Revell

Revell and its associated companies are leaders in the world of model-making and diecast vehicle collecting. The company is best known for its scale plastic model kits. The hobby of building plastic models developed after World War II, and Revell's extensive range of kits has included cars, ships, aircraft, military vehicles, and spaceships. The models have been largely aimed at children, but have also won popularity among adult hobbyists.

Revell originated as an injection molding company, Precision Specialties, founded in 1943 by Lou Glasser, a California entrepreneur. The company exploited the postwar boom in plastics, whose ability to be molded [Page 597]quickly and cheaply in a multitude of shapes was attractive to the growing model industry. Precision Specialties manufactured several plastic model kits, and in 1951 they released a scale replica of the Maxwell, a vintage car popularized in comedian Jack Benny's radio and television shows. The Maxwell's impressive sales prompted the release of further vintage car models. Their success encouraged Glasser to concentrate exclusively on the production of plastic model kits, and he adapted the French word reveille (meaning “new beginning”) for his new company—Revell.

Issued in 1953, the first Revell-made model kit was a replica of the battleship USS Missouri. Three aircraft kits quickly followed, and throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Revell released an array of models in two-piece cardboard boxes that featured eye-catching, lithographed illustrations. Along with competitors such as Aurora and Monogram, Revell marketed their products through discount department stores like EW. Wool-worth and S.S. Kresge, and the company enjoyed considerable success as model-making grew in popularity.

Revell specialized in automotive, naval, and military themes, but during the 1960s, the company experimented with several new lines. Revell capitalized on fads such as the Beatles by producing model figures of the pop group, as well as introducing building-block toys, model trains, and slot-car racing sets. Through the 1970s, Revell continued to diversify, producing educational aids such as filmstrips and scientific models intended for the institutional market. The company also introduced a girl-oriented line featuring fabric art and craft kits. Significant overseas expansion also saw the launch of Revell subsidiary companies in Australia, Britain, Germany, and Switzerland.

By the 1980s, however, Revell was struggling financially. The company was bought by leading French toy manufacturer, Generale du Jouet, but it continued to flounder. Demand for plastic models declined as competition increased from computer games. Rising oil prices also increased the cost of plastic, while decreasing birth rates reduced the potential market for model kits. Generale du Jouet also ran into difficulties through overexpansion, and in 1983 it undertook a massive reorganization that included the sale of Revell.

Bought by the American investors Odyssey Partners in 1986, Revell was integrated with Monogram, its longtime rival, which Odyssey had purchased earlier that year. The union saw the formation of Revell-Monogram, the world's largest model kit company. The amalgamation was officially termed a merger, but Revell's operations were essentially brought to an end as all its molds, tooling, and designs were transferred to Monogram's Illinois offices. Nevertheless, because of Revell's global reputation, Revell remained the primary brand on many of the company's kits.

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