-
Old Ole Kirk Christiansen is born
Old ole kirk Christiansen, founder of LEGO is born 7 April 1891. -
Billund Woodworking and Carpenter's Shop is created
The woodworking shop, "Billund Woodworking and Carpenter's Shop", which would eventually evolve into the Lego company is founded in Billund, Denmark. -
Ole Kirk Christiansen buys the store
Ole Kirk Christiansen purchases the small woodworking shop in Billund. -
A Child is born
Godtfred Kirk Christiansen is born (Old ole Kirk Christiansen`s son) -
Store burned down
Ole Kirk's shop burns down when a fire ignites some wood shavings. Ole Kirk builds a larger workshop, renting out most of the space, and using the rest for his own shop. Another fire occured later in 1942 and yet again in 1960 the lego company was forced to rebuild all three times. -
Wooden pull toys are produced
Ole Kirk Christiansen's shop nearly goes bankrupt in the depression. With a lack of normal carpentry jobs, Ole Kirk starts producing toys, many of which were wooden pull toys. His company also increases in size. -
company is named LEGO
The company name Lego is coined by Christiansen from the Danish phrase leg godt, meaning "play well". Coincidentally, "Lego" also means "I assemble" in Latin.
The Lego Group's motto is det bedste er ikke for godt which means roughly 'only the best is the best' This motto was created by Ole Kirk to encourage his employees never to skimp on quality, a value he believed in strongly -
Plastic toys
Ole Kirk purchases the first plastic moulding machine in Denmark, and the company begins manufacturing plastic toys.
"plastic would never be able to replace good and honest wooden toys". This how most people felt towards the use of plastic in toys. Lego toys, however, seem to be an exception to the dislike of plastic toys due to the high standards set by Ole Kirk. -
Automatic Binding Bricks
In 1949 Lego began producing the now famous interlocking bricks, calling them "Automatic Binding Bricks". These bricks were based largely on the patent Kiddicraft Self-Locking Bricks, which were released in the United Kingdom in 1947.
The bricks, originally manufactured from cellulose acetate,were a development of traditional stackable wooden blocks that locked together by several round studs on top and a hollow rectangular bottom. -
LEGO takes over
By 1951 plastic toys accounted for half of the Lego Company’s output. -
First lego film is shot
The first ever film about Lego is shot. The photographer is Christian Lund, and the film is black and white with no sound. -
Automatic Binding bricks are renamed
Automatic Binding Bricks are renamed Lego Mursten, or "Lego Bricks."
In the same year the first lego baseplates are created. -
Son takes the role
By 1954, Christiansen's son Godtfred Kirk Christiansen had become the junior managing director of the Lego Group. It was his conversation with an overseas buyer that struck the idea of a toy system. Godtfred saw the immense potential in Lego bricks to become a system for creative play but the bricks still had some problems from a technical standpoint. Their locking ability was limited and they were not very versatile. -
LEGO is registered
The word Lego is officially registered in Denmark. -
Ole Kirk Christiansen dies
Ole Kirk Christiansen dies; Godtfred inherits leadership of the Lego Company.
The company excpands to 140 employees in this same year -
Modern brick is developed
In 1958, the modern brick design was developed but it took another five years to find the right material for it, ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) polymer. The modern Lego brick was patented at 1:58 P.M. on 28 January 1958 bricks from that year are still compatible with current bricks. -
LEGO is sold in other countries
Lego begins selling its products in other countries such as Norway, Germany, Switzerland, and the UK.
Lego France, British Lego Ltd., Lego Belgium and Lego Sweden are established. -
Company grows larger and foucuses on Lego
Production of wooden toys is discontinued; the company changes its focus to the plastic building bricks.
By the end of the year, the company grows to 450 employees -
Instructions are made, The company grows
The first Lego sets containing instruction manuals are introduced.
The company in Billund grows to more than 600 employees. -
All around the world
Lego is sold in 42 countries -
Logo is created
All Lego products are placed under one logo, a red square with the word, Lego, in white bordered by black and yellow. -
Lego Figures are launched
Lego figures are launched, starting with the Lego family.
as well as this, Bricks and Pieces, the first official Lego newsletter, is introduced in the United Kingdom. -
50th anniversary of LEGO
The Lego Group celebrates its 50th anniversary on August 13th -
Top Toy
Lego is one of the top 10 toy companies of 1990 -
Lego continues
Lego continues to grow and change.Their toys will continue on for many, many years and be enjoyed by the children of the future.
