The LEGO Group A ~very~ brief history…

LEGO •  The  LEGO  Group  began  in  the  carpentry  workshop  of  Ole  Kirk  Chris<ansen  in  Denmark.  

•  In  1916  Chris<ansen  purchased  a  woodwork  shop.  

•  He  produced  miniature  versions  of  his  products  as  design  aids.  

•  In  1934  he  called  the  company  LEGO  (which  means  ‘play  well’  

•  LEGO  also  means  ‘I  put  together’  or  ‘I  assemble’  in  La<n.  

•  In  1947  the  first  truck  that  could  be  taken  apart  and  put  back  together  was  made.  

•  In  1953  the  pieces  of  plas<c  were  called  Lego  Bricks.  

•  Customers  didn’t  like  plas<c  at  first…they  preferred  wooden  or  metal.  

•  By  the  end  of  1960  there  were  450  people  working  for  LEGO.  

•  In  1961  Lego  began  producing  and  selling  LEGO  products  in  the  USA  and  Canada.  

•  1961  and  1962  saw  the  introduc<on  of  the  first  Lego  wheels.  

•  1964  was  the  first  <me  instruc<on  manuals  were  included  in  Lego  sets.  

•  In  1968  the  first  Legoland  Park  was  opened  in  Denmark.  – 625,000  people  visited  Legoland  in  the  first  year  

•  How  many  Lego  sets  were  sold  in  1968?  •  Duplo  was  sold  for  the  first  <me  in  1969.  •  The  first  minifigure  was  sold  in  1978.  •  Lego  Space  sets  were  produced  and  sold  in  1979.  

•  In  1979  the  first  Lego  marketed  towards  girls  called  Scala  which  included  jewelry  elements.  

•  Since  the  1960s  Lego  has  been  used  in  the  classroom  and  in  1980,  the  Lego  Group  established  the  Educa<onal  Products  Department  

•  The  first  Castle  sets  were  made  in  1983  •  1989  was  the  first  Pirate  sets  

•  1999  saw  the  first  Star  Wars  and  Harry  Po\er  sets  

•  2003  saw  the  introduc<on  of  Clikits,  aimed  at  girls  and  consis<ng  of  customisable  jewellery  

•  Every  second,  7  Lego  sets  are  sold  around  the  world