Long live Lego!

Lego consists of small parts, the so-called Lego blocks. This toy, invented by the Dane Ole Kirk Christiansen, is world-famous. Lego comes in many different shapes and colors.

History

In 1932, the inventor of Lego, Ole Kirk Christiansen, starts manufacturing wooden toy products. This toy becomes popular with the public and he gives it a name: "leg godt", which means "play well" in Danish. This is where the name Lego originates. Christiansen later discovers that the word Lego means "I learn" or "I put together" in Latin.

After the Second World War, Christiansen starts experimenting with plastic. In 1947, he has at his disposal a machine that transforms raw plastic into animals, dolls and rattles. Two years later he creates the first building blocks, the "Automatic Binding Bricks". The name says it already: with these blocks you can easily build things. These blocks are hollow inside and do not very tightly fit yet.

In 1958 another breakthrough takes place: the so-called "block-with-partitions" was created. By making dividing walls inside the blocks, they fit together more firmly. This also results in more and better combinations of blocks. Ole Kirk Christiansen just lives to see this breakthrough, but he dies the same year. One year earlier, in 1957, his son Godtfred Kirk Christiansen took over the business.

In 1960, a disastrous fire turns the whole factory into ashes. This prompts Godtfred to fully focus on the production of Lego bricks. This turns out to be a great success. Legoland after Legoland is being opened. Currently there are four of these themeparks or  Lego "countries".

In 1979 Kjeld Lirk Christiansen steps up as the new director of the company. In 1995 the inventor of the plastic Lego bricks, Gotfredt Kirk Christiansen, dies at the age of 75.

Losses

Unfortunately for Lego, the company - held by the richest family in Denmark - confronts losses for the first time in 1998. The computer game is gaining ground and that results in lower sales of Lego products.

Lego takes counter-measures and responds to the changing times. Lego Mindstorms, a modern product, is based on the latest computer techniques. With this product, kids can design robots that can see, feel and think via a computer.

Production

There are several Lego factories, for example in Denmark, the United States and South Korea. These plants operate 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. The branches in Germany and Switzerland make molds with a precision of 0.005 mm. With these molds, 2000 different elements are produced in many colors.

Lego uses a plastic called acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). This plastic does not lose its color, is very durable and above all, non-toxic. These are important requirements the company maintains in the manufacture of Lego Products. The ABS is heated to over 446 degrees Fahrenheid (230 degrees Celsius), making it malleable. The plastic is compressed, and then allowed to cool down for a few seconds. The Lego is now ready to be sold.

Legoland and Lego World

There are now four "Legolands" in the world: Billund, California, Germany and Windsor. These parks are well attended every year. In addition, there has been a Lego World event in Zwolle (Netherlands) every year since 2001. This great Lego Show takes place in the autumn vacation and is also very popular.

Sources: www.todio.nl