|
|
|
 
2000- >
1990-1999
1980-1989
1970-1979
1960-1969
1950-1959
1940-1949
1932-1939
1959
Futura, the product-development department, now has five members of staff.
A market analysis department is established.
Photography department established.
LEGO France, British LEGO Ltd., LEGO Belgium and LEGO Sweden are established.
The machines in the production are now so automatic that one operator can handle two machines at a time!
LEGO gives the municipality of Billund approx. 20 acres of land and 50.000 Danish Crowns for a sports ground.
Selected Product News 1959
Bilo-fix (wood + plastic)
1958
Ole Kirk Christiansen passes away and Godtfred Kirk Christiansen becomes head of the company.
The first telex machine and photocopier in Billund.
140 employees in Billund.
Selected Product News 1958
The current LEGO stud-and-tube coupling system is patented. The new coupling principle makes models much more stable.
Sloping (roof tile) bricks
1957
Godtfred Kirk Christiansen is appointed Managing Director.
LEGO Schweiz is established.
Selected Product News 1957
Plastic Tractor
A LEGO brick with light inside
1956
The first foreign sales company is established in Hohenwestedt, Germany.
The company buys its first own truck.
Selected Product News 1956
Bicyclists and motorcyclists (little plastic figures)
1955
After further developing the LEGO Bricks, the company launches the revolutionary "LEGO System of Play".
The first real export of LEGO begins. First country is Sweden.
Godfred Kirk Christiansen demonstrates the new product at a toy fair in Nuremberg, Germany. Reaction are not positive.
Selected Product News 1955
LEGO System of Play: 28 sets and 8 vehicles plus supplementary elements
1954
The word LEGO is officially registered in Denmark on 1st May.
Godfred Kirk Christiansen travels to England and meets a purchasing agent on the ferry. They talk about toys. The agent thinks that toys lack idea and system. This spawns the LEGO System idea in the mind of GKC.
Selected Product News 1954
The Beam brick
LEGO windows and doors
1953
The Automatic Binding Bricks get a new name: "LEGO Mursten" ("LEGO Bricks").
The name LEGO is printed inside all bricks.
The first application for registration of the trademark. The Danish registration is accepted on the 1st of May 1954.
1952
Ole Kirk's plans to expand and a plant is built. It cost 350.000 Danish Crowns.
The company now has its first canteen!
Selected Product News 1952
Big plastic and wooden cars
1951
The first ever film about LEGO is shot. The photographer is Chistian Lund, and the film is black and white with no sound.
Plastic toys account for half of the company's output.
Selected Product News 1951
The building base with 10 x 20 studs
The plastic tractor (Ferguson)
1950
Godtfred Kirk Christiansen, son of the founder, Ole Kirk Christiansen, is appointed Junior Vice President the day he turns 30.
|
|
|
