View source for K'Nex

{{Short description|American Toy Company}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox toy
|name = K'Nex
|image = K'Nex logo.svg
|othernames =
|type = [[Construction set]]
|inventor = Joel Glickman
|country = United States
|company = Basic Fun!
|from = {{start date and age|1992|10}}
|to = present
|owner = [[Basic Fun]]
|materials = 
|slogan =Imagine, Build, Play<br>Building Worlds Kids Love<br>The K'Nex Big Thing<br>Where Creativity Clicks
|website =https://www.basicfun.com/knex/
}}

'''K'Nex''' {{IPAc-en|k|ə|ˈ|n|ɛ|k|s}} is a [[Construction set|construction toy]] system created by Joel Glickman. It was first introduced in America in 1992. K'Nex is designed and produced by K'Nex Industries Inc. of [[Hatfield, Pennsylvania]]. K'Nex was purchased by Florida-based company [[Basic Fun!]] in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-02-12 |title=K'Nex Brands sold to Florida-based toy company |url=https://www.plasticsnews.com/article/20180212/NEWS/180219984/k-nex-brands-sold-to-florida-based-toy-company |access-date=2023-05-17 |website=Plastics News |language=en}}</ref>

The toy's building system consists of [[interlock]]ing plastic rods, connectors, blocks, gears, wheels, and other components, which can be assembled to form a wide variety of models, machines, and architectural structures. While K'Nex is designed for children ages 5–12, a bigger version, Kid K'Nex, is aimed towards children 5 and younger.

==History==
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 [[Electric motor|motors]] allowed models to move on their own.<ref>{{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 }}</ref>

[[File:Knex-bridge.jpg|right|thumb|250px|A bridge made from K'Nex]] 

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.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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 }}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref> The acquisition was valued at around $21 million.<ref>{{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 }}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref>

In 2024, Basic Fun filed for [[Chapter 11 bankruptcy]] protection. The company will use bankruptcy proceedings to repay its creditors while remaining in operation.<ref>{{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}}</ref> Basic Fun emerged from bankruptcy on November 1, 2024.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

==Pieces==
The basic K'Nex pieces used to make models include rods, connectors, and bricks. Basic K'Nex pieces are made out of [[polyoxymethylene]] plastic.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

==Display models and exhibits==
[[Concordia University (Quebec)|Concordia University]]'s Engineering and Computer Science Association (ECA)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ecaconcordia.ca |title=Concordia Engineering and Computer Science Association |publisher=ECA |date=June 15, 2014 |access-date=June 15, 2014}}</ref> has erected models of a [[Space Shuttle]], the [[Sears Tower]], the [[Eiffel Tower]], [[Habitat 67]], and mazes out of K'Nex.<ref>{{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}}</ref> 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.

==Computer games==
''K'NEX The Lost Mines: Adventure Begins'', was released in 1998 by [[Engineering Animation|EAI Interactive]] for [[Windows 95]],<ref>{{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}}</ref> and ''Virtual K'Nex'' was also released in 1998 by [[Fox Interactive]] for Windows 3.x.{{cn|date=November 2024}}

==See also==
* [[K*bot World Championships]]
* [[Fischertechnik]]
* [[Meccano]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{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]

{{DEFAULTSORT:K'Nex}}
[[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]]