Danish puzzle-maker Plus-Plus has tapped toy industry veteran Tony White to bolster the ranks of its US subsidiary as VP of sales for specialty accounts. 

Plus-Plus is best known for its uniquely shaped puzzle pieces that look like plus signs and link together to create a range of 2D pictures and 3D objects. Some of its products include Puzzle By Number sets of dogs and cats, along with 70-piece tubes featuring buildable action figures. 

White’s remit is to oversee specialty retail sales, managing internal sales teams and a network of more than 80 independent sales reps. He joined Plus-Plus earlier this month and reports to USA CEO Ryan Hamilton. Sales VP Bret Faber will now focus on building new national accounts in grocery chains, travel services and book retailers.

White spent the last year in New York as a national sales manager at preschool toyco HABA FAMILYGROUP. He also previously worked at TOMY International for 11 years, developing and executing business development strategies and broadening US distribution channels as a national sales manager. 

Plus-Plus is priming itself to grow along with the hobby and toy retail sector, which generated US$19.4 billion in revenue last year, according to a report published by Australia-based research firm IBISWorld. And although the wider toy industry has been experiencing average revenue losses of 0.9% annually since 2018, IBISWorld expects this downturn to change direction over the next five years as kids demand more construction toys, puzzles and design kits.