A Look at the Lego Company History

In 1932, carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen founded his company in Billund, Denmark with the aim of encouraging creative play and ingenuity in children. The company began by manufacturing stepladders. However the Great Depression forced him into an adaptable business model. He switched his focus to the manufacturing of toys, and created one of the most adored brands.

Christiansen was a forward-thinking person who was quick to adopt new materials and technologies. In 1947 he was the first company to acquire a plastic injection molding machine, which greatly increased the selection and capabilities of Lego products. The machine also let him create a prototype which would eventually become the iconic Lego brick. The bricks were hollow at the bottom and had pegs on the top. They interlocked to allow children to build intricate structures that were far more complex than the ones made with wooden blocks from previous generations.

The 1950s were a period that saw the business expand. Kjeld Kirk Christiansen, Godtfred Kirk Christian’s daughter was a member of the management team and began modernizing manufacturing processes of the company. This expansion was accompanied by the launch of a line of dollhouses and furniture for girls as well as the first Minifigures as individual figures. In 1979, the company expanded into space with sets presenting astronaut minifigures, rockets, lunar rovers and spaceships and also into medieval territory with a Castle theme.

In 1990, the company launched three Model Team Sets that were made for builders who today lego fan tomorrow it architect and vdr provider were advanced. These sets included small parts such as levers, axles, gears and other components. They were the first Lego sets to provide the same level of realistic precision.