On Feb. 1, 2021, Round 2 announced Praesidian Capital, an investment firm located in Larchmont, New York, had acquired controlling interest (51%) in the model manufacturer. Round 2 is well known for reviving and reissuing plastic models from vintage brands like MPC, AMT, and Polar Lights, as well as collectible die-cast lines Johnny Lightning and American Muscle.
In the press release, Round 2 President and Founder Tom Lowe said Praesidian "brings significant resources" to help scale the business "organically and through acquisitions." Currently, no staff changes are in the works and Round 2 will keep its headquarters in Southbend, Indiana.
"Our customers can be assured that it is business as usual at Round 2, with lots of continued growth to come,” Lowe said via the press release.
In the same press release, Jason Drattell, Praesidian founder, said the investment firm recognized Round 2 as a "market leader in the collectibles space" and will support the management team as the company "continues to expand its product offerings.” Glenn Harrison, a Praesidian Capital partner remarked Praesidian sees a "significant consolidation opportunity within the highly fragmented collectibles space."
Round 2 announced last week that it had acquired a license to produce
Star Wars model kits, adding to the growing list of high-profile brands its working with, including Hot Wheels, Hasbro and
Monopoly, and
James Bond. According to Chad Reid, a Round 2 spokesperson, modelers can anticipate Round 2 to approach the
Star Wars license similarly to the other science-fiction kits it produces.
“That means we will be re-popping old kits and tooling new stuff,” Reid said. Round 2 looks to bring the first
Star War reissues to market in late summer or early fall. The exact lineup has yet to be determined.
Additionally, Round 2 expects to create new molds in many of its legacy brand categories, including cars. With the ink on the deal barely dry, the company in the midst of planning where they’ll focus first for new tools.
When asked if Round 2 was looking to grow more into the pre-finished collectibles space, Reid said it was “business as usual” for now with a concentration on growing current product lines.
“As we grow, we may look into other brands that would fit under the Round 2 umbrella, but all of that will be in due time,” Reid said.