Ole Kirk Christiansen, a carpenter from Billund in Denmark established his company in 1932 with the aim to encourage imaginative play and creativity among children. In the beginning, he produced stepladders but the effects of the Great Depression forced him to adapt and evolve his business model. He turned his attention on the manufacture of toys and developed one of the most loved brands.

Christiansen was a thinker who was progressive and quick to embrace new technologies and materials. In 1947, he was 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 experiment and create the Lego brick. The bricks were hollow on the bottom and had pegs at the top. They were interlocked to let children build intricate structures that were far more complex than those created using wooden blocks from earlier generations.

The 1950s were a time of growth for the company. Kjeld Kirk Christiansen, Godtfred Christiansen’s daughter joined the management team and began modernizing company’s manufacturing methods. This expansion view was accompanied by the launch of a line of dollhouses and furniture for girls and also the first individual figures known as Minifigures. In 1979, the company widened its range of products to include sets of astronaut minifigures as well as rockets. They also introduced spaceships, lunar rovers and spaceships.

In 1990, the company launched three Model Team Sets that were made for builders who were advanced. These sets included small parts like levers, axles gears, and other parts. They were the first Lego sets to provide the realism and precision.