Ole Kirk Christiansen, a carpenter from Billund in Denmark established his company in 1932, with the intention of encouraging creative play and a sense of wonder in children. In the beginning, he produced stepladders but the effects of Great Depression forced him to be flexible and change his business model. He shifted his focus to the manufacturing of toys and established one of the most adored brands.
Christiansen was a man of the future who was quick to adopt new materials and techniques. In 1947, he was among the first company in the world to acquire an injection molding machine made of plastic which dramatically increased the options and capabilities 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 were interlocked with each others, allowing children create intricate structures that are far greater than the capabilities of the wooden blocks of previous generations.
The 1950s was a time of growth for the business. Kjeld Kirk Christiansen, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen’s daughter joined the management team and began modernizing the manufacturing processes of the company. The expansion also included the introduction of a dollhouse line and furnishings for girls, as well as the first Minifigures as individual address figures. In 1979, the company expanded its range of products to include sets featuring astronaut minifigures and rockets. They also introduced spaceships, lunar rovers and spaceships.
In 1990, the company launched three Model Team sets that were designed for advanced builders. The sets introduced small components such as axles, gears and levers, and offered a degree of realism and precision that was unheard of in the Lego series at the time.
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