Lego timeline
Lego Group logo.
This article lists notable events and releases in the history of the Lego Group.
1890s
- 1891: April 7 - Ole Kirk Christiansen, founder of the Lego Group, is born.
- 1895: The woodworking shop, "Billund Woodworking and Carpenter's Shop", which would eventually evolve into the Lego company is founded in Billund, Denmark.
1910s
- 1916: Ole Kirk Christiansen purchases the small woodworking shop in Billund.
1920s
- July 8, 1919: Godtfred Kirk Christiansen is born.
- 1924: 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.
1930s
- 1932: 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.
- 1934: 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.
- 1935: The Lego Duck (a wooden toy) is featured.
- 1937: Godtfred Kirk Christiansen starts creating models.
- 1939: The company grows to 10 employees.
1940s
- 1942: A fire breaks out in the factory, forcing the company to rebuild.
- 1943: The company grows to 40 employees.
- 1947: Ole Kirk purchases the first plastic moulding machine in Denmark, and the company begins manufacturing plastic toys. The Christiansens are inspired by samples of the "Kiddicraft Self-Locking Building Brick", a design patented by the Briton Mr. Harry Fisher Page.[1] December 27 - Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen is born.
- 1948: The company grows to 50 employees.
- 1949: Lego begins producing similar plastic bricks, calling them "Automatic Binding Bricks."
1950s
- 1951:
- The first ever film about Lego is shot. The photographer is Christian Lund, and the film is black and white with no sound.
- 1953:
- Automatic Binding Bricks are renamed Lego Mursten, or "Lego Bricks."
- First baseplates are created.
- Godtfred Kirk Christiansen creates "system of play" that leads to the formation of Lego sets.[2]
- 1954:
- Godtfred Kirk Christiansen becomes junior managing director of Lego, and soon has the idea to turn Lego bricks into a toy system.
- Lego windows and doors are introduced.
- The word Lego is officially registered in Denmark.
- First beam bricks are released.
- 1955:
- Lego releases its first toy "system" of the Town Plan along with 27 other sets.[3]
- Lego bricks begin selling better, but are not yet the core Lego product.
- Lego first exports toys to Sweden.
- Godtfred Kirk Christiansen demonstrates the Lego bricks at a toy fair in Nuremberg, Germany.
- First Lego trees are released.
- 1956:
- A sales company for Lego is built in Hohenwestedt, Germany.
- 1957:
- Godtfred Kirk Christiansen is appointed Managing Director.
- First Lego flags, lights, and windows.
- 1958:
- The Lego brick design is improved to allow better versatility and "locking" ability.
- Ole Kirk Christiansen dies; Godtfred inherits leadership of the Lego Company.
- The Lego company patents the stud-and-tube coupling system. This new system makes models much more stable. Sloping roof tile bricks are featured.
- The company in Billund grows to 140 employees.
- 1959:
- A small staff at Lego, the "Futura" division, is established to develop ideas for new sets.
- 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.
1960s
- 1960:
- February: Another warehouse fire consumes most of Lego inventory of wooden toys.
- Production of wooden toys is discontinued; the company changes its focus to the plastic building bricks.
- Lego Finland and Lego Netherlands are established.
- By the end of the year, the company grows to 450 employees.
- 1961:
- The Lego wheel is introduced.
- Sales start in the United States and Canada through a license agreement with Samsonite Corp.
- Lego Italy established
- 1961–1962:
- 1962:
- 1963:
- Cellulose acetate is abandoned in favor of the more stable ABS plastic in making Lego bricks.
- Samsonite begins producing Lego bricks under license in North America.
- Lego Austria is established.
- The Lego Group starts Modulex.
- 1964:
- The first Lego sets containing instruction manuals are introduced.
- Lego sells toys in Lebanon.
- A production plant, Lego Werkzeugbau GmbH, is opened in Hohenwestedt, Germany.
- 1965:
- The company in Billund grows to more than 600 employees.
- 1966:
- One of Lego most successful series, the Lego train system is released. Initial train sets include a 4.5-volt motor and rails.
- Lego is now sold in 42 countries.
- 1967:
- First Lego hinges.
- 1968:
- Train sets with a 12-volt motor are introduced.
- On June 7, the Legoland Park in Billund is opened, at which 3,000 people visit on the opening day.
- Lego bricks with magnets are introduced.
- 1969:
- The Duplo system, using larger bricks and targeting younger children but also compatible with existing Lego bricks, is released.
- The company in Billund grows to 843 employees.
1970s
- 1970: The company grows to 1,000 employees.
- 1971: Lego introduces furniture pieces and dollhouses for girls.
- 1972: Lego adds boat and ship sets, with hull pieces that actually float.
- Lego Samsonite license agreement ends
- Lego USA established in Brookfield, Connecticut.
- 1973:
- Lego USA moves to its present-day location in Enfield, Connecticut.
- All Lego products are placed under one logo, a red square with the word, Lego, in white bordered by black and yellow.
- Lego first sells toys to Hungary.
- Lego Portugal is established.
- 1974:
- Lego figures are launched, starting with the Lego family.
- Bricks and Pieces, the first official Lego newsletter, is introduced in the United Kingdom.
- Lego Spain is established.
- 1975:
- The company grows to 2,500 employees.
- The Expert Series sets are introduced.
- 1977:
- The Lego Technic (known as the Expert Builder) series is launched.
- Lego Town is launched.
- Lego Boats is launched.
- Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen joins the Lego Group management.
- Duplo people are introduced.
- 1978:
- Lego introduces the minifigure with movable limbs and hands that can grasp utensils. This was the company's second most important design, after the brick itself.
- Lego Castle is introduced.
- Lego Space is introduced.
- 1979:
- Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen becomes president of Lego.
- Lego introduces the Fabuland and Scala themes.
- Lego Singapore is established.
1980s
- 1980:
- Lego establishes the Educational Products Department.
- New factories are opened in Switzerland and Jutland, Denmark.
- It is revealed in a survey that seventy percent of all Western European families with kids under fourteen own Lego bricks.
- Lego train tracks are introduced.
- 1981: The second generation of Lego trains is produced, including a wider variety of accessories.
- 1982:
- Expert Builder series matures and becomes Technic.
- The Lego Group celebrates its 50th anniversary on August 13th.
- The book, 50 years of play is published.
- Lego South Africa is established.
- First Lego wind-up engine.
- 1983:
- Lego launches the Duplo Baby series.
- The company grows to 3,700 employees worldwide.
- 1984:
- Lego Castle series is launched.
- Lego pneumatics are added to the Technic series.
- Lego Brazil is established.
- Lego Korea is established.
- 1985:
- Light & Sound sets are introduced.
- Lego company grows to 5,000 employees worldwide; 3,000 of them being in Billund.
- The gearstick is introduced.
- Danish Foreign Minister, Uffe Ellemann-Jensen, opens the LEGO Centre at Birkenhead Point in Sydney Australia, the first permanent LEGO shop outside Billund[4]
- 1986:
- Lego Technic robots controlled by computers are placed in schools.
- Light and Sound sets are launched of Lego Town and Space themes.
- Another factory in Manaus, Brazil is opened.
- Godtfred Kirk Christiansen resigns as chairman of the board of Lego System A/S and Lego Overseas.
- Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen takes over for Godtfred Kirk Christiansen.
- 1987:
- Forestman, Crusaders, and Black Knights, sub-lines of Lego Castle, are introduced.
- Blacktron I and Futuron, sub-lines of Lego Space, are introduced.
- Lego reaches almost 6,000 employees.
- Lego South Africa is closed.
- Lego Club is established.
- 1988:
- The first Lego World Cup building contest is held in Billund.
- Lego Canada is established.
- The "Brick Separator" is introduced.
- 1989:
- Lego Pirates theme is launched.
- Lego Educational Products Department is renamed Lego Dacta.
- Brick Kicks, the first official Lego Club magazine, is introduced.
- Space Police I, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.
1990s
- 1990
- Lego Model Team sets are released.
- Lego is one of the top 10 toy companies of 1990.
- Forestman is discontinued.
- The Blacktron I and Futuron themes are discontinued.
- Space Police I is discontinued.
- M:Tron, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.
- Lego Malaysia is established.
- The Duplo Zoo is launched.
- 9V Technic motors are first introduced in Europe, starting phase-out of 4.5V system.
- 1991
- 9V Technic motors are introduced in other markets including North America.
- 9V Trains motors are made 9V to bring the system into line with the rest of the Lego range.
- Lego Paradisa is launched.
- Blacktron II, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.
- Imperial Guards, a sub-line of Lego Pirates is introduced.
- The company grows to 7,550 employees.
- 1992
- Lego sets two Guinness World Records. Lego Castle and Lego Tower.
- Paradisa and Duplo Toolo sets are introduced.
- On Swedish television, the world's largest Lego Castle is built.
- The Crusaders theme is discontinued.
- Wolfpack, a sub-line of Lego Castle is introduced.
- Space Police II, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.
- Lego Japan is established.
- Lego Hungary is established.
- The first Lego Imagination Center is opened in Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, United States.
- 1993
- Duplo introduces a train and a parrot-shaped "brickvac" that could scoop Lego pieces up off the floor.
- Space Police I is re-released.
- Wolfpack, a sub-line of Lego Castle is discontinued.
- Dragon Masters is introduced.
- M:Tron, a sub-line of Lego Space is discontinued.
- Blacktron II, a sub-line of Lego Space is discontinued.
- Space Police II, a sub-line of Lego Space is discontinued.
- Ice Planet 2002, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.
- Lego South Africa re-established.
- The orange transparent brick is introduced.
- 1994
- The Black Knights theme is discontinued.
- Ice Planet 2002, a sub-line of Lego Space is discontinued.
- Unitron, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.
- Spyrius, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.
- Islanders, a sub-line of Lego Pirates is introduced.
- Lego Mexico is established.
- The company grows to 8,880 employees worldwide.
- First pink Lego bricks.
- Brick Kicks, the official Lego Club Magazine, is renamed Lego Mania Magazine.
- 1995
- Lego Primo series is introduced.
- Lego Aquazone is introduced.
- Royal Knights, a sub-line of Lego Castle is introduced.
- Unitron is discontinued.
- Imperial Guards, a sub-line of Lego Pirates is discontinued.
- Lego TechBuild, a sub-line of Lego Technic is introduced.
- Lego TechPlay, another sub-line of Lego Technic is introduced.
- Godtfred Kirk Christiansen, son of the company's founder, dies.
- Lego Belgium and Lego Netherlands become Lego Benelux.
- Lego dolphin element is introduced.
- 1996
- Legoland Windsor is opened in the United Kingdom.
- The Lego Watch System is launched.
- Lego Wild West is introduced.
- Lego.com is launched.
- Dark Forest, a sub-line of Lego Castle is introduced.
- Time Cruisers is introduced.
- Spyrius theme is discontinued.
- Exploriens, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.
- Imperial Armada, a sub-line of Lego Pirates is introduced.
- Legoland Billund reaches 25 million visitors since its opening in 1968.
- It is estimated that 180 billion Lego elements have been made and over 300 million people worldwide play with them.
- 1997
- Lego launches its first computer game, Lego Island.
- Lego introduces fiber-optic elements.
- Lego Paradisa is discontinued.
- Lego Divers is introduced.
- Fright Knights, a sub-line of Lego Castle is introduced.
- Time Twisters, a sub-line of Time Cruisers is introduced.
- Roboforce, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.
- UFO, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.
- Aquaraiders, a sub-line of Lego Aquazone is introduced.
- 1998
- Lego launches the Lego Creator, Loco, and Chess computer games.
- Lego introduces beige bricks.
- Lego Adventurers and Insectoids series are introduced.
- Lego releases Mindstorms, a programmable computerized brick with Lego-compatible sensors and motors.
- The red Lego logo introduced in 1973 is updated. It is a graphically tightened version of the logo used for the past 25 years.
- Lego rereleases the Crusaders, Black Knights, and Dragon Masters themes.
- Insectoids, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.
- Lego Cyberslam, is introduced.
- 1999
- Legoland California opens in Carlsbad, California.
- Lego Rock Raiders series is introduced.
- Lego produces the first licensed theme with Lucasfilm - Star Wars!
- UFO and Insectoids themes are discontinued.
- Jungle a sub-line of Lego Adventurers is introduced.
- Lego Underground is introduced.
- Lego Slizers (Throwbots) are introduced.
2000s
- 2000
- Knights' Kingdom, Life on Mars, and Soccer/Football are introduced.
- Dino Island, a sub-line of Lego Adventurers is introduced, then discontinued. RoboRiders are also introduced, then discontinued.
- Lego Underground (Rock Raiders) and Lego Throwbots are discontinued.
- Lego Studios is introduced.
- The British Association of Toy Retailers names the Lego brick "Toy of the Century".
- 2001
- Lego Bionicle is launched both in Europe and United States.
- Lego Brand Retail stores are opened in England, Germany, and Russia.
- Lego Life on Mars is introduced, then discontinued.
- Lego Alpha Team and Lego Harry Potter are introduced.
- Lego Serious Play is unveiled.
- Lego Jack Stone.
- 2002
- Company slogan changes from "Just Imagine..." to "Play On".
- Lego Wild West is discontinued.
- Lego Island Xtreme Stunts, Spider-Man, and Lego Racers are introduced.
- Lego Mania Magazine issues are changed to Lego Magazine.
- Legoland Germany opened May 17, 2002 in Günzburg.
- 2003
- Lego introduces new skin tones for mini-figures based on actual people.
- Clikits, Lego Designer, Lego Hockey, Lego Basketball, and Lego Gravity Games are introduced.
- Orient Expedition, a sub-line of Adventurers is introduced.
- Lego Island Xtreme Stunts is discontinued.
- Lego Inventor is introduced, then discontinued.
- Lego World City is introduced.
- Lego minifigure celebrates its 25th birthday.
- The first full-length CGI LEGO movie, Bionicle: Mask of Light is released.
- 2004
- Lego Quatro brick is introduced for children ages 1–3.
- Lego Knights' Kingdom II is introduced.
- Orient Expedition, a sub-line of Lego Adventurers is discontinued.
- Lego Spider-Man, Lego World City, and Lego Gravity Games are discontinued.
- Lego Group reports record loss for 2003 fiscal year.
- 2005
- Lego System celebrates its 50th anniversary.
- Lego Group sells Legoland parks to Merlin Entertainments Group.
- Lego Alpha Team is discontinued.
- Lego City is introduced.
- Lego Dino Attack/Dino 2010 is introduced.
- Lego Vikings is introduced.
- 2006
- Lego Exo-Force is introduced.
- Lego Batman is introduced.
- Avatar: The Last Airbender is introduced then discontinued.
- SpongeBob SquarePants is introduced.
- Lego Sports is reintroduced.
- Remote control (RC) trains are introduced.
- Lego Mindstorms NXT 1.0 is released.
- Lego Quatro is discontinued.
- 2007
- Lego Aqua Raiders, and Mars Mission are introduced.
- Lego Castle is reintroduced.
- Lego 9V trains discontinued.
- Lego Aqua Raiders is discontinued.
- 2008
- On January 28, 2008, Lego celebrated the 50th anniversary of the patent on its interlocking blocks.
- Lego Mindstorms celebrates its 10th anniversary.
- Lego minifigure celebrates its 30th birthday.
- Lego Indiana Jones, Speed Racer, and Agents are introduced.
- Lego Exo-Force is discontinued.
- Mars Mission is discontinued.
- Speed racer is discontinued
- 2009
- Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 is released.
- Agents 2.0 is released.
- Lego Star Wars' 10th anniversary.
- Legoland California 10th anniversary.
- Lego Power Miners is introduced.
- Lego Pirates is reintroduced.
- Lego Batman is discontinued.
- Lego Games are introduced.
- Lego Space Police III is introduced.
2010s
- 2010
- Lego Ben 10.
- Lego Atlantis is introduced.
- Lego Toy Story.
- Duplo Cars is introduced.
- Lego Harry Potter is reintroduced.
- Lego Prince of Persia.
- Lego Hero Factory is introduced.
- Lego Space Police III is discontinued.
- Lego World Racers is introduced.
- Lego Kingdoms is introduced.
- Bionicle is discontinued.
- Lego Universe is launched.
- Lego Minifigures Series 1 and 2.
- 2011
- Lego Minifigures Series 3, 4 and 5.
- Lego Ninjago is introduced.
- Lego Cars is introduced.
- Lego Pirates of the Caribbean.
- Lego Alien Conquest is introduced.
- Lego Power Miners is discontinued.
- SpongeBob SquarePants is reintroduced.
- Duplo Winnie The Pooh is introduced.
- Lego Life of George.
- Lego City Space theme is reintroduced.
- Lego Master Builders Academy (MBA) is introduced.
- Legoland Florida opens.
- Lego Pharaoh's Quest is discontinued.
- Lego Harry Potter is discontinued.
- 2012
- Lego Universe is discontinued.
- Lego Dino.
- Lego Minifigures Series 6, 7 and 8.
- Legoland Malaysia opens.
- Lego Super Heroes theme is introduced.
- Lego Friends theme is introduced.
- Lego Monster Fighters.
- Lego Disney Princess is introduced.
- Lego Alien Conquest is discontinued.
- Lego Build and Rebuild is introduced.
- Lego Lord of the Rings is introduced.
- Lego The Hobbit is introduced.
- 2013
- Lego Minifigures Series 9, 10 and 11.
- Lego Galaxy Squad is introduced.
- Lego Legends of Chima is introduced.
- Lego Mindstorms EV3 is introduced.
- Duplo Mickey Mouse & Friends is introduced.
- Lego Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is introduced.
- Lego Lone Ranger.
- 2014
- Lego Mixels.
- Lego Minifigures Series 12.
- The Lego Movie, released theatrically in movie cinemas on February 7, 2014.
- The LEGO Movie (Theme).
- Lego The Simpsons.
- Lego Ultra Agents is introduced.
- 2015
- Lego Minifigures Series 13.
- Bionicle is re-released
Notes
- ↑ "Technica - 1949". Isodomos.com. Retrieved 2013-08-20.
- ↑ Template:Hirschmann, Kris. LEGO Toys. Chicago: Norwood House, 2011. Print
- ↑ Template:Hirschmann, Kris. LEGO Toys. Chicago: Norwood House, 2011. Print.
- ↑ "Lego Centre Commercial (1987)". YouTube. Retrieved 2013-11-26.
References
- 50 Years of Play - Internal Lego publication from 1982
- The World of LEGO Toys, Henry Wiencek, 1987
External links
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