REGULATORY · COMPETITIVE · UK
Hornby divests Scalextric slot-car racing brand
Change
Hornby sold the Scalextric slot-car racing business and related intellectual property to Purbeck Capital Partners for £20m (announced Friday).
Why it matters
Hornby has transferred Scalextric’s business and IP rights to Purbeck Capital Partners for £20m, ending Hornby’s ownership of the brand it held since 1968. Control over product roadmap, brand positioning, and any future licensing tied to Scalextric now sits with Purbeck. Hornby stated the proceeds will be used to pay down debt and invest in its remaining portfolio (including Airfix and Corgi), altering near-term balance-sheet and funding capacity. The buyer is a family office led by Mark Brown, and the transaction is described as its first investment, indicating a new owner without an established public operating track record in toys.
Implications
- • Scalextric IP and commercial rights move from Hornby to Purbeck immediately post-close.
- • Hornby’s leverage and liquidity profile changes via a £20m cash inflow.
- • Any existing Scalextric licensing/partner relationships face a new counterparty.
- • Hornby’s remaining brands become the focus for reinvestment capital allocation.
Who is affected
- • Hornby Group and parent Castelnau (management, lenders, shareholders)
- • Purbeck Capital Partners / Mark Brown family office (new owner/operator)
- • Scalextric licensees, distributors, and retail partners
- • Hornby portfolio brands (Airfix, Corgi) and their commercial partners
Source
Topics
Law & Public Safety Intellectual Property Business & Markets Mergers & Acquisitions Manufacturing