British manufacturer Paladone has acquired New Jersey-based WeCool Toys in order to move its portfolio of kids entertainment licenses into new and trendy product categories and build out its international distribution chain. 

Paladone currently makes products spanning puzzles & games, housewares and health & beauty for partners and brands including Disney, Harry Potter, Minecraft and Super Mario. WeCool’s focus on slime toys and remote-control vehicles will give the 30-year-old company a complementary manufacturing pipeline.  

Jeff Osnato (a former Toys “R” Us arts & crafts buyer) and Ross Alber founded WeCool in 2016 to fill a gap in the market for slime products. Today, the company distributes brands such as Compound Kings (slime), Activity Kings (DIY activity sets), Magic Trace (drawing and coloring) and LumiTEK R/C (remote-controlled vehicles) in 35 countries around the world. In terms of its licensing business, the company signed a significant deal in 2021 with Mattel to develop Barbie- and Hot Wheels-branded compounds and activities. 

Post-acquisition, Osnato will remain in place as president of WeCool Toys, but now reporting to Paladone CEO Jim Downey.