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Welcome to the official web site of the HMA! The Hobby Manufacturers Association (HMA) was created in 2005 through the unification of three associations within the hobby industry: International Model Hobby Manufacturers Association, Model Railroad Industry Association and the Radio Control Hobby Trade Association. Our members consist of manufacturers from across the hobby industry – General Hobby, Model Railroad, Plastic & Die Cast and Radio Control. Our Goal at the HMA is to promote the wonderful world of hobbies to all people across the globe. If you would like to join and support this effort, please use the contact us page to find all the great benefits the HMA has to offer.
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Hobby Industry Challenges CPSC Magnet Prohibition
Mount Laurel, NJ – The Hobby Manufacturers Association (HMA), and the National Retail Hobby Stores Association (NRHSA), and the Magnet Safety Organization have announced their intention to challenge the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) new 2022 magnet safety standard, which was approved for non-toy magnet products. The HMA and NRHSA represent over 400 hobby stores, manufacturers and distributors across America and have teamed up with Magnetsafety.org and the New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA) in this legal challenge.
The NCLA case summary can be viewed here: https://nclalegal.org/magnetsafety-org-v-cpsc/
The challenge is set to take place in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals and is in response to the CPSC’s approval of a new “magnet safety standard” that effectively bans high-powered hobby magnets for adults. This is not the first time such a ban has been put in place. A similar ban was successfully challenged by Zen Magnets company in 2014.
The HMA and its partners argue that the ban has not decreased the continued demand for high-powered magnets and has only punished American companies, as the ban has had little effect on overseas gray market and counterfeit sales of high-powered magnets. The prohibition has resulted in observably less prevalence of safe labeling and packaging, and has led to more magnet ingestion injuries than ever. The new safety standard is also overly broad and generalizes the usage and injury statistics of many types of magnets, including those not known to have caused significant injuries. CPSC’s structure is also unconstitutional because members of the Commission are insulated from Presidential oversight.
Hobbyists use high-powered magnets for endless purposes, including RC bodywork, tabletop figurines, furniture crafting, decorative fixtures, and manipulative art. Therefore, the HMA argues that a more reasonable safety standard should prioritize education instead of absolute prohibition. Safe use of high-powered magnets, which are only dangerous if ingested, can be achieved through warnings, labeling, child-resistant packaging, and even age restrictions if necessary.
“Many products are not for children, especially in the hobby shop, where products often require responsibility by adults and parents,” said Jon Tamkin. “A more effective and reasonable safety strategy would involve age restrictions, proper labeling and safer packaging. A blanket ban isn’t the answer.”
The HMA was founded in 2005 as a merger between two previous hobby trade organizations, the Model Railroad Industry Association and the Model Hobby Industry Association. It represents hobby industry partners, and provides its members with education, advocacy, and networking opportunities. The NRHSA is a non-profit trade association, together representing over 400 retail hobby stores in the United States and Canada.
The New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA) is a nonpartisan nonprofit civil liberties group based in Washington, DC. It is dedicated to defending constitutional freedoms and fighting against administrative overreach and the unlawful actions of administrative agencies.
MagnetSafety.org is a non-profit organization committed to promoting safe and responsible use of magnets. They provide educational resources, support research, and participate in standards development to raise awareness and reduce harm associated with high powered magnet use.
HMA Contact:
Heather Stoltzfus
1410 East Erie Avenue Philadelphia, Pa 19124
Heather.stoltzfus@hmahobby.org
HMA Phone: 267-341-1604
Media Inquiries: Judy Pino, judy.pino@ncla.legal, 202-869-5218
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Check out the My Hobby Fun website sponsored by the HMA. The goal is to promote the wonderful world of hobbies to parents and children across the globe. More than ever, it is important that we raise awareness of the innovative and creative products that enrich the lives of hobby enthusiasts. Families are looking for different ways to reconnect and spend quality time away from electronics and other distractions. We are letting you know that these great products exist and can inspire families with opportunities to be creative together.
Check out the HMA Viewpoint Archive containing articles written by our great members for print in Hobby Merchandiser Magazine. The magazine is distributed throughout the hobby and toy industry. If you would like to contribute please let us know here.
The benefits of becoming a Hobbyist
HMA Guide to Controversial Symbols
Important links
National Hobby Month
Remember Every January is National Hobby Month — celebrate your favorite hobbies! Thanks to NRHSA we celebrate every month!
The benefits of becoming a Hobbyist
Visit www.myhobbyfun.org
SMC Codes
The HMA is excited to announce the launch of its new site https://hobbysmc.com. Manufacturers and gaming companies can now register and pay for their SMC code directly through this secure site. This will improve the overall efficiency of the SMC assignment process. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Heather Stoltzfus, HMA Executive Secretary, at heather.stoltzfus@hmahobby.org.
About SMC codes:
The Standard Manufacturer Codes (SMC) were established by RCHTA, now the Hobby Manufacturers Association (HMA), some 30 years ago. Distributors and retailers use the 3 letter code assigned to your company to differentiate between products with the same stock number. It is necessary that the standard codes be used so that retailers receive the products they intended to receive when ordering from their distributors. These three letters appear before the product number. Distributors prefer 4-5 numbers with no other letters or special characters other than the SMC letters, example SMC1001.
The Standard Manufacturer Code program is voluntary – not official. It was started to relieve the confusion of distributors each using a different code for the same company. Before the program was started distributors assigned companies they did business with a code and did not share them. A distributor can use any in house code they choose to assign to a company. We do have distributors that chose not to use the voluntary Standard Manufacturer Code program .
1) The Standard Manufacturer Code list is proprietary to the HMA and cannot be published in whole or in part without permission from the HMA.
2) New assignments and payments of codes can be made by visiting https://hobbysmc.com. If you need to make any changes or updates to a current SMC assignment, please contact Heather Stoltzfus at heather.stoltzfus@hmahobby.org.
3) Codes are assigned to manufacturers and publishers not Brands or Product lines in part because these can be bought, sold, and licensed between manufacturers. A code for a brand or product line does not help retailers or distributors to identify the source of an item or product.
4) Codes can be assigned to brands/product lines when they are separate entities from the parent company (distributors make checks and orders out to the separate entity and not to the parent company). Codes are meant to identify the manufacturer not the brands.
5). Magazines and books are considered a product of the Publisher and therefore are not assigned codes. The code is assigned to the publisher.
Questions? Contact Heather Stoltzfus – heather.stoltzfus@hmahobby.org
