Mattel Tells China It's Sorry

Tampa Tribune ^ | September 22, 2007

[yorkie]

LOS ANGELES - Mattel Inc. tried to save face Friday with Chinese officials, taking the blame for the recent recalls of millions of Chinese-made toys as it strives to mend a strained relationship with the nation that makes most of its toys and fattens its profit.

The world's largest toy maker sent a top executive to personally apologize to China's product safety chief, Li Changjang, as reporters and company lawyers looked on.

'Mattel takes full responsibility for these recalls and apologizes personally to you, the Chinese people, and all of our customers who received the toys,' Thomas A. Debrowski, Mattel's executive vice president for worldwide operations, told Li.

The unusual move reflects how invested El Segundo-based Mattel has become in China.

'Mattel certainly must have been facing some pressure to do that, because you can't imagine why they would be trying to push this story along any further,' said Eric Johnson, a professor of operations management at Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.

He suggested Mattel may want to prevent China from imposing more taxes or regulations.

'China's embarrassment in all this could lead to that, and I think they were trying to head that off with this apology,' Johnson said.

[R. Scott]

They don’t want to tick off a good source of very cheap labor.

[johnthebaptistmoore]

The continued worsening of political correctness leads to goofy, strange, and stupid business transactions such as this.

[EEDUDE]

“Is it just me, or is this insane?”

Sound just like out State Department, don’t they?

[blu]

'Mattel takes full responsibility for these recalls and apologizes personally to you, the Chinese people, and all of our customers who received the toys,' Thomas A. Debrowski, Mattel's executive vice president for worldwide operations, told Li.

Ok, this Gramma is OFFICIALLY never buying another Mattel product! Weasels! Instead of making China produce a safe product, or even wackier, making the products here at home, they have to send a company rep over there to kiss chinese ass?

Dang, I am going to miss Hot Wheels.

[Paperdoll]

It’s high time we boycott Mattel and also the other companies who have taken their manufacturing off shore! Maybe they will bring those jobs back to the U.S. where there are quality checks as a part of doing business.

[yorkie]

Please write them and tell them how you feel. Here is the link for contact:

http://service.mattel.com/us/contactus.aspx

[nyyankeefan]

Mattel Tells China It’s Sorry...

but mattel does not apologize to the american consumer public!!!!!

[Will88]

Mattel’s apologizing to China because Chinese subcontractors used (against specs)) high lead content paint on millions of toys???

Pathetic!

[Leisler]

Matel executive admits erroneous ways.

[tflabo]

Pathetic....we have become a nation of chumps and weasels.

BOYCOTT MATTEL

[Joe Boucher]

Hey Mattel, sorry you choose to have all your crap made by the chi-coms.
Guess I’ll have to buy toys from a different toy maker.
Go suck up to the chi-coms you dirtbags.

[Joe Boucher]

I’m with you pal.

[longtermmemmory]

kow tow is back.

[Paperdoll]

Thanks.

[Will88]

Li upbraided Mattel for maintaining weak safety controls and reminded Debrowski that ‘a large part of your annual profit ... comes from your factories in China.’

‘I really hope that Mattel can learn lessons and gain experience from these incidents,’ Li said, adding Mattel should ‘improve their control measures.’”

Total suck-up mode, being upbraided by China for Chinese mistakes, then Mattel takes the blame and loves it. Poor controls at Mattel, not China’s fault. Talk about having Mattel by the short hairs. Gotta have that cheap labor no matter what.

[jwparkerjr]

Seems to me like the law of unintended consequences might be about to raise its ugly head! Not only have the made the Chinese mad, now Americans are going to bypass their products anyway. It doesn’t matter how many toys the can make in China or how little it costs to produce them, if no one buys them.

This little escapade of an apology of all things might just be enough to give Americans the guts to boycott their products. Not only do you run the risk of buying something that might harm your kids, the people who bring it to you are gutless. It’s the consumer perfecta!

[VictoryGal]

Time to boycott Mattel. Money grubbing weasels who couldn’t care less about kid’s safety, and all too willing to lick ChiComs’ toes.

[Wiz]

OK guys, now we know Mattel is a dog of Communist China. That is worth a boycott for being unpatriotic.

[yorkie]

Here is what my friend wrote to Mattel this morning: (I was given permission to post it here).

corporate.communications@mattel.com

Mattel Tells China It’s Sorry

“The world’s largest toy maker sent a top executive to personally apologize to China’s product safety chief, Li Changjang, as reporters and company lawyers looked on.”

This is unbelievable!! Just absolutely unbelievable! An American Company apologizes to the Chinese Communists when the fault lies w/the Chinese.

I’ve forwarded this article to all my family, friends and contacts. They will forward it on to their contacts and on and on down the line. Every single person I’ve spoken to regarding this is outraged, and has the same response.. “is there no end to the greed of these corporations.”

I’ve checked your website for a list of all your products... I will NEVER and I mean NEVER buy any of your products. If and when you get out of China I will reconsider.

I hope there is someone in your corporation (other than the sniveling little girls who made this decision to PERSONALLY apologize to the Commies) who has the common sense to immediately begin moving your company out of China and back to The Land of the Free and The Home of the Brave.

[redgolum]

Mattel was probably told that if they didn’t apologize, they would lose all their contracts.