The man behind Playmobil, the small plastic figures loved by children the world over, has died.<br /><br /> Horst Brandstätter, who was 81, launched the iconic plastic figurines in the 1970s and turned his family firm into one of the world’s most recognizable toy brands.<br /><br /> But unlike many manufacturers, the Bavarian refused to move his production over to Asia.<br /><br /> “I’d say a Franconian does not change things easily,” he said in a recent TV interview.<br /><br /> “I’d feel uneasy if my products were being produced in the Far East – because it’s so far away, and I wouldn’t be able to keep an eye on it.”<br /><br /> Playmobil toys are made in Germany, Malta, Spain and the Czech Republic.<br /><br /> Brandstätter had started as a mold maker in the 1950’s and was quick to spot the potential for toys made of plastic rather than metal.<br /><br /> The seven and a half centimeter figures – compact, sturdy and painful to step on – have since become a smashing hit, with nearly 3 billion Playmobil sold to date.
