HIT Appoints Funtastic as Australian Distributor for New Thomas Toy

HONG KONG, January 10: At this year’s Hong Kong Toy Fair,
HIT Entertainment named Funtastic as the Thomas & Friends Trackmaster distribution partner for Australia.

Funtastic will oversee the transition from the Thomas
& Friends Motor Road and Rail track
system to a brand new play system called Trackmaster, due for launch in 2009.
Funtastic will also continue to distribute the Tomy Thomas &
Friends preschool range. The company has
been a HIT licensee for more than ten years.

“Funtastic has been an integral part of our success and
growth in the Australian market and this appointment is reflective of
Funtastic’s enormous contribution,” said Peter Byrne, the executive VP of
worldwide consumer products at HIT Entertainment. “With an exciting new track
system, we look forward to working with Funtastic in taking the Thomas &
Friends brand to a whole new level.”

Tony Oates, Funtastic’s managing director added, “The whole
Funtastic team is incredibly proud to carry on our long history of marketing
and distributing Thomas & Friends in
the Australian marketplace. And we have some exciting plans in place to ensure
Thomas continues to reign supreme with Australian preschoolers in 2008.”

—By Ned Berke