Magnets

Maxfield & Oberton, the manufacturers of Buckyballs and Buckycubes, formally responded yesterday to the Consumer Product Safety Commission's administrative complaint that seeks to stop the sale of the high-powered magnets.

The CPSC filed a lawsuit against Zen Magnets, a manufacturer of rare earth magnet desk toys. It is the second such lawsuit the commission has filed in two weeks, after July's complaint against Maxfield & Oberton, makers of Buckyballs.

The company selling a magnetic desk toy the CPSC is trying to ban launched a Washington, D.C., advertising campaign, as 11 of its competitors agree to CPSC's request to stop selling their products.

CPSC filed a lawsuit last week declaring Buckyballs too risky for sale, citing several cases where children who swallowed the tiny magnets required surgery to have them removed. In its complaint, CPSC said warning labels didn't work because the hundreds of tiny magnets can't be labeled and the boxes are thrown away.

The ad campaign is timed to coincide with a congressional hearing featuring CPSC's four commissioners.

Maxfield & Oberton, the New York-based company that produces Buckyballs, has launched a video campaign to respond to the CPSC's accusations that their products are unsafe and should be pulled from stores.

The CPSC has filed an administative complaint against the makers of Buckyballs magnetic desk toys, citing risk of injury. The filing seeks to stop the sale of Buckyballs and Buckycubes and requests the manufacturer offer customers a full refund.

A U.S. Senator has asked the CPSC to halt the sale of popular high-powered magnetic desk toys. Junior Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to the CPSC asking it to "remove these dangerous products from the retail market to decrease the potential access children may have."

Gill Studios recently expanded to five field sales managers with the hire of Danielle Davidson. She joins Gill as its Greater Texas Territory field sales manager.

Prior to joining Gill Studios, Danielle worked for Bullet Marketing as a field sales representative.

Washington, Missouri-based The Chest announced today that it has acquired the WoodCo product line. "WoodCo offers a variety of magnetic products as well as laminated paper products," said Mary Dobsch, president of The Chest. "Their line will be an excellent complement to The Chest's."

Indeed, gone are the days of "one size fits all." Seeking to provide an unparalleled user experience and American-made product offering, Magnets.com today introduced its newest division: American Business Card Magnets.

Lion Circle Corporation has announced the purchase of SAM Line, a leading manufacturer of magnets and other plastic products, from Specialty Advertising and Marketing. Effective today, Specialty Advertising and Marketing Corporation is ceasing operations.