Model Products Corporation

Model Products Corporation, usually known by its acronym, MPC, was an American manufacturer of plastic scale model kits and pre-assembled promotional models popular in the 1960s and 1970s. Traditionally a Michigan company, since 2011 the MPC name has been part of Round2 LLC of South Bend, Indiana. MPC's main competition was Aluminum Model Toys (AMT) and Jo-Han Models.

MPC was established in 1963 by George A. Toteff Jr. (1925-2011) and Dick Branstner with facilities in Mount Clemens, Michigan. Toteff had been one of the original employees at AMT, eventually rising to vice president in the company. There, in 1958, he had developed the first “3-in-1” model car kits based on his innovative “side-slide” injection-molding technique, which allowed the tooling of one-piece model car bodies.

MPC produced its first promotional models in 1965; the first product to appear under its own logo was a highly detailed 1/25-scale 1964 Corvette Sting Ray coupe featuring working front suspension, and including extra speed and customizing parts. Another of the company's first 'promos' was a 1965 Dodge Coronet 500 in both convertible and two-door hardtop versions.

As with other companies before it, most notably AMT and Jo-Han, MPC developed many of its kits from pre-existing promo toolings. Toteff remained on good terms with his former colleagues at AMT, and many of the first MPC products were distributed in AMT packaging. For example, the 1967 MPC Plymouth Barracuda, originally made as a dealer promotional for Chrysler, was also marketed as a kit in an AMT box. Later, for 1968 and 1969 the newly designed second-iteration Barracuda reverted to an MPC box, with no apparent AMT connection.

Original model kits quickly followed, including the 1932-33 Chevy Roadster and Panel Truck, the first 'non-classic' subjects other than a Ford to be offered in 1/25-scale kit form.

About 1970, General Mills bought MPC from Toteff, who stayed on as president. General Mills also had purchased Lionel and the MPC name and logo even appeared on early 1970s train sets next to the Lionel logo. After these two names was stated, "...of the fun group at General Mills". An example was the Silver Star train appearing about 1972, with "The Mighty Sound of Steam". In the late 1970s, General Mills created a separate identity for its toy and hobby arm, CPG Products Corporation. During this time, MPC kits were marketed as part of CPG's Fundimensions Division. General Mills's ownership lasted until 1985 when it sold off its hobby companies. General Mills then floated its remaining toy division as Kenner Parker.

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