LEGO: The most famous toy brand in the world

by Joost Nusselder Updated on: October 22, 2023

Lego, the toy manufacturer you probably know from your children. But how exactly does it work?

Lego is a Danish toy factory made of plastic blocks that children can use to make all kinds of creative things. The name Lego is derived from the Danish word “leg godt”, which means “play well” and now not only refers to the manufacturer, but is a generic name for the toys become.

Let's take a look at the history of this popular toy brand.

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LEGO: The most famous toy brand in the world

A family toy company from Denmark

LEGO is a Danish family business founded in 1932 by Ole Kirk. The word LEGO is derived from the Danish phrase “leg godt”, which means “play well”. The company started making wooden ones toys in Denmark, but in 1949 the colored plastic blocks for which LEGO has become so famous came onto the market.

A major toy manufacturer

Today, LEGO is the largest toy manufacturer in the world, with a turnover of more than 5 billion euros per year. The company has offices all over the world and is best known for its building blocks.

LEGO in Europe and beyond

LEGO is not only very popular in Europe, but children all over the world play with the well-known building blocks. In 2014, LEGO even achieved record sales of 28,6 billion Danish kroner.

More than ordinary building blocks

In addition to regular building blocks to make buildings, LEGO also has complete boxes with, for example, a fire brigade (best sets here) or police theme. But of course there are also a lot of loose stones with which children can make their own creations.

From police station to space station

With LEGO you can make everything, from an exciting police station in a dark city to large castles with ghosts. But space travel is also represented, with your own space station, for example. LEGO has even created entire cities in miniland format, where you can see LEGO's best buildings up close.

LEGO City and trains

One of LEGO's most famous themes is LEGO City, in which children can build their own city with houses, trains and much more. There are even fast TGV trains available. If you want, you can even build an entire city at once.

LEGO Group and its impact

The LEGO Group has had a major impact on the toy industry and has taken building block play to the next level. The company has enabled billions of children around the world to play and stimulate their creativity. It is therefore no wonder that LEGO has become the most famous toy brand in the world.

The history of LEGO

The origin of LEGO

LEGO is a system of building blocks that was invented in 1932 by Danish maker Ole Kirk Christiansen. The word LEGO is derived from the Danish words “leg godt”, which means “play well”. In Latin, the word LEGO means “I collect”. LEGO's slogan is “Det bedste er ikke for godt”, which means “only the best is good enough”. LEGO started as a small company in the Danish town of Billund, mainly wooden toys made.

The rise of Lego bricks

After the Second World War, plastic blocks became more popular and LEGO decided to focus on this. The first feature article on LEGO came in 1958 in an article describing how Lego bricks were made. The Lego bricks had round studs at the top and hollow tubes at the bottom that were put together in different ways, making them sturdier. This design of the Lego brick turned out to be an important invention and LEGO patented it.

The expansion of LEGO

In the 60s, LEGO building blocks were sold under license in the United States. This period also saw the introduction of new elements such as wheels and special parts for building vehicles. At the end of the 50s, the first modest sets with five white base plates and five rectangular blocks were introduced. These sets were made of cellulose acetate, but were later exchanged for a more stable plastic.

The most successful LEGO series

In the 70s and 80s, the LEGO series became increasingly larger and contained more small parts in different directions. During this period the first motor and battery sets were also introduced, with which self-built trains could run on rails. In the 90s, wirelessly controlled LEGO vehicles were introduced, specifically designed for young children. Today, LEGO sets are larger than ever before and contain a degree of complexity. LEGO is currently one of the most successful toy brands in the world.

How LEGO is designed and produced

Design

LEGO is a Danish company founded in 1932 by Ole Kirk Christiansen. The company started as a former woodworking factory, but in 1949 it started producing plastic toys. The design of LEGO sets is mainly done at the company's headquarters in Billund, Denmark, where most of the company's offices are located. There is also a design group in Los Angeles, United States, which works jointly to produce new sets and accessories. The design team consists of several people worldwide.

Production

LEGO is produced in multiple factories worldwide. The former Lego factory in Neuhof, Hungary, was closed in 2008 and production was moved to Willisau, Switzerland. The range consists of more than 6 billion LEGO bricks and accessories manufactured annually. LEGO has strict quality requirements and every mold is checked for deviations of one millimeter. This ensures that there are no major differences between the stones and that all requirements are met.

Use of raw materials

LEGO building blocks are made from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), a thermoplastic polymer. The company uses raw materials from the German chemical group Bayer, formerly DSM, which is located at Chemelot in Geleen. The transparent LEGO bricks are made of polycarbonate. LEGO aims to only use sustainable materials for the production of their bricks by 2030.

Inspiration for development

LEGO draws inspiration for the development of new sets from various sources. For example, the police station design was created after the delivery of a transparent box containing metal parts that had been returned unsold. A role as junior managing director at LEGO gave Søren Torp Laursen the idea to develop a toy system in which the bricks were sturdier and better than the modern bricks we know today.

Disasters and death

In 2019, a LEGO warehouse in Overmaat burned down, resulting in the loss of a large part of the stock. This was a huge disaster for the company. That same year, Harry Fisher, the son of LEGO founder Ole Kirk Christiansen, died. He played an important role in the development of the company and his death was met with great sadness.

The quality of LEGO: from the moment it started

Quality requirements were set early on

From the moment LEGO was invented by the Danish carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen in 1932, quality requirements have been set. Christiansen wanted to be that toys was durable and would last a long time. This was an important starting point for the makers of LEGO.

Designs on which manufacturing and quality were guaranteed

LEGO designs were made in such a way that manufacturing and quality were guaranteed. The makers designed new molds and adhered to strict quality requirements to ensure that each block was identical and there were no deviations. This is still the case to this day.

Very large number of construction options

One of the reasons why LEGO is so popular with both boys and girls is because of the enormous building possibilities. Countless different things can be built with just six standard building blocks. This is possible because the building blocks can be combined in many ways.

Plastic: inventive and sustainable

When LEGO started producing plastic building blocks in 1949, they were very inventive. The plastic was durable and could be molded into different colors and shapes. This meant that many more building blocks could be made than before.

Maximum deviation of 0,005 millimeters

The quality of LEGO is so high that the maximum deviation of a building block may only be 0,005 millimeters. This means that the building blocks fit together perfectly and that there is no space between the building blocks.

“Only the best is good enough”

LEGO's slogan is “Only the best is good enough”. This means that LEGO always strives for the highest quality and that they do not compromise on the quality of their products.

The quality is still respected

The quality of LEGO is still respected and appreciated by children and adults alike. The building blocks are durable and long lasting, making them still popular with older generations who grew up with LEGO.

The math behind LEGO

The possibilities of LEGO blocks

LEGO blocks are not only fun to play with, but also interesting from a mathematical perspective. The formula for the number of possible combinations of LEGO blocks is partly based on the attractiveness of the blocks and partly on the large variation in shapes and colors. In 1958, Jørgen Kirk Kristiansen, the owner of LEGO, published an article in the company magazine in which he estimated such figures. He discovered that with six of the same blocks alone, 102.981.500 different combinations are possible.

The calculation of LEGO combinations

The basis for calculating LEGO combinations is a computer program that calculates all possible combinations of LEGO blocks. The program only needs the data of the existing blocks and from there it shows that there are more than 915 million different combinations of LEGO blocks. This means that if you were to stack all the blocks produced in LEGO history next to each other, the stack would be more than 3.000 kilometers high.

The unknown formula of LEGO

Although the exact formula for calculating LEGO combinations is unknown, modern mathematicians have attempted to find it a number of times. The problem is that the number of zeros in the digits increases so quickly that it is impossible to predict the total combinations. There is a general formula that can be used to calculate the total number of combinations, but it is not exact.

The different themes of LEGO sets

LEGO has released many different themes over the years, each intended to help kids (and adults) find the perfect set to play with or collect. Below you'll find an overview of some of the most popular themes of LEGO sets:

City

LEGO's City line is intended to help children build their own city. The sets often include buildings, vehicles and minifigures that fit within an urban environment.

Technic

LEGO's Technic line is intended for older children and adults who like to build more complex sets. These sets often contain motors, remote controls and other technical elements to make the sets move.

minifigures

Minifigures are small, poseable figures that appear in almost every LEGO set. LEGO's Minifigures line is designed to help children collect different figures to create their own stories.

Creator

LEGO's Creator line is aimed at children who like to be creative with their sets. These sets often contain a mix of bricks and instructions to build different models.

Star Wars

LEGO's Star Wars line is aimed at fans of the Star Wars franchise. These sets often include spaceships, minifigures and locations from the films.

Marvel and DC Comics

LEGO's Marvel and DC Comics lines are aimed at fans of the superheroes from these comics. These sets often include minifigures and locations from the comics and movies.

Friends

LEGO's Friends line is intended for girls who like to play with LEGO. These sets often include buildings, vehicles and minifigures that fit within a friendly environment.

Harry Potter

LEGO's Harry Potter line is aimed at fans of the Harry Potter books and films. These sets often include locations and minifigures from the books and films.

Brand

LEGO's Architecture line is aimed at adults who enjoy building architectural models. These sets often include famous buildings and monuments.

Classic

LEGO's Classic line is intended for children who like to build their own creations. These sets often contain a mix of bricks and instructions to build different models.

City Space

LEGO's City Space line is aimed at children who enjoy building spacecraft and missions. These sets often include rockets, launch centers and minifigures.

CreatorExpert

LEGO's Creator Expert line is intended for adults who like to build complex sets. These sets often include buildings and vehicles with many details and functions.

Trains

LEGO's Trains line is intended for children who like to build trains and railway environments. These sets often include locomotives, wagons and railroad plates.

Technic Bionicle

LEGO's Technic Bionicle line is aimed at children who like to build action figures. These sets often include figures with moving limbs and accessories.

City Police

LEGO's City Police line is aimed at children who enjoy playing police and crime stories. These sets often include police vehicles, buildings and minifigures.

Space Police

LEGO's Space Police line is aimed at children who enjoy playing science fiction stories. These sets often include spaceships, minifigures and locations.

mindstorms

LEGO's Mindstorms line is intended for children and adults who like to build and program robots. These sets often include motors, sensors and programmable bricks.

With so many different themes and sets to choose from, every child (and adult) can find a LEGO set to suit their interests. Click on the images for an overview of the sets within each theme. And if you're looking for specific sets, you can always visit BrickLink, an online marketplace for LEGO collectors.

Legoland: An overview of the different locations and activities

The history of Legoland

Legoland is a well-known name in the world of theme parks and amusement parks. The first Legoland park consisted entirely of constructed Lego structures and was opened in Denmark in 1968. The reason for building the park was to present the well-known Lego building blocks to the public in an interactive and informal way. The park immediately got off to a good start and attracted more than half a million visitors in its first year. In subsequent years the park grew eight times in size and acquired different themes and attractions.

Legoland activities and attractions

Each Legoland park has its own theme and content, but all parks have miniature worlds called “Miniland” in which well-known buildings and cities have been recreated with Lego. In addition, there are various attractions and activities, such as:

• Interactive models and games
• RCDB (Roller Coaster Database) registered roller coasters
• External attractions such as the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur and Dino Island
• Cafes and restaurants
• Free navigation through the park

The takeover of Legoland

Despite its initial success, Legoland was difficult to turn profitable. In 2005, the investment company Blackstone bought Legoland's shares and rebranded the park as Merlin Entertainments Group.

Discover the world of the master builders at LEGO

What are Master Builders?

Master Builders are professional LEGO builders who call themselves that because of their talent and craftsmanship in creating fantastic LEGO creations. They are also called adult fans of LEGO (AFOL) and are often found in LEGO parks, teams and groups. Some master builders even work as model makers for LEGO and are surrounded by dresser drawers full of LEGO bricks and glued creations.

How do you become a master builder?

To become a Master Builder, you must first pass a tough test and interview with other Master Builders. If you are good enough, you can then start an intensive course in which you will learn techniques to make the perfect LEGO creations. After completing the course, you will be given assignments to alternate between design and technical assignments. If you complete these assignments well, you will eventually be called a master builder.

Who are some famous master builders?

Some well-known master builders are Spencer, Nicole and MRT. Spencer is an English master builder who recently wrote a book about making LEGO puzzles in minutes. Nicole is a professional LEGO builder who has showcased her talent and craftsmanship in various LEGO parks and exhibitions. MRT is a master builder known for his perfect LEGO creations and helpful tips for storing LEGO bricks.

What is the difference between a master builder and a novice LEGO builder?

The difference between a master builder and a novice LEGO builder is that a master builder has much more experience and takes as much space as necessary to make his or her creations. A novice LEGO builder often needs help and could use a hand from a master builder to progress. LEGO is incredibly fun and enjoyable to build with a child during holiday or on a day at home.

Conclusion

Lego has become one of the most popular toy brands in the world and one of the most successful brands ever. It's a great way to stimulate children's creativity and give them challenging play.

So, now that you know which themes are available, choosing will be a breeze!

Joost Nusselder, the founder of Speelkeuze.nl is a content marketer, father and loves trying out new toys. As a child he came into contact with everything related to games when his mother started the Tinnen Soldaat in Ede. Now he and his team create helpful blog articles to help loyal readers with fun play ideas.