February 07, 2008	Thursday	Muharram 28, 1429

BRUSSELS, Feb 6: Mattel Inc. said it has full confidence in China’s manufacturers despite last year’s recalls of over 20 million toys made in the Asian powerhouse, which cost the world’s leading toymaker around $110 million.

Mattel CEO Robert Eckert told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday that another embarrassing spate of worldwide recalls -- due to excessive levels of lead paint and other unsafe components -- was unlikely in 2008.

“We have full confidence in China and I am confident that the problems we experienced in 2007 are very much behind us,” Eckert said.

“China has stepped up to the challenges of last year and continues to improve. I know Chinese regulators have stepped up their efforts, so we will continue to support them.” Mattel produces over half of its toys in China with nearly 49 per cent supplied by independent manufacturers, known as “vendor plants”.

“We have certainly increased our oversight in these vendor plants. Regarding lead paint, we have our new three step process, which has only been going since August 2007,” Eckert said.

—Reuters