Ole Kirk Christiansen, a carpenter from Billund in Denmark established his company in 1932 with the intention to encourage imaginative play and a sense of wonder in children. He started by making stepladders. However the Great Depression forced him into a flexible business model. He switched his focus to the manufacturing of toys and created one of the most loved brands.
Christiansen was a forward-thinking person who was quick to embrace new materials and technologies. In 1947, he became the first company in the world to buy an injection molding machine made of plastic that greatly expanded the variety and capabilities of Lego products. The machine allowed him to experiment and to 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 with wooden blocks from previous generations.
The 1950s was a time of growth for the company. Kjeld Kirk Christiansen, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen’s daughter was a member of the management team and began modernizing manufacturing techniques of the company. The expansion included the introduction of dollhouses, furniture and individual figures called Minifigures. In 1979, the company expanded into space with sets featuring astronaut minifigures, rockets lunar rovers, and spaceships, as well as into medieval territory with a Castle theme.
In 1990, the company released three Model Team Sets that were specifically designed for the advanced builder. These sets included small parts like levers, axles gears and other components. They were the first Lego sets to provide a level of realism and accuracy.
