K'Nex

The first K'Nex Box was launched in the U.S. market in 1993. Original models with moving parts had a handcrank to make things move, but soon, gears and motors allowed models to move on their own.{{cite web|url=http://www.knex.com/info/history.php |title=History of K'Nex |publisher=Knex.com |access-date=June 3, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223085049/http://www.knex.com/info/history.php |archive-date=February 23, 2012 }}

File:Knex-bridge.jpg

The company's products were sold at Toys "R" Us, starting in early October 1992.{{cn|date=April 2023}} By 2011, K'Nex was distributed in over 25 countries, including the United States.{{cn|date=April 2023}}

In 2018, all of K'Nex's assets were purchased by Basic Fun!, a Florida-based toy company.{{cite web |last=Whyte |first=Alexandra |date=February 11, 2018 |url=http://kidscreen.com/2018/02/13/basic-fun-buys-knex/ |title=Basic Fun! buys K'NEX |publisher=Kidscreen |access-date=February 6, 2019}}{{cite web |date=February 12, 2018 |url=https://www.basicfun.com/news/archived/2018/knex-acquired.html#:~:text=Basic%20Fun!%2C%20the%20Boca%20Raton,%E2%80%9Cthe%20new%E2%80%9D%20Basic%20Fun! |title=Basic Fun! Acquires K'NEX |publisher=Basic Fun! |access-date=February 6, 2019 |archive-date=November 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115200610/http://www.basicfun.com/news/archived/2018/knex-acquired.html#:~:text=Basic%20Fun!%2C%20the%20Boca%20Raton,%E2%80%9Cthe%20new%E2%80%9D%20Basic%20Fun! |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |last=|first=|date=February 12, 2018|url=https://toyworldmag.co.uk/basic-fun-buys-knex/|title=Basic Fun! buys K'Nex|publisher=Toyworldmag.co.uk|accessdate=April 15, 2022}} The acquisition was valued at around $21 million.{{cite web |last=Savana |first=Freda |date=February 10, 2018 |url=https://www.theintell.com/news/20180210/hatfield-toymaker-knex-sold |title=Hatfield toymaker K'NEX sold |publisher=The Intell.com |access-date=January 2, 2020 |archive-date=January 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200102005752/https://www.theintell.com/news/20180210/hatfield-toymaker-knex-sold |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |date=April 19, 2019|url=https://licensinginternational.org/news/basic-fun-keeps-knex-licenses/ |title=Basic Fun Keeps K'Nex Licenses |publisher=Licensing International |access-date=January 2, 2020}}{{cite web |last=|first=|date=February 18, 2018|url=https://consumergoods.com/basic-fun-buys-knex|title=Basic Fun Buys K'NEX|publisher=Consumergoods.com|accessdate=April 15, 2022}}

In 2024, Basic Fun filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company will use bankruptcy proceedings to repay its creditors while remaining in operation.{{Cite web|url= https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-28/toy-maker-behind-lincoln-logs-tinker-toys-files-for-bankruptcy?ref=biztoc.com|title= Toy Maker Behind Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys Files for Bankruptcy|date=June 28, 2024|access-date=June 28, 2024|website=Bloomberg|language=en}} Basic Fun emerged from bankruptcy on November 1, 2024.{{Cite web|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/basic-fun-completes-its-restructuring-with-a-significantly-strengthened-financial-position-and-continues-on-its-growth-trajectory-302294197.html|title=Basic Fun Completes Its Restructuring with a Significantly Strengthened Financial Position and Continues on its Growth Trajectory|date=November 1, 2024|access-date=January 26, 2025|website=PR Newswire|language=en}}

The basic K'Nex pieces used to make models include rods, connectors, and bricks. Basic K'Nex pieces are made out of polyoxymethylene plastic.{{cite web|title=Ticona Polymer and Processing Expertise Helps Rodon Deliver Successes, Including K'Nex® Toys|url=http://www.celanese.com/engineered-materials/News-and-Media/2013/July/Ticona%20Polymer%20and%20Processing%20Expertise.aspx|website=celanese.com|publisher=Celanese Corporation|access-date=March 19, 2016}}

Concordia University's Engineering and Computer Science Association (ECA){{cite web|url=http://ecaconcordia.ca |title=Concordia Engineering and Computer Science Association |publisher=ECA |date=June 15, 2014 |access-date=June 15, 2014}} has erected models of a Space Shuttle, the Sears Tower, the Eiffel Tower, Habitat 67, and mazes out of K'Nex.{{cite web|url=http://theconcordian.com/2011/03/08/concordias-women-in-engineering-chapter-construct-massive-knex-shuttle/ |title=Concordia's Women in Engineering chapter construct massive K'Nex shuttle |publisher=The Concordian |date=March 8, 2011 |access-date=June 3, 2012}} The U.S. Space and Rocket Center held a Guinness Book of World Records Award for the "World's Largest K'Nex Sculpture" and also has a huge space shuttle and rocket in their gift shop in Huntsville, Alabama. The Guinness World Record for "World's Largest K'Nex Sculpture" was broken in 2014 by a team in the UK with a 13.38-meter-long K'Nex replica of the Bloodhound 1600 km/h Supersonic Car. K'Nex also has a traveling exhibit, K'Nex: Build Thrill Rides, that visits schools and museums across the country.

K'NEX The Lost Mines: Adventure Begins, was released in 1998 by EAI Interactive for Windows 95,{{cite web |url= http://legendsworld.net/adventure/game/3981|title= K'NEX The Lost Mines: Adventure Begins|website= legendsworld.net|access-date= March 16, 2019}} and Virtual K'Nex was also released in 1998 by Fox Interactive for Windows 3.x.{{cn|date=November 2024}}

• K*bot World Championships
• Fischertechnik
• Meccano

{{reflist}}

{{Commonscat}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080913191832/http://www.knex.com/ Official K'Nex website]
• [https://www.basicfun.com/knex/ Basic Fun! K’Nex website]

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Category:Construction toys

Category:Products introduced in 1992

Category:Toy companies of the United States

Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2024