Lego timeline

This article lists notable events and releases in the timeline of the Lego Group.

Contents 1 19th century 1.1 1890s 2 20th century 2.1 1910s 2.2 1920s 2.3 1930s 2.4 1940s 2.5 1950s 2.6 1960s 2.7 1970s 2.8 1980s 2.9 1990s 2.10 2000s 3 21st century 3.1 2000s 3.2 2010s 4 External links 5 References

19th century

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.

20th century

1910s

• 1916: Ole Kirk Christiansen purchases the small woodworking shop in Billund.

1920s

• July 6, 1920: Godtfred Kirk Christiansen was 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 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 Chistian 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.

• 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.
• 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: Lego makes an arrangement allowing Samsonite to begin producing and selling Lego products in Canada, an arrangement that would continue until 1988.
• 1962:

• Lego sells toys in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Morocco, and Japan.
• Lego 1/3 elements are introduced.

• 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 Hohenwehenstedt, 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 mini-figures 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.

• 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.
• 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, Minneapolis, 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 Crusiers Is Introdudced
• Spyrius theme is discontinued.
• Exploriens, a sub-line of Lego Space are 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 Subline Of Time Crusiers Is Introduced
• Roboforce, a sub-line of Lego Space are 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 a Star Wars theme with Lucasfilm.
• UFO and Insectoids themes are discontinued.
• Jungle a sub-line of Lego Adventurers is introduced.
• Lego Underground is introduced.
• Lego Slizers (Throwbots) is 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".

21st century

2000s

• 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.

• 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 mini figure celebrates its 25th birthday.

• 2004

• 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, Avatar: The Last Airbender and SpongeBob SquarePants are introduced.
• Lego Sports is reintroduced.
• Remote control (RC) trains are introduced.
• Lego Mindstorms NXT is released.

• 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.
• Lego Avatar: The Last Airbender is discontinued.

• 2009

• Agents 2.0 is released.
• Lego Star Wars' 10th anniversary.
• Legoland California 10th anniversary.
• Lego Power Miners is introduced.
• Lego Pirates is reintroduced.
• Lego Space Police is introduced.
• Lego Batman is discontinued.
• SpongeBob SquarePants is discontinued.

2010s

• 2010

• Lego Ben 10 is introduced.
• Lego Atlantis is introduced.
• Bionicle is discontinued.

• 2011

• Lego Group license with Lucasfilm expires.

External links

• Timeline on the official Lego website

References

• 50 Years of Play - Internal Lego publication from 1982
• The World of LEGO® Toys, Henry Wiencek, 1987

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