In 1932 carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen founded his company in Billund, Denmark with https://lego-x.com/2020/01/16/lego-company-history-production-features the goal of promoting inventive play and ingenuity in children. In the beginning, he produced stepladders but the effects of Great Depression forced him to adapt and evolve his business model. He turned his attention on the manufacture of toys, and created one of the most loved brands.
Christiansen was a nimble thinker and quick to adopt new materials and technologies. In 1947, he was among the first company to acquire an injection molding machine made of plastic which dramatically increased the variety and capabilities of Lego products. The machine allowed him to play around with and develop the Lego brick. The bricks had pegs on top and hollow bottoms that interlocked with each others, allowing children build intricate structures that were far more complex than the ones that could be constructed with wooden blocks of the past.
The 1950s were a period that saw the business expand. Kjeld Kirk Christiansen, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen’s daughter was a member of the management team and began modernizing the manufacturing processes of the company. This expansion included the launch of a dollhouse line and furniture for girls, as well as the very first individual figures known as Minifigures. In 1979 the company expanded into space with sets featuring astronaut minifigures, rockets, lunar rovers, spaceships and more in addition to medieval areas with a Castle theme.
In 1990, Lego released three Model Team Sets that were specifically designed for the advanced builder. The sets contained small parts like levers, axles gears, and other parts. They were the first Lego sets that offered an element of realism and precision.
