How It's Made

It takes a very long time to become a Hess Toy Truck. The highly secretive process of developing the annual toy generally starts between two and three years before it actually goes on sale. And for some of the more complicated toys, it's been as long as six years from concept to market.

Inspiration images are initially reviewed to hone in on the broad themes that might be considered. Then sketch drawings and feature concepts are reviewed. This is the point in the process where the toys really begin to evolve. Many truck ideas are developed but ultimately the top two or three designs go to the next round, where they are transformed from drawings to 3D rotating images that can be evaluated for functionality and playability. The next step is the handcrafting of models that are used for final design and decoration decisions. Eventually, one new holiday Hess Toy Truck is chosen.

Early models of the Hess Toy Truck were comprised of roughly 75 small hard-plastic pieces. More recent toys normally have between 200-300 parts. A tooling, or mold, for each individual piece must be cut to precise measurements. Once all the toolings are made and tested, the pieces are produced and meticulously assembled. The toys undergo rigorous quality testing to make sure they are up to the highest standards. Then, as anyone who has unpacked a Hess Toy Truck knows, the final toy is placed - very carefully - in its box.