In 1932, carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen founded his company in Billund, Denmark with the intention of encouraging creative play and awe-inspiring in children. Initially he manufactured stepladders, but the effects of the Great Depression forced him to be flexible and adapt his business model. He shifted his focus on the production of toys and created one of the most loved brands.
Christiansen was a forward-thinker and quick to adapt new technologies and materials. In 1947, he was the first company in the world to acquire an injection molding machine made of plastic, which greatly increased the selection and capabilities of Lego products. The machine allowed him to experiment and create the Lego brick. The bricks were hollow at the bottom and had pegs on the top. They were interlocked to let children build intricate structures that were far more intricate than those made using wooden blocks from earlier generations.
The 1950s were a period that saw the business expand. Kjeld Kirk Christiansen, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen’s https://lego-x.com/2021/12/07/the-best-places-to-buy-lego daughter joined the management team and began modernizing manufacturing techniques of the company. This expansion was accompanied by the launch of a dollhouse line and furnishings for girls, as well as the first individual figures known as Minifigures. In 1979, the company branched out into space with sets presenting astronaut minifigures and rockets, lunar rovers, and spaceships, as well as into the medieval realm with a Castle theme.
In 1990, the company released three Model Team sets that were designed for advanced builders. The sets contained small parts such as levers, axles, gears and other components. They were the first Lego sets to provide a level of realism and precision.