The LEGO Group
Company History
LEGO History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 1932 in Billund, Denmark
When was LEGO founded?
LEGO was founded in 1932 in Billund, Denmark by Ole Kirk Christiansen, making it 94 years old.
- Founded
- 1932
- Founding place
- Billund, Denmark
- Founders
- Ole Kirk Christiansen
- Headquarters today
- Billund, Denmark
- Milestones documented
- 12 (1932–2026)
- Current CEO
- Niels B. Christiansen
- Acquisitions
- 4
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1932 | LEGO Founded |
| 1934 | LEGO Name Adopted |
| 1949 | Automatic Binding Bricks |
| 1958 | Modern Brick Patented |
| 1968 | Legoland Billund Opens |
| 1978 | Minifigure Introduced |
| 1998 | Mindstorms Launched |
| 1999 | LEGO Star Wars Launches |
| 2004 | Turnaround Begins |
| 2019 | Acquired BrickLink |
| 2025 | FY2025 Revenue of ~$12.7B (DKK 83.5B) |
| 2026 | H1 2026 Revenue Up 21% |
- Where was LEGO founded?
- LEGO was founded in Billund, Denmark in 1932.
- Who founded LEGO?
- LEGO was founded by Ole Kirk Christiansen.
- When did LEGO start?
- LEGO was founded in 1932.
- How old is LEGO?
- LEGO is 94 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
Ole Kirk Christiansen, a carpenter in Billund, began making wooden toys in 1932 when the Great Depression dried up building work. In 1934 he named the business LEGO, from the Danish 'leg godt' ('play well'). A fire destroyed the workshop in 1942, and he rebuilt it. In 1947 he bought a plastic injection molding machine, and in 1949 the company began selling plastic Automatic Binding Bricks. His son Godtfred patented the modern stud-and-tube brick in 1958, the year Ole Kirk died. After another fire in 1960, the company stopped making wooden toys.
Founders
Ole Kirk Christiansen
Ole Kirk Christiansen (1891-1958) was a Danish carpenter who started making wooden toys in Billund in 1932 and named the company LEGO in 1934. He bought the company's first plastic injection molding machine in 1947. His motto, 'Only the best is good enough', still guides the company. He was born Ole Kirk Kristiansen on April 7, 1891 and died on March 11, 1958. His workshop first sold household products before turning to wooden toys. The move to plastic bricks followed the purchase of a plastic injection-moulding machine in 1947, and after his death management passed to his son Godtfred. Ole Kirk Christiansen was born in 1891.
Key Milestones
LEGO Name Adopted
The company adopts the LEGO name from the Danish phrase for play well.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAutomatic Binding Bricks
Lego started making plastic interlocking bricks, called Automatic Binding Bricks, in 1949.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgModern Brick Patented
The interlocking brick design becomes the foundation of the LEGO system.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgLegoland Billund Opens
The first Legoland park opened in Billund, Denmark, in June 1968.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgMindstorms Launched
Lego launched the programmable Mindstorms robotics line in 1998.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgLEGO Star Wars Launches
Licensed entertainment themes become a major growth engine.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgTurnaround Begins
Leadership refocuses LEGO on core products and operating discipline.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAcquired BrickLink
The LEGO acquired BrickLink. LEGO acquired BrickLink, the largest online marketplace for LEGO parts and sets, to get closer to adult fans and the secondary market.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgFY2025 Revenue of ~$12.7B (DKK 83.5B)
LEGO reports ~$12.7 billion (DKK 83.5 billion) in revenue, ~$3.34 billion (DKK 22.0 billion) in operating profit, ~$2.54 billion (DKK 16.7 billion) in net profit, and 33800 year-end employees.
Source: lego.comH1 2026 Revenue Up 21%
First-half revenue rises to ~$6.37 billion (DKK 41.9 billion) and net profit to ~$1.31 billion (DKK 8.6 billion).
Source: lego.comMajor Acquisitions
BrickLink
2019LEGO acquired BrickLink, the largest online marketplace for LEGO parts and sets, to get closer to adult fans and the secondary market.
LEGO and LEGOLAND Discovery Centres (from Merlin Entertainments)
2026Bought 29 indoor attractions in nine countries, with about five million visitors a year, completed 27 February 2026.
Offroad Games
2026Mobile game developer to bolster digital play division.
LEGO Discovery Centres (29 locations from Merlin Entertainments)
2026Integrate city-based attractions directly into global retail and experience network.
Keep researching LEGO
LEGO Company History FAQ
What are the major historical milestones of The LEGO Group from 1932 to today?
Key milestones are wooden toys (1932), the LEGO name (1934), the first plastic molding machine (1947), the brick patent (1958), the minifigure (1978), Star Wars (1999), the turnaround (2004), The LEGO Movie (2014), LEGO Fortnite (2023), and record revenue of ~$12.7 billion (DKK 83.5 billion) (2025).
How did the 1999 launch of LEGO Star Wars transform entertainment licensing?
In 1999, The LEGO Group signed its first major external entertainment licensing agreement with Lucasfilm to launch LEGO Star Wars ahead of 'The Phantom Menace', creating one of the most beloved and lucrative toy franchises in pop-culture history.
What occurred during The LEGO Group's near-bankruptcy crisis in 2003 to 2004?
In 2003-2004 LEGO posted large losses after expanding into theme parks, clothing, and electronic toys and adding too many unique parts. CEO Jørgen Vig Knudstorp restructured it around the classic brick.
What was the blockbuster cultural and commercial impact of 'The LEGO Movie' in 2014?
Released in February 2014 by Warner Bros., 'The LEGO Movie' was a critical and commercial triumph, grossing over $468 million worldwide, spawning sequels and spin-offs, and driving global consumer toy sales to record highs.
When did The LEGO Group open its state-of-the-art 'LEGO Campus' in Billund?
In 2022, The LEGO Group inaugurated its new 54,000-square-meter global headquarters, the 'LEGO Campus', in Billund, Denmark, featuring playful architectural design by C.F. Møller Architects, rooftop solar arrays, and internal employee play zones.
How did The LEGO Group celebrate its 90th anniversary in 2022?
In 2022, The LEGO Group celebrated 90 years of play with global 'World Play Day' initiatives, reopening the classic Lion Knights' Castle and Galaxy Explorer sets, and launching extensive research campaigns with UNICEF on child development.
What was the significance of the 2023 launch of 'LEGO Fortnite'?
Launched in December 2023 inside the Fortnite ecosystem, LEGO Fortnite combined the beloved physical brick aesthetic with open-world digital survival gaming, attracting millions of concurrent players and bridging physical-digital play.
What is The LEGO Group's ultimate corporate vision for the future of play?
The LEGO Group's vision is to become a global force for learning through play, inspiring and developing the builders of tomorrow by delivering creative, sustainable, and inclusive play experiences to children and adults worldwide.
How did LEGO start?
LEGO was founded in 1932 in Billund, Denmark, by Ole Kirk Christiansen, a master carpenter. Originally, he built stepladders and ironing boards, but during the Great Depression, he survived by carving small wooden toys. In 1949, his son Godtfred convinced him to buy a highly expensive plastic injection-molding machine. They invented the "Automatic Binding Brick," which was famously refined and patented in 1958 into the interlocking LEGO brick we know today.
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