct or exceptionally unique. They visit us to potentially strike a deal to recreate a specific building, vehicule or key item from the franchise they represent. These sometimes unforeseen meetings can lead to exciting new products down the road. Working with a flexible team means we can manage to create a new design quicker if an opportunity presents itself. Who knows, we might already have something new brewing for later on this year…

In the end, a trade fair like Spielwarenmesse is one of the cornerstones of a toy company. These presentations we make at Wrebbit3D’s booth are crucial for you, the puzzler: they ensure that you get your hands on the real 3d jigsaw puzzle experience in your specific country with quality puzzles from movies, tv shows and themes you love and are fond of. It will take a few weeks or months for you to be able to benefit from the fruits of these connections. So while we wait, why not connect a few pieces yourself 😉