Like in neighbouring Hong Kong, diecast toy and model cars were made in Macau in the 1980s, when it was still a Portuguese colony. The most important manufacturer operating a factory in Macau was Matchbox: After Universal Toys had taken over Lesney, the former maker of the Matchbox models which had gone bankrupt in June 1982, later in the same year, the whole production was moved to Macau from 1983. The last English-made Matchbox models, from the "Models of Yesteryear" range, date from 1985. The first models of the Dinky Collection range introduced by Matchbox in 1989 were also made in Macau. But already in the early 1990s, Matchbox gave up the production site in Macau in favour of factories in mainland China, where production costs were even lower and a larger number of skilled workers available. Beside Matchbox, MC Toy from Hong Kong also manufactured diecast models in Macau in the 1980s, as well as the American companies Ertl und Buddy L.
Macau