A Look at the Lego Company History

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Ole Kirk Christiansen, a carpenter from Billund in Denmark started his business in 1932, with the intention to encourage imaginative play and creativity in children. Initially he manufactured stepladders, but the effects of the Great Depression forced him to be flexible and modify his business model. He switched his focus on the production of toys and established one of the most popular brands.

Christiansen was a forward-thinking man who was quick to embrace new materials and technologies. In 1947, he was the first company to acquire an injection molding machine made of plastic in the world. This significantly boosted the capabilities and selection of Lego products. The machine allowed him to experiment and create the Lego brick. The bricks came with pegs at the top and hollow bottoms that interlocked with each and allowed children to create intricate structures far beyond the capabilities of the wooden blocks of earlier generations.

The 1950s was a time of growth for the company. Godtfred Kirk Christiansen’s daughter Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen joined the company’s management team and began to modernize the manufacturing processes of the company. The expansion also included the launch of a line dollhouses, furnishings and individual figures called Minifigures. In 1979, the company expanded into space with sets featuring astronaut minifigures as well as rockets, lunar rovers, spaceships and more and also into the medieval world with a castle theme.

In 1990, the company released three Model Team Sets that were specifically designed for the advanced builder. The sets comprised small components like levers, axles gears and other components. They were the first Lego sets to offer an element of realism and precision.