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Hobby specialist Hornby today outlined plans to make a range of toys and collectables for the London 2012 Olympic Games — including Airfix models of the Olympic stadium.
Other products will include velodrome cycling Scalextric sets, Corgi model vehicles such as London taxis and buses, and Hornby Olympic Park train sets.
Analysts at Altium described the contract as a “coup” for Hornby which has benefited from Lewis Hamilton and James Bond Scalextric sets in recent years.
It came as hundreds of firms take advantage of the 2012 Olympics through contracting, sponsorship and merchandising deals.
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) expect to allocate more than £6 billion of work in the coming years.
Hornby won the licence — the first for toys and souvenirs — from LOCOG, and all the products will carry the official London 2012 colours and branding.
The first ranges will be launched later this year, in time for Christmas, and the licence will operate for the next three years in the run up to the Games and beyond.
LOCOG chief executive Paul Deighton said: “One of the most exciting things about our commercial programme is the possibilities it offers in the licensing and merchandise arena.
“We are proud to be working with a truly iconic British company which can offer us a great range of products across its brands that will celebrate the Games in 2012 and live on for generations after as collectors' items.
“We welcome Hornby — and Corgi, Scalextric and Airfix — to the London 2012 family.”
Frank Martin, his counterpart at Hornby, said he hoped the deal would prove “significant” for the firm.
“This is a great honour for Hornby and an important development for the group,” he said. “This licence represents a major opportunity for Hornby to grow our sales and to extend the appeal of our products with new consumers.
“The first products will be on sale before Christmas this year.”
Despite the deal, Altium advised clients to sell Hornby shares because of subdued demand in the recession.
