In 1932, carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen founded his company in Billund, Denmark with the goal of promoting inventive play and awe-inspiring in children. At first, he made stepladders, however the effects of Great Depression forced him to adapt and evolve his business model. He turned his attention on manufacturing toys, and he created one of the most popular brands in history.
Christiansen was a man of the future who was quick to embrace new materials and techniques. In 1947 he was the first company in the world to purchase a plastic injection molding machine which dramatically increased the range and capabilities of Lego products. The machine allowed him to explore and create the Lego brick. The bricks featured pegs on top and hollow bottoms that interlocked with each others, allowing children create intricate structures that are far greater than the possibilities of wooden blocks of the past.
The 1950s were a time of expansion for the business. Godtfred Kirk Christiansen’s daughter Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen joined the company’s management team and began to modernize the company’s manufacturing techniques. The expansion included the launch of dollhouses, furniture and Minifigures, individual figures. In 1979 the company expanded into important site space with sets presenting astronaut minifigures as well as rockets, lunar rovers and spaceships and also into the medieval realm with a Castle theme.
In 1990, the company released three Model Team sets that were intended for advanced builders. The sets contained small parts like axles, levers, gears and other components. They were the first Lego sets to provide a level of realism and accuracy.